Being mentally tough is an important ingredient to success in business and in life. So what are you doing to strengthen your mental toughness? I’d like to hear from some of you about this. What are your thoughts about this topic? Do you intentionally work on this? Or do you have no idea what I’m asking about? Talk to me.
One of the reasons why I’m training to run a marathon this fall is to develop mental toughness- the ability to remain strong and to be able to think clearly in the midst of adversity. Running insane distances requires mental strength. Physical ability is the easy part. The mental commitment to endure is the real challenge.
Why is this important to me? Good question. My world is becoming more complex all the time. My ability to remain focused and engaged is challenged at times. I realize that, despite my human limitations, there is room for improvement. I want to be better. Sharper. Faster. Hungrier.
Mental toughness is important to me. What about you?
P
June 14, 2009 at 9:14 am
Who we are today has much to do with our earliest experiences, from conception forward. If a mother uses alcohol or drugs during her pregnancy, the baby born is likely to have a different start than one who developed in a healthy intrauterine environment. A baby born with fetal alcohol syndrome is not likely to have nearly the resistance that a baby born under ideal circumstances is going to have.
So “mental toughness” starts at the very beginning of one’s development. It is simplistic to propose that every person can develop “mental toughness” by a strategy or formula. It is well supported by human development research that people are born with their temperament; temperament–shyness, difficult personality, etc.–is a biological construct. This means, we come into the world with a certain approach to things. You’ve likely seen very active babies (Maybe you’ve had one!) and the opposite, babies who are more reluctant to explore their world. Temperament is, in part, responsible for basic differences in human beings. Can all develop “mental toughness?” Maybe. They are likely to go about it differently.
If you are including the topic of “mental toughness” in your book (I know it will be a great read), consider using “resilience” instead. Developing mental toughness sounds external, something a person brings from OUTSIDE self. True “mental toughness” is an INTRINSIC factor; inside self, in the subconscious. Resilience, on the other hand, has been much written about and discussed. My favorite resilience expert: Sir Michael Rutter–a genius, Google and read more.
Researchers wonder today, is resilience something we are born with or is it something we develop? Is there a resilience gene? Your question warrants much more research (since you are writing a book) on resilience.
From a less scientific, more emotional approach: yes, resilience is important. We need it to survive. Somewhere I have a reading on nurturing resilience in children . . . i will see what I can find. In the meantime, in order for you to write something people haven’t read about before, perhaps you should read as much as possible that has been written on the topic. Research resilience. Academic formats/search engines are going to provide you more “meat” rather than just your–interesting and entertaining–opinion. I suspect anyone buying your future book is going to buy it in order to learn something.
Also, ask yourself, who are the most resilient people you know (those with the “mental toughness”). How’d they get that way? Born resilient or worked at it?
June 14, 2009 at 9:18 am
P.S. Also research external motivators vs. internal motivators (extrinsic vs. intrinsic). Know these.
Check out Alfie Kohn for a radical view of changing conventional American education by disposing of external motivators (grades, awards . . . ). Kohn will get you thinking, whether you agree with him or not. He’s a genius.
June 14, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Great stuff, Julie! This topic is definitely outside the scope of my book. It it an interesting topic for me, though. I appreciate your scholarly approach and knowledge1