‍Confidence as a Continuous Journey

Nelson Mandela is quoted as saying, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” That line sums up everything this journey has been about.  Confidence is not a destination. It is not something you arrive at once and for all. It is a journey, built through action, tested by setbacks, and strengthened each time you choose to show up again. Confidence is not about never doubting. It is about moving anyway.

While working with Alex Komaromi, the professional poker champion from Uruguay, he told me that awareness is everything. At the table, you never know the next card, but you can always be aware of yourself, your opponents, and the dynamics of the game. Confidence, he explained, does not come from certainty. It comes from awareness: noticing clearly what is happening and trusting yourself to respond. That struck me as the purest form of confidence. Executives live this every day. Athletes feel it every time they compete. None of them ever have the full picture. What sets them apart is their ability to act with conviction despite uncertainty.

Across this journey we have seen the same truth repeat itself. Maurice Greene on the start line in Monaco. Luís Figo in Madrid on the night before his daughter was born. Ronaldinho, his brother Assis, and his mother Dona Miguelina in Rio de Janeiro. Rubén Magnano in Buenos Aires, Bode Miller in the Andes, Mika Häkkinen in Monaco, Alexis Pinturault in the French Alps. Different sports, different stages, different lives. Yet all point to the same lesson: confidence is not about brilliance in a single moment. It is about a way of showing up, again and again, with resilience, rhythm, and trust.

The same applies to executives I have worked with across continents. Some faced collapsing markets. Others faced skeptical boards. Some were stepping into leadership for the first time. All of them discovered that confidence is less about certainty in outcomes and more about conviction in themselves, their preparation, and their teams.

Confidence is not a gift reserved for a few. It is a practice available to anyone. And like any practice, it requires attention, repetition, and courage. Each step builds on the last. Each choice strengthens the bridge between doubt and action.

The Arc of the Journey

Looking back, we have walked across six chapters: the bridge between doubt and action, the quiet moments that shape belief, the origins of steady and situational confidence, the role of coaching as a catalyst, the shared lessons between athletes and executives, and finally, the realization that confidence is not something you arrive at once and for all.

What becomes clear is that confidence is never static. It grows, fades, rebuilds, and evolves. It is shaped by the people we learn from, the teams we trust, the failures we endure, and the dreams that keep us moving forward.

The arc brings us back to where we started: that bridge. It never stands finished. Each step you take adds another plank. Each doubt faced, each preparation repeated, each small win stacked, extends it further.

As Rubén Magnano once told me, it all starts with a dream, and then taking one step toward it every day. And as Aristotle wrote, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Confidence is built the same way.

Closing Thought
Confidence is not something you wait to feel. It is something you build, not once but daily. It grows, fades, rebuilds, and evolves. What matters is the choice to keep showing up. Because in the end, confidence is less about what you achieve and more about the courage to take the next step.

So here is the final question: what is your next step?