“When the going gets tough, the tough get going”. In other words, as a sports psychologist said, mental toughness is “the ability to consistently perform toward the upper range of your talent and skill regardless of competitive circumstances”. Whether you are rowing through a downpour or playing basketball on a newly waxed floor, mental toughness means maintaining your effort and plowing through despite the difficult circumstances. Being able to give it your all, even win is the epitome of mental toughness.
Mental toughness can mean the difference between being first or last. Someone who is determined and does not let anything distract them from their goals is more likely to win than someone who looks at an extremely hot day before a race and begins to doubt themselves in the heat. High levels of mental toughness are associated with success in athletics and all other areas. In business, we all have highs and lows, but being able to keep going and working hard through the tough times can bring you out on top.
Here are 3 elements of mental toughness that you can follow in your day-to-day life:
Flexibility
When the going gets tough, the tough get going applies here. No matter what comes your way, you are able to adapt to the circumstances and remain true to yourself. To increase your flexibility, always be willing to learn new things to stay on top of the game so that things don’t come as a surprise to you as often.
Responsiveness
This is exactly how it sounds. A good leader is always looking for opportunities, challenges, and threats in their environment. We must always pay attention to what is happening around us so that we can respond with a counterpoint.
Ethics
Great leaders always do the right thing for their organization. Taking shortcuts and having the courage to make the right decision rather than the easy one is always the sign of a great business leader.
Sometimes being mentally tough means that you have to trudge through a hard time for a long time. Being able to maintain a positive attitude through losses in your company or organization can be difficult if you are continuing to plateau or decline. Negativity can get the best of you and that is not the way to become a winner. Giving it your all is what it’s all about. If you are upset that you are not doing well, but you also know that you are not trying as hard as you could, then you may have some re-evaluating to do.
The main part of being mentally tough is having a competitive advantage. Knowing that you are able to work harder and maintain your work ethic despite your circumstances will give you an edge against people that are not so tough.