Who has believed in you before you believed in yourself?

I think we all go through seasons where our own belief in ourselves is shaken. Sometimes it's after a setback. Sometimes it's because we're trying something completely new. And sometimes it's simply because we can't yet see what others can.

That is when the people around us become incredibly important.

There are moments in life when we need to borrow someone else's belief until we can build our own.

A coach who sees potential we haven't recognised. A parent who reminds us what we're capable of. A colleague who encourages us to apply for the promotion. A friend who says, "You've got this," when every voice inside our head is saying the opposite.

That borrowed belief can become the spark that ignites confidence. It gives us permission to take the first step, chase a dream, apply for the opportunity, or simply keep going when giving up feels easier.

But borrowed belief can work both ways.

If we spend our time surrounded by people who constantly question us, criticise us, or tell us why something won't work, we can begin borrowing their doubts instead. Before long, their limiting beliefs become our own, and we start talking ourselves out of opportunities before we've even given ourselves a chance

That's why choosing the people around you matters.

Surround yourself with people who are honest, but who also see your potential. People who will challenge you to grow rather than convince you to stay where it's comfortable. People who celebrate your success instead of feeling threatened by it.

Just before my first Paralympic Games, I had a crash that shook my confidence more than I expected. Physically I had recovered from my injuries, but mentally something had shifted. I was scared to get back on the trike.

We were at a training camp in France, and I remember feeling overwhelmed by the simplest things, especially going downhill. I just didn’t trust myself anymore. And with the London Paralympic course set at Brands Hatch, a motor racing circuit with long, fast, technical descents, that fear felt very real. In my mind, I couldn’t see how I was going to race well there.

I had started to doubt whether I truly belonged at that level.

That’s when Dan Brent, our mechanic, stepped in.

Each day, he would ride with me. And every time we came to a downhill section, he would slow right down and ride beside me. Not ahead of me. Not behind me. Right there with me. Calm, steady, reassuring.

And as we rolled down those hills, he would keep saying, “You can do this.”

At first, I didn’t fully believe him. But something about not being alone in it made it possible to keep going. Day by day, corner by corner, descent by descent, I started to rebuild trust—not just in the bike, but in myself.

Slowly, my confidence returned. My “mojo,” as I like to call it, came back.

By the time I lined up in London, something had shifted completely. The same course that once felt intimidating became the place I felt strong, in control, and ready. And I went on to win gold in the time trial.

Looking back, it wasn’t just my own belief that got me there. It was borrowed belief. Someone else held it for me until I could hold it myself again. As your confidence grows, something interesting happens. You no longer need to borrow belief as often because you've built your own. The voices that once carried you become quieter, replaced by your own inner confidence.

And then one day, the roles reverse.

You become the person who believes in someone else before they believe in themselves. You become the coach who encourages the hesitant athlete. The leader who sees potential in a team member. The teacher who inspires a student. The friend who reminds someone of their strength when they've forgotten it.

Never underestimate the impact of believing in someone. A few words of encouragement, offered at the right time, can change the direction of a person's life.

Perhaps someone once loaned you their belief. Now it's your turn to pass it on.

The Gift of Borrowed Belief

The Strength of Women