Mental toughness is a key element for succeeding under pressure.
High-pressure situations call for mental toughness. Those who exhibit mental toughness -- from athletes and business executives to political leaders -- have a psychological advantage in high-stress situations, because they are able to perform consistently, confidently and at maximum potential. Much of mental toughness stems from simple psychological concepts such as attitude, self-belief and commitment. A firm understanding of these concepts is essential for enhancing mental toughness.
Instructions
1. Identify your strengths and weaknesses. Consider how you work with others and assess personal aspects such as self-confidence, motivation, desire and determination.
2. Determine situations where your mental strength may be tested, then begin to program your mind to do what you would want it to do in those situations. Write down how you would normally react in those situations, as well as your desired reaction. Note the difference from point A to point B and then begin to focus on point B.
3. Let things go. Setbacks are discouraging and have the potential to create a feeling of failure. Do not allow any of life's disappointments -- such as a job layoff, betrayal by a friend, or a lost competition -- to impact your current performance. Learn from these setbacks, but do not dwell so much on them that you are unable to move forward. Focus on the present and you will be much more ready to perform.
4. Take small steps. Building mental toughness is a process. Be aware of behaviors that may hamper your efforts. Develop a small daily goal or challenge to help you break those bad habits. Progress to more challenging goals as your mental strength grows.
5. Stay positive. Focus on what is good about a high-pressure situation, even if the only apparent good thing is that it will help you learn something about yourself. Choose to embrace an outlook that is energizing and optimistic. To hone this optimism, read motivational materials and surround yourself with positive people who support you.
6. Adopt winning rituals. Human beings are creatures of habit, so rituals serve to calm us. Better habits net better results. Determine a ritual that will both energize and relax you. This may include listening to music or simply spending some quiet time each day to visualize the future.
7. Take initiative. Look for opportunities to be in charge. At first, you may be reluctant to take control if being in charge is not in your comfort zone. However, building mental toughness is an ongoing psychological exercise. You must keep up the exercise to make your mental toughness stronger.
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