The Confidence Crisis Is Real — And Here's What to Do About It

A 2025 national research study conducted by Dr. Cindra Kamphoff and the Mentally Strong Institute revealed something that stopped me in my tracks.

66% of working Americans believe there is a genuine confidence crisis unfolding in this country. Two thirds of us. And when you dig into the numbers — the 48% of Gen Z workers who frequently feel they aren't enough, the 70% of all Americans who wrestle with a harsh inner critic, the 75% who believe confidence matters more than intelligence — the picture becomes very clear.

We are living in a confidence crisis. And most of us have never been given the tools to address it.

This week on the Cowgirl Up podcast we spent five episodes unpacking that research — what it means for women specifically, what it means for the people we love, and what eight evidence-based strategies actually look like in daily life. Here's the summary.

WHAT THE RESEARCH REVEALS ABOUT WOMEN

The study uncovered a striking self-doubt divide between men and women. Women reported significantly higher rates of harsh inner critic, feelings of not being enough, comparison, and fear holding them back.

Here's what I want you to hear about that. Every single one of those barriers lives in our thought life. And that means it's also where we can address them. The inner critic isn't a life sentence. Comparison isn't fixed. Fear doesn't have to run the show. These are trainable patterns — and this blog post is going to give you the tools to start changing them.

WHY CONFIDENCE DOESN'T ALWAYS TRAVEL

One of the most important things I've learned — and one I had to discover personally — is that confidence is situational. It doesn't automatically transfer from one area of your life to another.

When I got serious about competitive team roping, I was already a confident person. Successful career. Strong relationships. A clear sense of who I was. And yet the moment I backed into the box at a roping, all of that confidence stayed in the parking lot.

Because I hadn't made the deposits yet in that specific context. No accumulated experience. No track record of wins. No mental reps in that particular arena. I was starting a brand new confidence account from zero.

This is how it works for everyone. Each new challenge, each new level, each new context requires its own deposits. Expecting confidence in one area to automatically fund confidence in another is one of the most common mistakes we make. The good news is that once you understand this, you stop wondering why you feel unconfident in new situations — and you start making the right deposits instead.

THE EIGHT DRIVERS OF CONFIDENCE

The 2025 study didn't just identify the problem. It identified eight specific evidence-based strategies for building confidence intentionally. Here they are — all eight — with a brief note on how to apply each one.

Setting clear goals with a plan to achieve them. Vague intentions don't build confidence. Specific, meaningful goals do. Write yours down and build a plan around them.

Ensure you're always prepared. Preparation is one of the most reliable deposits you can make into your confidence account. When you know you've done the work, you walk in with something to stand on.

Releasing judgment and letting go of past mistakes. The inner critic thrives on replayed mistakes. The ACT strategy — acknowledge, check, trade — is one of the most effective tools for interrupting that pattern.

Knowing who you want to be and acting accordingly. Identity drives behavior. When you are clear on who you are — I am someone who prepares, who shows up, who competes with heart — your actions follow naturally.

Celebrating your accomplishments. Most of us blow right past our wins on the way to the next thing. Start a win log. Write down three things that went well every day. Your brain needs that evidence.

Being your own internal coach and cheerleader. This is the inner champion — the voice that encourages rather than tears down. Build it through power statements, intentional self-talk, and speaking to yourself like someone worth believing in.

Regulating your emotional response to setbacks. You cannot control whether setbacks happen. You can control how quickly you recover. High emotional responses to every setback are massive withdrawals from your confidence account.

Getting support from mentors, coaches, or other positive influences. You were not designed to do this alone. The people in your corner matter. A coach who believes in you before you believe in yourself is one of the most powerful confidence builders available.

BUILDING CONFIDENCE IN THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE

Before we close, I want to say something about the people around you.

The study found that 82% of working Americans believe parents significantly shape their children's confidence. Eighty-two percent. That is almost all of us agreeing that our influence matters — deeply and durably.

The confidence work you do on yourself ripples outward. It shows up in how you respond to your child after a tough loss. In how you talk about your own mistakes in front of them. In whether you model getting back up or staying down. Every one of the eight drivers above can be modeled, taught, and encouraged in the people you love.

Celebrate their effort not just their results. Help them set meaningful goals. Be the mentor who believes in them before they believe in themselves.

Confidence building is not a solo sport. And the people in your life are watching how you play it.

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Ready to go deeper? Listen to the Cowgirl Up podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts — new episodes drop Monday through Friday.

Interested in building a complete mental skills toolkit with personalized coaching support? Schedule a free discovery call at mentalgame101.com.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laurie Blickenstaff is a Certified Mental Performance Coach, competitive team roper, and founder of Mental Game 101. She hosts the Cowgirl Up daily mindset podcast and works one-on-one with women competitors in western horse sports who are ready to close the gap between their physical preparation and their mental game. Learn more at mentalgame101.com.

Mental performance training is NOT intended as, nor is it a substitute for, mental health care.