Confidence is NOT a one-and-done.

 I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked out of the ring on top of the world one weekend, only to question everything about myself the next. One day, I feel unstoppable. Next, I’m wondering if I even belong out there. Confidence feels like it should stick once we’ve “got it,” right? Sadly, it doesn’t work that way. Confidence is not a one-time achievement. It’s a living, breathing part of our performance mindset — and like all living things, it needs attention.

What I’ve come to understand is that confidence has seasons. Sometimes it blooms with ease, fueled by a streak of good training or a great trial weekend. Other times it feels fragile, like a thread you’re afraid will snap under pressure. And just when you think you’ve mastered it, a new challenge comes along — a different judge, a new venue, a move up in level — and suddenly the confidence you had doesn’t feel like quite enough. That doesn’t mean you’ve lost it. It just means you’ve reached a new edge that calls for more.

Handlers often believe confidence is something we “earn” once and then carry with us forever, like a title we put on the shelf. But in reality, it ebbs and flows. It grows with experience, then wobbles when we hit new situations. It can be rattled by nerves, by the weight of our own expectations, or even by a single mistake that suddenly feels bigger than it is. Progress itself can be the culprit — the confidence that carried us through Novice may not stretch far enough to cover Utility, just as the belief that carried us through local trials might wobble under the pressure of a national.

The better way to think of confidence is like a muscle. Strong when we’ve been working it, weaker when we’ve neglected it, always capable of rebuilding with the right attention. And just like physical strength, mental strength takes practice and intention.

So how do we keep confidence from slipping through our fingers? The truth is, we can’t stop it from shifting. What we can do is build habits that help it come back more quickly and last longer. A few things I recommend:

• Track your wins. No matter how small. Those moments are the raw material of confidence. When you record them — in a notebook, in a voice memo, or in your Dogged planner — you create proof to lean on when doubt creeps in.
• Lean on your tools. Confidence doesn’t appear out of thin air. It’s built from self-talk, visualization, mantras, and other strategies that you can return to again and again.
• Revisit the basics. Sometimes the best way forward is a step back. Rebuilding confidence at a simpler level gives you the foundation you need to tackle the harder stuff.

These aren’t quick fixes, but they work. They make confidence steadier, more resilient, and easier to call on when the pressure rises. It’s why we need practical ways to build confidence that adapts, no matter the level or the challenge. And it’s why I designed the Dogged planner with space to reflect on patterns and celebrate wins — because those small notes add up to big shifts over time.

Confidence isn’t something you win once and keep forever. It’s something you build, lose, rebuild, and strengthen again and again. And honestly? That’s good news. Because it means you’re always learning, always growing, and always capable of becoming the handler your dog believes you to be. With the right tools and a little intention, you can create confidence that not only lasts longer but also shows up exactly when you need it most.