Components of Mental Toughness
- For elite athletes, the mental aspect of the game often makes the difference.Athletics are close finishing after the run image by Ivonne Wierink from Fotolia.com
Aside from training, education and preparation, there are intangible factors that greatly influence a person's ability to succeed in any arena. One of these is mental toughness. An individual's level of mental toughness can greatly influence his ability to focus and follow through under stress and ultimately meet goals. Fortunately, skills related to mental toughness can be cultivated when they're not natural. - Self-confidence is an important component of mental toughness. An individual must truly believe that she possesses the skill and ability to meet the challenge at hand in order to perform. Whether running a race or competing for a contract in the workplace, the party who thinks he has the ability--and even unique skills--to succeed has an edge over the competitor who battles doubt in this area.
- Motivation is another key element of mental toughness. An inner desire to meet a goal or win will provide energy--either mental or physical--when fatigue might otherwise threaten. The root of motivation may vary among people and situations. In the workplace it may be the desire for financial reward or recognition. In an athletic situation it may be a hunger for dominance in your field. Either way, that inner drive will carry an individual in seasons of adversity.
- In any competitive environment, there are distractions. Mentally tough people possess the ability to stay focused on the task at hand despite these distractions. Furthermore, they aren't adversely affected by the performance of others or negative self-talk. The mentally tough seem to stay focused on what they can do rather than getting bogged down in what they can't control.
- Mentally tough individuals are able to regain composure when presented with unexpected events, and even thrive on the pressure of competition or adversity. Some studies have shown that elite athletes on the brink of a highly competitive situation experience a reduction in brain wave activity that is similar to meditation. Average people experience a spike in brain activity in these types of circumstances, due to the mental stress involved.
One key to developing this skill is to expect in advance that there will be stress associated with a given set of events. Anticipating that feeling and deciding how you will respond can help the individual to perform well in the moment.
