First of all, I want to thank everyone for the overwhelming response to my Mental Toughness video. It sparked some great comments and questions about what it takes to reach our goals. So let's keep the conversation going!
We all want to be mentally tough, but how do we know if we are? There are four pillars of mental toughness: motivation, coping with pressure, concentration and confidence. Let's take a closer look at each one.
MOTIVATION
Motivated people are hard to stop. They bounce back from failures and refuse to give up. They have an internal drive that pushes them beyond their perceived limitations and helps them reach challenging goals. They're also some of the hardest workers.
COPING WITH PRESSURE
Remaining calm is a key component of this pillar. People who cope well with pressure handle challenges and adversity effectively. They stay focused and think on their feet. They don't allow anxiety or fear to stop their progress; in fact, they use it as fuel to rise to the occasion.
CONCENTRATION
Pillars 2 and 3 are closely linked; both involve staying focused. True concentration involves staying centered in your work, blocking out distractions, and maintaining a level of control despite unexpected interruptions.
CONFIDENCE
This may be the most important pillar of all. Self-belief is everything! The most successful people have an insane amount of confidence. They believe they have what it takes to reach their goals. They also believe they can overcome any obstacles along the way. I sometimes have to fake confidence until my mind can catch up. In my Mental Toughness video, I mentioned how I tell myself, "you can do this, Dee" when I'm running. If I say it enough, I will eventually believe in myself enough to run with more confidence.
So, are YOU mentally tough? Take this 2-minute quiz to find out. It's sports-focused, but it will reveal weaknesses in your mentality and provide some great tips for mental toughness training.