Training Confidence: Simone Knego on Building Belief When It Matters Most

Stand behind the blocks long enough and you will hear it.

The voice that asks if you’re ready.
The voice that reminds you of your last bad race.
The voice that wonders if today is the day you come up short.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a first-year Masters swimmer or an Olympic gold medalist. Doubt has a way of showing up when the pressure is on.

According to bestselling author and TEDx speaker Simone Knego, that voice isn’t proof that you lack confidence. It’s proof that you are human. And confidence is not something you’re born with or without. It’s something you train.

Respect Yourself First

Simone’s framework for building what she calls real confidence begins with a foundation most of us were never explicitly taught: self-respect.

As children, we’re taught to respect teachers, coaches, elders, teammates. Rarely are we taught that the most important person to respect is ourselves.

For athletes, self-respect often shows up as self-care and boundaries. It’s choosing recovery when your body needs it. It’s saying no to extra obligations when your schedule is already stretched. It’s protecting your energy so you can show up fully in the lanes that matter.

Respect isn’t something you demand from others. You demonstrate it in how you treat yourself, and over time, people follow your lead.

Failure Is a Moment, Not an Identity

Masters swimmers understand what it feels like to miss a goal time, to get out-touched, or to feel flat on race day.

Simone challenges the belief that failure is a verdict on who you are. A bad swim is a moment in time. It’s part of the process! Watch a baby learn to walk. They fall repeatedly, but no one calls them a failure. Falling is how they learn.

Athletes sometimes forget that principle. We attach identity to outcome. We replay mistakes long after the race is over. We allow embarrassment to linger.

Simone’s advice is practical. Feel the emotion, let yourself be disappointed, and then move forward. If you don’t release the moment, you stay stuck in it. Confidence grows when failure becomes a teacher instead of a label.

Ask Yourself What You Want

One of the most powerful questions Simone poses is deceptively simple: What do you actually want? In Masters swimming, that question matters.

Are you chasing a top ten ranking because it excites you, or because you feel pressure to prove something? Are you training for connection, fitness, and joy? Are you holding yourself to standards that no longer fit the season you’re in?

There’s freedom in clarity.

When you know why you’re showing up, you stop measuring yourself against everyone else. You stop performing for the crowd and you begin aligning your effort with your values. 

Control, Alt, Delete

Even with clarity, the inner voice does not disappear. Simone shares a simple mental reset to help with this that she calls control, alt, delete.

• Control begins with awareness. Recognize that the thoughts running through your mind are just thoughts. They’re not facts.

• Alt stands for alternative. Tell yourself a better story. Replace “What if I fail?” with “What if I execute?” Replace “I always mess this up” with “I am prepared.”

• Delete is the final step. Let go of habits and beliefs that no longer serve you. Comparison. Harsh self-criticism. The assumption that you are not enough.

Masters swimmers know what repetition can do for physical skill. The same is true for mindset. Catch the thought. Change it. Move forward.

Drop the “Just”

Simone speaks openly about the language she once used to shrink herself. “I’m just a stay-at-home mom.” “I’m just a volunteer.” That word “just” quietly limits identity.

If you’re an athlete, it can sound like, “I’m just a Masters swimmer.” Or, “I’m just doing this for fun.” It’s important to remember there’s nothing small about balancing work, family, and early mornings at the pool when you’re choosing to train, to compete, and to care about your growth at any age. 

Language shapes belief. When you minimize yourself, you reinforce limitation. When you own your effort, you reinforce strength.

One More Step

Years before developing her confidence framework, Simone climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. She had never climbed a mountain before. She trained in Florida, where hills are rare, and wore an elevation mask to simulate thin air.

On the mountain, doubt was constant. The climb was long and the descent was painful on an already compromised knee. Her strategy was simple: one more step.

Not the whole summit. Not the entire descent. Just the next step.

The same applies to a hard set, a long season, or a comeback after time away. Confidence is rarely built in one dramatic moment. It’s built in small, repeated acts of follow-through.

One more interval. One more practice. One more time choosing to show up.

Change the Way You See Yourself

Simone leaves us with a reminder that echoes beyond sport. We don’t need to change who we are. We need to change the way we see ourselves.

Masters swimming offers daily opportunities to practice that shift. To stand behind the blocks and believe you are capable. To treat yourself with the same respect you offer others. To view setbacks as part of growth, and to choose goals that reflect who you are now.

Confidence isn’t reserved for the podium. It’s available in the process, and like endurance, it strengthens with training.

If you enjoy conversations that help you perform better in the water and in life, subscribe to the show and share it with a teammate. If you have a moment, leaving a quick review helps more swimmers find us! You can also stay connected by joining our Mojo Messages, short encouraging messages sent straight to your inbox to help you live well and swim well. We’re cheering you on!

Email us at HELLO@ChampionsMojo.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice. Please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns. You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com