Strength training your body is a pretty common goal for folks, but what about strength training your willpower? Whether you\u2019re an entrepreneur, civil servant, a student, or somewhere in between: resilience is something that we all need to be successful. Mental toughness matters.<\/p>\n
Adversity comes at us in a lot of different forms, and without that resilience even the most talented professional won\u2019t be able to accomplish their goals. We have a lot of different words for resilience \u2013 grit, mental toughness, fortitude \u2013 and it\u2019s the subject of research and a fascinating piece<\/a> by James Clear.<\/p>\n The most important takeaway you can pull from Clear\u2019s writing on toughness is that it can be developed. This is something you can build. Some ways to help you build that toughness include:<\/p>\n Command your expectations.<\/strong> In many ways, our expectations fuel our motivations, but too often our expectations get away from us. Everything is a surprise and an emergency \u2013 and that lack of control compromises your ability to stay resolved.<\/p>\n Know yourself.<\/strong> Know your motivations and seek to find out who you are. How does your mental resilience connect to your real world success? Define who you are and what the resilient you can accomplish. Your reasons need to be something that you own and that represent who you are \u2013 \u201cjust because I should\u201d is not a motivation to sustain you to excellence. Do things that can help you get to know yourself better \u2013 Psychology Today has some suggestions.<\/a><\/p>\n Get comfortable being uncomfortable.<\/strong> This US Navy SEAL quote<\/a> is one of the first things I learned getting ready for graduate school. We often face challenges we aren\u2019t\u2019 comfortable with \u2013 ask any HR or Management professional having to have a difficult conversation \u2013 but it\u2019s how we endeavor through those challenges that defines our victories. If building resilience is like working a muscle, working out of your comfort zone is adding more weight. You can\u2019t grow any stronger without working out of what\u2019s easy and familiar. #comfortablyuncomfortable<\/p>\n