I think confidence is mostly a state of mind; to get in that state requires finding the right “ritual” that works for you.<p>Once you have a ritual, the other key is consistency. We like to superstitiously repeat the same ritual that worked before because we want the same results. I can’t explain the rationality behind it, but it’s just part of telling yourself to focus on what’s ahead and prepare for it.<p>The key is spending some time introspecting to find what works for <i>you</i>. Personally, I found standing outside by myself for a few minutes and taking some calm, deep breaths while soaking in the sights/sounds from the environment around me to work better for me than listening to music. But that’s just me, other people could have a totally different way that works for them.