The off-season is an immensely important time to pursue your triathlon goals. You can get fitter in the pool, on your bike, and out running. You can improve your swim technique. You can rehab injuries. And, with the 2022 race season just around the corner (or already begun for some) you can take all of your efforts to build yourself up mentally, especially in strengthening your confidence.

Confidence may be the most important mental “muscle” you strengthen in the off season. Confidence is so important because you may have the fitness to swim, bike, and run at a certain pace or to achieve your race goals in 2022, but if you don’t believe in your capabilities, you won’t fully use those capabilities on race day. The end result will be that you don’t give your best effort, you hold yourself back for fear of blowing up, you will leave time on the course, and you will be disappointed at the end of the day.

Building confidence is a slow process that takes time and a whole lot of effort. You can increase your confidence in every aspect of our sport, from your overall fitness to your training in the three disciplines of triathlon. Your motto during this important prep period as you head into race season should be: “Money in the bank, baby, money in the bank!” (it won’t work unless you say “baby!”). What do I mean by that? Well, you should think of all of your preparations as deposits that you’re making in your triathlon “bank.” Your goal is to put as much “money” (i.e., effort, fitness, improvement) in the bank because the more confidence money you have in the bank, the bigger the withdrawal you can make on race day. What makes triathlon different from a bank account is that, in triathlon, you can’t make withdrawals that you can’t cover. In other words, you can only take out what you put into it.

I have three recommendations as you enter the 2022 triathlon season.

First, as you’ve worked hard during this off-season, acknowledge all of the deposits you’re making to your triathlon bank account. Think of the hours of hard work you’ve put in in the gym, in the pool, and on the road, both biking and running. Recognize the improvements you’ve made physically, technically, tactically, and mentally. Add up all those deposits and make note of how big your confidence bank account is now. Use that number to gain confidence in your ability to achieve your goals this season; the more “money” you have in the bank, the more confidence you will have.

Second, as you approach and progress through the 2022 season, ask yourself how you can put even more money in the bank. What do you need to really work on throughout the triathlon season to continue to make confidence deposits in your triathlon bank account? More time in the gym building power and explosiveness? Some adjustments in your swim technique? Improving your power on your bike? Getting faster running? Saving time in your transitions? Or honing some mental area such as your intensity or focus? Whatever it is, identify what you need to work on most and really commit moving forward to making the most deposits to your bank account as possible.

Finally, every time you complete a workout in which you get better, stronger, or faster (or even have fun or feel pride in your effort), say to yourself, “Money in the bank, baby, money in the bank!” This practice will consciously and actively remind you of your great efforts, so that every “cent” of those efforts get deposited in your triathlon bank account. When you finish a tough swim workout and you were ahead of your time goals, “Money in the bank, baby, money in the bank!” When you nail your power numbers on an indoor interval ride, “Money in the bank, baby, money in the bank!” When you beat your targeted splits during a track workout, “Money in the bank, baby, money in the bank!” Oh, and when you say “Money in the bank, baby, money in the bank!,” you can add a “Kaching!” (the sound of an old-style cash register) with a fist pump to add emotion (which is rocket fuel for your passion and motivation) to your deposit.

Your goal, when you are about to begin your 2022 “A” race, is to be able to say to yourself, “Money in the bank, baby, money in the bank!” Simply translated, this statement means “I’m as prepared as I can be to swim, bike, and run my fastest, and go the distance. Now it’s time to cash out!” When you run into the water, you’ll know you’re ready to make a big, fat withdrawal that will enable you to race as fast as you can.