In all kinds of sports, you have to get the confidence going

Hear now the words of AB de Villiers, master of the cricket field and artist of the bat, who declared: “In all kinds of sports, you have to get the confidence going within before you can start proving people wrong or right.” These words shine with wisdom, for they reveal that the greatest battles are not fought in the arena of men, but within the silent chambers of the heart. Before the crowd may be silenced, before the critics may be answered, before the praises may be earned, the warrior must first awaken the fire of confidence within himself.

The meaning is clear: no external triumph can arise without inner belief. To seek first the approval of others is to build castles upon shifting sand. Praise may lift, but it also enslaves; criticism may wound, but it also deceives. The true foundation of greatness is not what others declare, but what one declares to oneself. To believe inwardly is to carry an unshakable fortress wherever you go. De Villiers reminds us that only when this inner confidence is established can one begin to prove others wrong or right.

History speaks the same truth. Think of Joan of Arc, a simple peasant girl who believed, with unyielding conviction, that she was called to lead France to victory. Before kings or generals could believe in her, she believed in herself. With that confidence burning like a flame, she stirred armies, silenced doubts, and altered the course of history. Had she sought first the approval of others, she would have remained voiceless; but because her belief came from within, she triumphed.

So too in sport. Consider the story of Muhammad Ali, who declared, “I am the greatest,” long before the world accepted it. His words were not arrogance alone, but the outward expression of inner certainty. That confidence became his shield against critics and his sword in the ring. By believing first in himself, he later proved to millions that his words were not empty boasting but prophecy fulfilled. He embodied what de Villiers speaks: the inward flame must burn before the world sees the light.

The origin of de Villiers’ words lies in the crucible of cricket itself, a game where the mind is tested as much as the body. To walk onto the pitch, knowing the eyes of thousands are upon you, requires more than skill. A trembling heart will betray even the most gifted hand. De Villiers, who carried South Africa through countless trials, knew that his victories began not with the swing of a bat but with the certainty in his soul. His teaching is born of this life: before runs are scored, before crowds are silenced, confidence must already dwell within.

The lesson is eternal: do not waste your life trying first to prove yourself to others. Their judgments will rise and fall like the tides. Instead, cultivate confidence within, a belief forged from discipline, preparation, and the quiet knowledge of your own worth. Then, when the world challenges you, you will not be shaken, for your victory will already have begun in your own heart.

Therefore, O children of tomorrow, take heed: tend to the flame within. Build your confidence not on vanity, but on effort and truth. Awaken each morning not asking, “Will they believe in me?” but declaring, “I believe in myself.” Only then will you have the power to prove others wrong or right—not because they command it, but because you have already conquered the greater battle: the war within your soul.

So let de Villiers’ words echo across time: confidence first, victory next. For no triumph is born outwardly that was not first conceived inwardly, and no man may silence the world until he has first silenced his own doubt.