Mental Toughness - Part 2

Today, we are going to look at the first  three characteristics on the list in your quest towards being Mentally Tough.

First off, there’s self-belief. Now, this may seem like a no-brainer, but let’s give it some time in the sun. Self-belief is not simply a matter of saying, “Yeah, I’m good at what I do.” And, it’s definitely not the same as being arrogant. It’s a stronger foundation that doesn’t crack or crumble in the face of adversity.

After you set a goal, you start toward it with an unshakeable knowledge that you can accomplish it, because you know your opponents and you know how and why you’re better than they are. You’re part of a team that is head and shoulders above its competitors…and that knowledge should give you strength and self-belief.

The second aspect of mental toughness—motivation—is a strong source of forward movement, the burning desire to accomplish whatever goal you’ve set for yourself. And it certainly is good for that. But being highly motivated can also help you bounce back more effectively when you hit a stumbling block. Instead of having your eyes blinded by defeat, a strong motivation will help you to see your goal even more clearly than before your setback.

The third aspect of mental toughness—focus—is also more than you might think at first glance. Sure, staying focused means weathering distractions of various kinds. You shouldn’t look over your shoulder when you’re running the race. All that does it take your eyes off the goal and give the guy behind you time to catch up. Case in point, last night, I was reading a story to my 6 yr old son and Charlie Brown, a well known character was competing in the school Olympics and much to his surprise was poised to win it all...until he glanced over his shoulder, closed his eyes and trudged ahead only to find out he missed the final turn in the race.  I probably don't need to tell you his loss of focus cost him the win.

On the other side of the coin, you shouldn’t let any negative thoughts sway you. Being focused is not only about what’s going on around you, it’s also about what’s going through your mind. What kinds of thoughts are you pondering as you race toward your goal? They better be positive and beneficial, otherwise they don’t belong in your head.

But being focused also requires the discipline to know when to turn your focus on and when to turn it off. You might be asking, “When would I want to turn off my focus?” Well, there is something known as compassion that everyone you should give in to when you feel the urge as  it causes you to temporarily switch your focus off to help someone else.  The cool thing about displaying compassion is that its a circular act…it’ll always come back to you when you need it most. So never hesitate to switch off your focus temporarily if someone else needs you. You may lose a little time pushing toward your goal right now, but you’ll be saved a lot of heartache later when you need help.

That's it for today, look for part 3 in the coming week.  In the meantime, I resolve to seek progress, everyday - will you join me?

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