Research has revealed that your mental toughness — or “grit” as they call it — plays a more important role than anything else for achieving your goals in health, business, and life. That’s good news because you can’t do much about the genes you were born with, but you can do a lot to develop mental toughness.
Why is mental toughness so important? And how can you develop more of it?
Here are 10 Ways to Become Mentally Tough:
1. Have a Growth Mindset
As leaders, we frequently need to make critical decisions quickly so we must maintain the ability to be objective and deliver high performance regardless of what life throws at us. Individuals who believe their talents can be developed (through hard work, good strategies, and input from others) have a growth mindset. They tend to achieve more than those with a more fixed mindset (those who believe their talents are innate gifts). This is because they worry less about looking smart and they put more energy into learning. When entire companies embrace a growth mindset, their employees report feeling far more empowered and committed; they also receive far greater organizational support for collaboration and innovation. In contrast, people at primarily fixed-mindset companies report more of only one thing: cheating and deception among employees, presumably to gain an advantage in the talent race.
2. Keep Focussed.
Being mentally tough allows you to carry on even on the dark days when the universe seems to be conspiring against you. Keep your focus on your goals no matter what.
3. Be ready for change.
The world has a crazy way of turning our lives upside down at times. Be prepared for change by embracing the ability to adapt to change.
4. Know How to Manage Stress.
Find productive ways to deal with stress. Discover what works for you and practice it daily. Whether its meditation, yoga or journaling knowing how to manage stress will keep you productive and on track to meet your goals.
5. Quit Overthinking Everything.
Detachment allows you to distance yourself from taking things personally and saves many otherwise wasted hours overthinking and overanalyzing.
6. Recognize that Setbacks are inevitable.
Life will throw you curveballs – be ready to learn from failures, complications, and setbacks by accepting the things you have no control over.
7. Be patient.
Success requires perseverance; it rarely happens quickly or overnight. Take the long view with your goals and recognize that with everything it takes hard work and grit. All the seemingly overnight successes were 10 years in the making.
8. Be positive.
Some things are outside of our control. However, we are in control of our actions and emotions. When you’re having a bad day, focus on doing what makes you feel happy and calm.
9. Be persistent in your pursuit.
Never. Give. Up.
10. Stay in your lane.
Keep your eyes on your prize – your end goal! Stay focused.
