Why You Should Rethink Saying "I'm Proud of You" to Your Athletes

As a young university student, legendary Australian coach Peter Hannan sat in class, listening to a lecturer drop a statement that stopped him in his tracks:

👉 "Never tell your athletes you're proud of them."

At first, it seemed counterintuitive. Shouldn’t coaches uplift and encourage their athletes? But the reasoning behind this advice is powerful.

The Power of Intrinsic Motivation

Athletes receive plenty of external validation—parents, teachers, and friends all tell them they’re proud. But if an athlete begins to associate success with pleasing others, their motivation can shift from self-driven to externally dependent.

A simple wording change can help:

🚀 Instead of: "I'm proud of you,"
💡 Try: "You should be really proud of yourself."

This small shift encourages athletes to own their achievements, fostering long-term confidence and self-motivation.

🎥 Watch Peter Hannan explain this powerful coaching principle:

What do you think? Does this approach resonate with your coaching philosophy? Drop your thoughts in the comments! ⬇️