Mental Toughness: 6 Steps for Succeeding When Times are Rough

Ever see a Bobo doll?


You take a swing at it and it bounces back at you. Swing at it again and it bounces right back. However many times you knock a Bobo doll down, it won't stay there. It will always rise back up.


To succeed, your actions must mirror the Bobo doll. When your dreams are challenged, when people put down your business idea, when you get 15 nos to your sponsorship requests, the key to being able to tell the tale of success is to persevere. And in order to persevere, you must train your mind to keep a tough mental outlook. 


Here are six key steps to develop that mental outlook and maintain confidence and resiliency:

1. Smile. Your ability to stay positive is the basis for all other steps. It will spur you on when the world seems against you. Positivity can be achieved by keeping uplifting people around you and avoiding those who are negative in their own life.


Attitudes are contagious. Choose to surround yourself with the one that will keep you productive. 

2. Look at life as a game.  Do you label every event in life as "good" or "bad?" Most of us do. From a getting a flat tire to a sale that didn't pan out, we tend to measure our success from the results of our daily activities, even if we had little to do with them. 


Instead, look at life as a game. If you won every tournament you entered because those competing against you were far less skilled, would you label this a true success? The same goes for life. Challenge creates interest and makes us stronger. If you fail at your task, evaluate the circumstance so you can become a better player next time. Viewing life as a game will keep you unfazed by the outcome of daily activities and keep you focused on the end goal.

3. Live your dream- now. Once cemented, an idea is hard to shake. Visualize what success looks like for you. How does it feel, how does it change your surroundings, how does it improve your relationships? What changes do you feel about yourself? Let these emotions spur you into a new pattern of thinking- one of living as though you have that success already. 


When you do this, priorities fall into place and goals become concrete. Your mind, free from the worry of whether it can can obtain success, becomes more productive because you have already achieved that success. Resolving that you are able to live out your dream will create a mind that can not be shaken by the lesser trials of life and will keep you motivated when you face criticism or rejection.

4. Keep things bite-sized. When you bite off more than you can chew, you choke. The simple solution? Only take on that which you can handle easily. Set daily goals that you can achieve- no matter how small- so you feel a sense of accomplishment every day. 


Add a power move to this tip: write your daily goals down. Include things as minute as calling a friend, and filling up the car. As you go, cross completed items off the list. The very act of checking things off  is a powerful reinforcement that you can achieve what you set out to do. 

5. Stand by your beliefs. Know why you are doing what you are doing, its importance, understand the value it has for yourself, your family and others, and then believe in those reasons.  Whether those reasons are personal or for the greater good (or even better, both!), a strong belief system results in confidence that bolsters your ability to persevere. Naysayers won't be able to keep you down because you have worthwhile purpose and you will have something to fall back on when the going gets tough. 


If you are at a loss as to what your belief system is, find some time to discuss the topic with those you admire and respect. Ask them what truths or values keep them going when they pass through rough patches and then adopt those ideas as your own. Once you have a set of beliefs in place, repeat them to yourself purposefully. This will reinforce what is important to you and keep you grounded when the world is spinning around you.

6. Give your self-esteem a pick-me-up. Partnering closely with a having a belief system in place is maintaining a strong belief in self. This is separate from the reasons why you believe in your venture. This is believing that you have the ability to carry your idea forward and be successful. Keeping your self-confidence strong carries you through the times when even friends and family seem to focus on downfalls.

To boost your confidence try these activities:

• Exercise and enjoy good nutrition: Feeling good about yourself inside and out passes on to all aspects of life. Take time each day to participate in fitness activities and eat healthy. If you find yourself short on time, take a brisk walk and do not skimp on nutrition. Healthy whole-nutrition shakes can shave time while helping you keep your energy levels up and your mind clear.
• Put up little reminders of success: keeping momentos or "trophies" in plain view where you will pass them daily is a great way to remind yourself of past successes and help you retain confidence in yourself. Knowing you completed a task in the past reinforces the fact that you can do it again.
• Get involved with something bigger than yourself: any time you get down, you are reflecting inwardly. Get out there and give your time and talents to others who need an extra hand. You'll find that not only will your spirits soar, but your confidence will skyrocket as well.
• Try your hand at public speaking: one of the biggest fears we have as humans is fear of failure in front of others. Public speaking is one of the largest venues in which we fear we will fail, so we tend to avoid it at all costs. However, move past this fear and you'll achieve a level of confidence that may very well surprise you. Bonus: you'll be better at communicating the ideas and needs of your venture.