Mental Toughness

What is mental toughness and why is it important?

When was the last time you faced an adverse situation that required strength beyond skill to reach your desired outcome? In seasons of waiting; in moments of high pressure; in the seconds following failure; when everything depends on your very next move: how do you respond?

Mental toughness can be defined by one’s ability to thrive and persevere no matter the circumstances. An athlete can use mental toughness to persist through injury. A student can use mental toughness to perform under pressure. An apprehensive flyer can use mental toughness to board a plane amidst fear. Young adolescents can use mental toughness to excel while combatting negative self-chatter.

BetterUp, a coaching platform used by Google, Microsoft, and NASA, defines mental toughness as, “the cognitive and emotional skill of reframing negative thoughts and adverse circumstances.” Sports psychologist Jonah Oliver believes it’s not just a skill of reframing our thoughts, but a choice to act through fear. “You can never overcome fear,” he says. “You need to accept it, but not let it define you.”

Mental toughness does not stop or reverse fear or difficult circumstances. Mental toughness prepares individuals to persevere through difficult circumstances, by first reframing our negative thoughts and then choosing positive action no matter the circumstance. In our most defining moments, Mental Toughness is a choice - a decision to take the next necessary step using tools to help us perform at our highest level.

This is the difference maker. An athlete trained in MT develops an edge above other players because the mind has power to take the body one step beyond what it is capable of doing alone.  

Can young children learn mental toughness?

Children are capable of significantly more than they are sometimes given a chance to demonstrate. Young minds are absorbent! The sooner content is introduced, the greater the opportunity for early growth.

Mental toughness is no different. Key concepts of mental toughness can be easily taught through simple language at a very young age:

·      “When I make a mistake, I try again.”

·      “This is hard, but I will keep going!”

·      “Resilience means I keep going even when it gets hard.”

·      “I am doing something new, so I am stepping out of my comfort zone.”

·      “When I step out of my comfort zone, it feels hard, but it is how I grow.”

·      “Practice helps me make progress.”

·      “I can do this even though it feels uncomfortable.”

·      “I can do this even though I feel nervous.”

·      “I can do this even though it feels scary.”

Praising young children for their efforts, and not simply their performance, helps foster an early growth mindset. Parents can have the most powerful impact by identifying moments of hard work and progress, rather than revisiting outcomes or performance.

What concepts and tools are most important to the development of mental toughness?

High Five teaches these concepts to be the pillars of its mental toughness program:

1. Growth is experienced outside of comfort zones

2. Stepping out of comfort zones takes courage and risk

3. Mistakes are moments to be celebrated

4. We own the power to change our thinking

5. Positivity and self confidence lead to action

6. Action is the first step through fear

7. Small habits, with consistency, build big dreams

These concepts are taught in a variety of settings, but always with the goal of experiential learning while having fun. "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire," (W.B. Yeats). We must not just deliver information; we must give students a reason to love what they are learning.

At High Five, students learn mental toughness via:

• Memorizing mantras and affirmations together

• Changing thought processes from negative to positive

• Developing pre/post-competition routines

• Engaging in thought-provoking discussion

• Listening to podcasts and inspirational speakers

• Reading and discussing stories

• Sharing moments of real-life mistakes

• Celebrating mistake stories and identifying growth moments

• Studying the GOATS: their habits and how they respond to adversity

• Using habit trackers to build consistency and routine

• Collecting quotes and inspiration in personal journals

• Practicing a variety of breathing techniques

• Practicing a variety of stress relief techniques

• Visualizing both big and small moments

• Building community that celebrates and grows together

Once core concepts are taught in an engaging learning environment, the development of mental toughness then depends on:

• The application of concepts in organic moments: practicing mental toughness tools at home, at school, in training environments, and during real game situations

• The support of family, coaches, teammates, and friends: relationships using consistent language and mental toughness tools are key to continued growth

• The modeling and teaching of mental toughness to teammates and friends: teaching is always the ultimate form of learning

Gaining the edge with mental toughness

If you or your child is desiring growth at the next level, mental toughness is imperative. “It’s not about fixing anything; it’s about learning ways to gain an edge,” (sports psychologist Bradley Donohue, PhD, UNLV).

"Mental toughness is many things, and rather difficult to explain. Its qualities are sacrifice and self-denial, Also, most importantly, it is combined with a perfectly disciplined will that refuses to give in. It's a state of mind - you could call it character in action," (Vince Lombardi).