Mental Toughness

Change can be difficult. The dictionary defines change as a verb, an action word, meaning to transform. To alter. To replace. To switch. To shift. It requires movement, be it physical and/or mental movement, from one mindset or place to another. It means thinking differently which will create different actions. These actions propel you closer to the change you desire. It is work. And that work starts in the mind.

Mental Toughness.

I discovered a story by Runner’s World describing mental toughness in relationship to running (I highly recommend that you read this article if you are in any exercise program). The concepts described in this article directly correlate to the process of change. ANY CHANGE. The key is developing your mental toughness. Mental toughness comes from two places; your commitment to the change and your confidence in your ability to make change occur. You WANT change, but when the process becomes uncomfortable (and it will), your commitment and confidence is what will keep you moving forward with focus. Mental toughness is what will make you go to your scheduled workout when you have a rough day at work. Mental toughness is what will keep you from complaining at the slower than usual cashier when you are trying to get home to make dinner. But, mental toughness needs to be developed and practiced. You can make that happen. Here is how:

Define yourself as your goal: Defining yourself as your goal means visualizing your success as a picture in your mind. I believe this is the #1 reason people fail to make change. They don’t visualize themselves as the change. For example, if your goal is weight loss, you must visualize what you will look like, feel like, how your confidence will change. Create the picture of the person you are changing into. Create a picture so clear that you can see it as if you have taken a photo of it. And, hold on to that picture when the challenge gets tough.

• Advice: Start your day every morning and end your day each night by taking 60 seconds and practice this visualization.

Focus on your journey: The #2 reason people fail to make change is they have no patience. For example, if you want to run a 5K, do you just get off the couch, run 3.1 miles and then get frustrated and quit if you can’t? I sure hope not. In a time where instant gratification is almost mandatory, we forget that change is a journey. We didn’t get here over night and we will not change overnight.

• Advice: Find a program. Start slow. Commit to the program by creating a schedule and physically cross off each day on that schedule as a sign of your daily success. When times are tough, you can look back and see how far you have come. That creates confidence which fuels your mental toughness. This process can be done with any change you want, not just exercise.

Positive talk: Are you wired to look at the negative and dismiss the positives? To create mental toughness, you must change your vernacular. Stop being a change thief. Stop stealing your own confidence through self-degradation. One of my favorite quotes is “People who see the glass as half empty miss the point. The glass is refillable”.

• Advice: Think about how you would talk to someone you love. Would you beat them up? Tell them how poorly they are doing? Would you tell them to quit? NO. You would find supportive (but authentic) words of advice. Do you love yourself enough to treat your self that way?

By using the steps of visualization, patience and positiviely you create confidence and commitment within yourself to empower change. Mental toughness is a strategy you can teach yourself to help when times are challenging. Change is difficult. Hard times will come. But with mental toughness strategies, you will make change happen.