It’s no secret everyone wants to be mentally tough. It’s easy to see the link between mental toughness and performing at the height of your potential. But this is one of those terms that, while many speak highly of it, don’t know exactly what it is.
So, what is mental toughness?
It’s the ability to consistently be at your best, despite adversity.
Let’s get more specific, though.
The mentally tough athlete takes advantage of psychological skills to keep their mental game strong, despite reasons for it to falter.
Example: the ref makes a horrible call that puts you and your team at a disadvantage.
The mentally weak athlete yells at the ref, starts using it as an excuse for losing, if that happens. Most of all, though, their performance suffers because their thinking takes a downward spiral into working against themselves.
The mentally tough athlete understands this is a part of sports, some calls go your way while others don’t. It isn’t the end of the world for the mentally tough athlete. Then, they reach into their mental game toolkit to boost their focus, confidence, and chances of success.
The mentally tough athlete is just as upset as the mentally weak athlete, but they don’t use it as an easy excuse to lose their head.
One of the most difficult things an athlete can do is take advantage of all their sport psychology training when they don’t want to. In this case, being blinded by rage can be a tough obstacle for athletes to get through and recover their mental game.
How does someone develop mental toughness?
There isn’t one exercise or tool I can show you that develops mental toughness. Instead, it’s made up of having a multitude of mental skills and mindsets that facilitate a strong mental game.
So, how do you develop mental toughness? By training these skills and mindsets, like breathing to manage nerves, focusing on what is within your control, or dialing in your self-talk, you have a defense prepared for any type of adversity.
How long does it take to develop mental toughness?
Mental toughness is the collection of mental skills and mindsets that you’ve trained enough to comfortably use in any situation, especially when the pressure is on.
Building a strong foundation for your mental game takes time, there are no overnight solutions. Some athletes find that it takes months, multiple seasons, or even their whole career until they can confidently express their mental toughness.
While that may sound discouraging, think of it this way: mental toughness is not a switch that is either on or off. Throughout the process of your sport psychology training, you’ll feel your mental toughness meter increasing as you learn tools to think more effectively.
So, while it may take time to feel constant mental toughness, you’ll be improving your mental game during the whole process.
How do I get started?
Schedule a free call with me to see if we’d be a good fit for your mental toughness development by clicking here.
You can also purchase the automated program I developed: Sport Psychology Basic Training. You’ll receive 5 lessons, including videos and worksheets, that are a great start to building your mental toughness. You’ll also get to schedule a Q&A session with me.
