There are many people out there that act tough and might be physically tough but they are weak inside. Being mentally tough and achieving mental toughness is something only you can do if you put in the hard work in. No matter what your goals and dreams are, you will need mental strength and toughness to get there. One must believe in themselves to succeed in whatever their goals are. The best athletes are not only physically strong but they are mentally strong too. Here are four ways to become more mentally tough:
Focus
One of the key components of being mentally tough is the ability to concentrate and block out all irrelevant distractions. A mentally tough person is able to focus on their goals and stay on track without being distracted or detoured. It is like a hockey player focusing on the game and getting a goal, not getting distracted by the heckling fans in the arena. Strategies to improve concentration include motivating self-talk, routines, and self-monitoring. Concentration and attentional focus are super important for mental toughness.
Be Motivated
Motivation and the ability to stay motivated for a long period of time is vital for mental toughness. Motivation can come from both internal and external sources. Internal motivation or being self motivated is what keeps you going and is the harder one to achieve. Making short term and long term goals are helpful to get motivated and stay motivated. When making any type of goals for yourself it is important to remember to make them specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.
Build Confidence
Confidence plays a critical role in one’s mental toughness. There are many ways to build confidence such as positive feedback, goal mapping, thinking confidently, and mastery experiences. Someone’s own expectations can have a great influence on self-confidence but others can also have an effect on one’s confidence. There is no greater strength than someone believing in themselves.
Cope with Pressure and Anxiety
In life there will always be pressure and it's about how you cope with life’s pressures and anxiety that might come from it. Anxiety is usually divided up into two components; a mental component and a physical component. The most mentally tough person doesn’t cope with anxiety in a debilitating way but instead in a facilitative way. Using coping strategies such as breath control or relaxation response will help cope with pressure and anxiety and will make you more mentally tough.
People who are mentally tough are the type of people who know what they want, and how to get it. Achieving mental toughness takes time and hard work and the majority of people are not mentally tough. Working on qualities such as self-confidence and self-motivation will help you achieve the greatest amount of success. Whether your goal is to lose 100 pounds or your goal is to be in the NBA, all these components are needed to achieve success and attain mental toughness.
Stay Tough! Stay Strong!