35 Tips to Improve Your Mental Strength and Toughness

Author: Dr. Jakir Hossain Laskar, PhD

Mental strength is an important part of our plastic personality trait which should have the power and capacity to deal with the stressors effectively to bring out our best performance in spite of hard challenges and adverse circumstances. Personality attribute with plasticity is capable of changing and easily flexible through life experience or targeted experimental actions. Mental strength determines our performance. Two people, facing similar situations and are from same background, experience different outcomes because of the difference of their mental toughness. Mental strength is required for success in life, mentally strong people practice positive self-talk and keep their thoughts positive.

Those who have mental strength can regulate their emotions, control their thoughts and keep their attitude positive by finding the courage to live with their values and ideologies. They create their own definition of success by being bold enough mentally. Mental strength, however, we know, is more than just will-power; hard-working mentality and commitment make us stronger to fight against the inevitable obstacles in life.

Stable your Emotions – Making good decision under pressure requires emotional stability. Always stay objective maintaining your capacity and deliver the utmost level of performance in spite of your mood swings.
Stay Motivated always – Serious people can take care of themselves and they see themselves as the best considering that success in life begins with the improvement of their mental big pictures. The root of mental toughness lies in intrinsic motivation.
Achieve goals and get more Confidence – We are to set 3 types of goals in life short-term, mid-term and long-term. When small goals are accomplished, we gain more mental confidence for future success. If your goals are unrealistic ambitions, you’ll become frustrated. So, establish your goals which should be measurable, achievable and time-bound.
Practice Mindfulness Exercise – Mindfulness which is about staying in present moment has great psychological benefits including reduction of stress and development of compassionate inner dialogue. This mental exercise technique improves the ability to focus on our success.
Stay Focused in Accomplishment – Even if the rest of the world turns against you, try to hold up your mental strength. Put the adverse situations in proper perspective without losing your focus for attainment of anything in life.
Fuel your Purpose in Life – Ignite your mental power with energy-driven passion and fuel in your progress which will write your success-story. Those who surround themselves with positive energy, can taste the fruits of success.
Don’t exhaust your Mental Energy – Eat healthy foods and keep your diet natural as much as possible. Avoid fast-foods, junk-foods, sugary soft-drinks, foods mixed with additives full of harmful chemicals, artificial colors and preservatives. Chemicals used in foods and beverage cause neuro-chemical imbalance in our brain resulting to loss of mental energy.
Be Flexible and Adoptable – You should have the readiness for change if and when required as an adaptability strategy.
Focus on what you can Control – All of us go through many setbacks in life and come out being stronger having learnt the lesson from our failures. Don’t take your setbacks personally and waste time wondering; instead you try to control your strength being focused to your success. Stay steady in front of potential obstacles and put your attention on the long-term results.
Don’t look for Unhealthy Shortcuts – Those who can tolerate for a greater purpose in life, can well-manage their problems. Coming out from comfort-zone is always uncomfortable; but once you come out from there, you’ll get the taste of success.
Learn to Manage your Stress – Try to become resilient under utmost negative pressures and influences. Develop the capacity to cope up with stressful events learning the stress management techniques.
Prepare for Challenges – Engagements of life are full of everyday demands and expectations, sudden crisis and unexpected twists. Store your financial and emotional resources at hand to fight against the forthcoming personal and professional crisis.
Overcome Pessimistic Thoughts – Reframe your negative thoughts by developing a realistic and optimistic inner monologue. We all go through hard days in life and we earn catastrophic experiences. But you’ve to replace those pessimistic thoughts with more realistic expectations to regain strong mental power.
Be self-determined Person – Achievement motivation makes people self-starters and self-determining. Save your mental energy for the best possible time when great opportunity comes in the front.
Make Stronger Attitude – If your attitude is positive toward setbacks and failures, you’ll learn the constructive lessons to overcome future dangers.
Modify your Core Beliefs – We should evaluate our core beliefs from time to time as those developed by past experiences influence our behavior, thoughts and emotions. Some core beliefs may become a self-fulfilling prophecy which is often inaccurate and unproductive. Many people believe that they will never succeed in life. Who can say, they can be achievers in future! So, identify and evaluate your core beliefs, and then modify them with purposeful intentions and persistence with hard work. Your mental strength will be increased which can positively alter the next course of your life.
Validate your Self – The policy of appeasement doesn’t always work. Instead of pleasing others, you stick on your prudent decision and put your effort with concentration to make things happen in your favor.
Make your Emotions Logical – He who can balance his emotions with strong logic, can make his best decisions in life. Indecisiveness causes loss of mental energy.
Have Patience – Nothing will happen before the time, so don’t expect results immediately. Instant gratification is temporary, but delayed gratification is permanent and sweet. Hard work and endurance are always required to achieve anything worthwhile in life. The process of success is always uncomfortable, but the reward for success is meaningful and praiseworthy.
Keep Control on your Actions – Try to manage your negative emotions and control your actions without being influenced by external pressures.
Take full Responsibility – Try to examine the reason of your failure and look for the expectations, so that you can perform better next time. Never make excuse for your actions and behaviors. We learn from mistakes and missteps. You also acknowledge your mistakes and shortcomings, and don’t repeat them in future. Take total responsibility for your failure; don’t blame others. You’ll get honest and sincere appreciation which will boost your mental strength.
Improve your Acceptance Power – Many things happen in our life in which we have no control. Accept that situations in proper spirit. Don’t complain about those situations; rather control your own response and attitude using your personal attributes effectively.
Involve yourself in one Hard Thing every day – Go to your outside uncontrollable boundaries by putting yourself in more challenging situations. If you can go one small step forward every day, your mental toughness will be increased.
Keep Endurance in spite of Failure – Consider your failure as an opportunity to learn and improve. Keep trying to do your best until you achieve desired results. Failure should not be the reason to give up.
Become full of Positivity – Don’t associate with negative people who may ruin your spirit of accomplishment. Make friends with people with positivity who will influence you to become successful in life.
Keep Optimistic Attitude – Put your mind focused in the right decisions and perform your tasks assuming that you will be succeeded. Emotional support and mental strength come from the note of optimism.
Save your Mental Energy – If you always think about your negative problems, your brain-power and mental energy will be drained. Always culture your mental energy for productive tasks, helpful topics and setting achievable goals.
Be contented for what you Have – Don’t be envious of anyone else’s achievements. It will waste your precious time and will make you down-hearted. Rather you sincerely thank God for what you’ve already achieved and focus on what you’re going to accomplish in future. And try to fulfill your overall purpose.
Stay true to your Course of Action – If you take your action being internally driven, you don’t have to worry about shortcomings and failures. Never give up in any situation; tenacity is the key-word to regain mental strength.
Evaluate your Progress often – Reflecting upon your progress for increasing mental strength can reinforce your ability to reach the destination. Mental strength development is a long-drawn process where there is always space for improvement. Count your progress and acquire more emotional strength for future accomplishment.
Visualize your Dream – See your dream success with your inner eyes which will keep you mentally motivated. Practice meditation for your mental equilibrium which will enhance mental clarity, reduce stress and all-round relaxation.
Uncompromising Attitude – Hard times may come in life, difficulties may make us dejected, but those are not the good reasons to give up. Put your standard high in every respect which will make you a mentally strong person.
Practice Brain-Gym – Regular exercise releases endorphin and serotonin in our brain which help strengthen our mental ability and improve mental toughness.
Socialize yourself – Social intelligence has great impact on mental well-being. Learn from other people’s mistakes for strengthening your mind.
Don’t repeat your Mistakes – Don’t waste your time feeling sorry for your actions. Never change your inspirational vocabulary giving away your power. Learn to take calculative risks without fear for successful outcome. If you are confident, emotionally intelligent and relentlessly positive, you’ll embrace success with your powerful mental strength.