High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset - 722: The Confidence to Do Nothing New This Year

Episode Date: December 31, 2025

In this episode, we explore a counterintuitive finding from the 2025 National Confidence Study: the pressure to constantly improve may be eroding confidence rather than building it. We unpack the data behind comparison, confidence fatigue, and the growing belief of "not enough," including why this mindset is especially heavy at the start of a new year. You'll hear how performance psychology explains the link between pressure and insecurity, why mastery builds confidence more effectively than endless goals, and how the Learn–Burn–Return™ framework helps you move forward without abandoning who you already are. We close with a grounded reflection question and a confidence-building power phrase to help you start the year with clarity, not comparison. Power Phrase: "I build confidence by honoring who I am and not by chasing who I think I should be." Quote of the Week: "Rest is not falling behind. Reflection is not stagnation. Trusting your current path is not complacency." - Cindra Kamphoff   To view the Oprah Daily article, go here: https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/wholeness/a69822509/learn-burn-return-reset/ To download our full study report, visit: confidencestudy.com To Request a Free Breakthrough Call with a Mentally Strong Coach, visit: http://www.freementalbreakthroughcall.com/ To learn more about the Mentally Strong Institute, visit: https://mentallystronginstitute.com/ To learn about Dr. Cindra Kamphoff's speaking and coaching, visit: https://cindrakamphoff.com/ To follow Dr. Cindra on Instagram, visit: Cindra Kamphoff, PhD (@cindrakamphoff) • Instagram photos and videos

Hi, Dr. Sindra here. Myself and my team just conducted this national research study on confidence that you have to check out. The report, which you can download at www.com, shows research-backed ways you can grow confidence, what leaders do to both kill and grow confidence, and how confidence is not just a personal issue, but an organizational issue. I am telling you you've got to check this out. It is a game changer.

You can find our full report at www. comfidence study.com. It's time to visit with Cinder Campoff, and we talk about the confidence to do nothing new this year. Cinder, this is, I know you're going to start us off with a quote, but it's so like anti what we normally do this time of year where we want. What are we doing for the new year? Exactly.

Yeah, start us off with one of your quotes. All right. This quote, here we go. Rest is not falling behind. Reflection is not stagnation. And trusting your current path is not complacency. Is this a quote from you? This is a quote for me. If you want to learn more about what we're talking about today, I just wrote an article in Oprah

Daily. That's exciting. That's exciting. Oprah Daily. Well, as we head into the New Year's Center, there's a huge cultural push to reinvent ourselves. We have to come up with new goals or new habits or create this whole new version of who we think we're supposed to be.

But your latest research actually shows that pressure might actually be hurting our confidence. Absolutely. And that what's even surprising more to me is that according to our 2025 National Research Study on Confidence, 66% of Americans believe that confidence is declining nationwide. And it's largely due to comparison what you just said in the constant pressure to improve. And even more striking is 62% of people regularly feel like they're not enough. That's a huge number. And it really challenges that whole like new year, new you mindset that we're seeing everywhere. Exactly. And instead of motivating us, You know, that message often reinforces the belief that who you are right now isn't enough. And this belief that, you know, doesn't fuel growth, it really exhausts us. So when we feel that pressure to set big resolutions, what's actually happening like psychologically in our body? I would say from a

performance psychology standpoint, you know, confidence doesn't grow from pressure. It grows from alignment. And so when goals are driven by the thought, like, I'm not good enough, the emotion that follows is insecurity. And those actions are rooted in insecurity are fueled by fear, urgency, comparison, you know, not clarity and joy. And this isn't just a personal issue. It's happening everywhere. Yes. You know, our research actually found that 63% of American workers frequently compare themselves to others, which creates what I call a confidence fatigue. And it's that emotional exhaustion from constantly trying to keep up, you know, and especially at the new year when everyone else is setting goals. And so the confidence fatigue really doesn't come from doing too little.

It comes from doing too much without space to recover or reflect. Is this especially intense for younger adults or does the age matter? Yes, it is more intense for younger adults. So among Gen Zers, which in our study is defined as ages 18 to 29, nearly half of them said that they regularly feel like they're not enough. And 47% constantly compare and struggle with comparison and a harsh inner critic. And so they've grown up in a world of, you know, nonstop visibility, matrix, constant comparison, social media, judgment. And so improvement feels kind of mandatory just to survive. What's the alternative for them if more goals aren't the answer? What actually helps build

confidence? I would say what builds confidence and the alternative is mastery. And so confidence doesn't come from, you know, chasing endless upgrades. It comes from strengthening what's already working. And so, you know, for doing less, you know, it means doing it with intention. And so I think one of the most confident questions you can ask isn't, you know, what do I need to change? But but what do I want to strengthen this year? You really teach a practical reset for this. Yes, and this tool is for my first book called Beyond Grit. And the tool is called Learn Burn Return.

And it's just asking yourself, learn, what would I do differently next time? And that keeps, you know, growth and not being critical. The burn means releasing the pressure with a small physical reset, like a deep breath or shake it off or let it go. And then the return means refocusing on your strengths with intentional self-talk. even just reminding yourself, I am enough this year can really help you. And I think what this does is show people how to move forward without abandoning who they really are this year. It's really powerful. So if somebody asks you, like, what's your big goal this year? What's a confident response you can give them? I think you could give something like I'm doubling down on what brings me joy or I'm giving myself space to

appreciate where I am. And again, what I said at the beginning is rest isn't falling behind. Reflection isn't stagnation and trusting your current path isn't complacency. That's really confidence. I love that. So what is the power phrase for today? I build confidence by honoring who I am and not by chasing who I think I should be. I love this. Where did you say we could read more on this? You can, we will put it on the show notes, but you can also go to just Google Oprah Daily, Cindra Campoff, and you can find my article there. Way to go for finishing another episode of the high performance mindset. I'm giving you a virtual fist pump. Holy cow, did that go by way too fast for anyone else? If you want more, remember to subscribe.

And you can head over to Dr. Sindra for show notes and enjoy my exclusive community for high performers, where you get access to videos about mindset each week. So again, you can add over to Dr. Sindra. That's d R-C-I-N-D-R-A.com. See you next week.