However, when it comes to sports in general, even in chess for that matter, there is something quite opposite to confidence that all those who succeeded had, including Kasparov and Fscher.
In any domain, not just sports, to make it all the way to the top, there is something quite surprisingly different than confidence that everybody who went all the way had. That’s because there is always opposition, and so confidence at some point will be shaken. At that point, this thing kicks in.
But, while this gives one success, as a human being he will be destroyed, consumed by its negative effects, which explains the failures in relationships of celebrities.
I tried to tell that to a lower-rated player in another forum, but to no avail: he insisted that despite one’s confidence the position over the board doesn’t care about one feeling confident. As if the game was played by two robots...
He only reluctantly backed off when I used Kasparov example, who admitted that when he was insecure, his playing ability diminished: at that point, he would apply the principle ‘fake it ‘till you make it’: he would begin to feel he was invincible. Soon enough, his playing style and the actual game would tourn around in his favor.
He is going to write a book on mental toughness, although this is no secret: he long considered it to be one of the most important features of his success.
Even though, he considered Fischer to be tougher than him!! Precisely because he would not accept playing for a draw just because it was enough to win a tournament , something Kaslparov admitted doing many a time.