MENTAL TOUGHNESS

“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.”

– Sir Edmund Hillary

 

Information age has its own peculiarities. On top of it the pandemic has imposed a new kind of working culture and lifestyle. These are affecting people in many ways. The most prominent is the adverse effect on mental health of people. In these times being mentally tough is invaluable.

Mentally tough people shake off life’s adversity with confidence and determination. 

 

Mental toughness is the ability to resist, manage and overcome doubts, worries, concerns and circumstances that prevent one from succeeding, or excelling at a task or towards an objective or a performance outcome that one has set out to achieve.

 

Some Suggestions to Become Mentally Tough

 

Free Entitlement. Do not feel entitled to anything. There are no free lunches. There is no short cut to hard work.

 

Deal with Change. Change is inevitable. Do not try to avoid it, accept it, and learn to adapt to it. Embrace the opportunity and take on the challenge.  

 

Retain Control. Do not complain about situations you can’t control. Be optimistic and deal with it with a positive attitude.

 

Learn from Mistakes. Mistakes are part of life. Learn quickly the first time and do not make the same mistakes again and again. 

“Men’s best successes come after their disappointments.”

– Henry Ward Beecher

 

Calculated Risk. Risky decisions are vastly different than calculated risks. Do not be reckless, but embrace new opportunities after carefully examining their efficacy. This requires critical thinking and confidence. 

 

Think Long Term. Go for long term commitments rather than short term solutions or immediate gratification. They are no short cuts for extraordinary results.

 

Let go. Do not live in the past or wish for things to be different. Let go of past mistakes and focus on work at hand and creating a promising future. Let go of bitterness and learn to forgive. 

 

Learn to Say No. One can’t please everyone. Learn to say no and speak up when necessary. Be respectful but set firm boundaries.

 

Blame Game. Do not blame society, others or boss for personal failures. Take full responsibility for personal decisions / choices made. Learn, amend and move on.

“Strong minds suffer without complaining; weak minds complain without suffering.”

– Lettie Cowman

 

Self-pity. Do not waste time on self-pity feeling sorry for yourself. Accept that life isn’t always fair and concentrate on personal improvement.

 

LAST TWO ARE MOST IMPORTANT

 

Me Time. Understand the difference between loneliness and being alone. Spend some time alone to recalibrate.

“You cannot be lonely if you like the person you’re alone with.”

– Wayne Dyer

 

Celebrate Other’s Success. Do not resent someone else’s success. Do not make comparisons and feel jealous about someone else’s accomplishments.  Instead celebrate other people’s success and strive to become better every day.

 

Value additions are always welcome.

Please share what you have learnt in life.

 It may benefit someone else.

References:

1. https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/7-habits-of-people-with-remarkable-mental-toughness.html
2. https://jamesclear.com/mental-toughness
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_toughness
4. https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/how-to-develop-mental-toughness.html
5. 62 Years of Life Experience