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Lauri Markkanen had a choice:
Stay the same—or step into something bigger.
When he left Chicago and got to Cleveland, something clicked. He realized confidence wasn’t about waiting until he felt ready. It wasn’t about stringing together a few good games and hoping momentum carried him.
It was about owning his presence.
So he went all in.
Every shot in practice? A rep for his mind, not just his body.
Every game? A test of the identity he was building.
Every moment? A chance to decide he belonged.
And once he did that, he stopped hoping to be the guy and started being the guy.
Confidence is Built, Not Found
Most athletes think confidence is something that happens to them.
"If I have a good game, then I’ll feel confident.”
"Once I prove myself, then I’ll feel like I belong.”
That’s the slowest way to get there. And for Lauri? Not an option.
So we dialled in on Mental Reps.
Seeing the shot drop before taking it.
Visualizing himself dominating under pressure.
Training his mind to expect success—not hope for it.
Two things mattered:
His three-ball—making it automatic.
His presence—owning the floor like he belonged.
Once he embraced the work, everything changed.
The Science of Micro-Wins and Identity Shifts
Confidence isn’t something you wait for. It’s something you create.
Lauri didn’t just take shots—he saw them going in before they left his hands.
Instead of “I hope I make this,” it became “I make these.”
Instead of waiting to get hot, he decided he was hot.
Instead of questioning his presence, he stepped into it.
That’s the formula: Action → Proof → Identity shift.
And that’s how confidence is built.
Molliteum’s Challenge: Build Confidence Through Action
Lauri didn’t wake up confident. He built it.
Now it’s your turn.
This week, apply the Micro-Wins Formula:
✅ Pick one skill—the one that changes the game for you.
✅ Visualize it before doing it. See yourself executing.
✅ Take the shot—commit fully.
✅ Track your wins—proof that you’re building confidence, not waiting for it.
Do this for a week and watch what happens.
Because confidence isn’t given. It’s earned.
Stay resilient,
Matt "Confidence is Earned" Caldaroni
CEO, Molliteum
Want to take this further? Here’s how:
🔥 If you want one-on-one resilience coaching, apply here.
🔥 If you want to train your resilience on your own, click here.
🔥 If you want to test your resilience and get a customized game plan, click here.
🔥 If you want to listen to all of our free content on YouTube, click here.
Athletes: you’ve been lied to about confidence.
When he left Chicago and got to Cleveland, something clicked. He realized confidence wasn’t about waiting until he felt ready. It wasn’t about stringing together a few good games and hoping momentum carried him.