[Podcast] Here’s why you need to develop “mental toughness” to be more successful with Mark Creedon

Want to be successful in life?

Whether it’s with your property investments, personal life, profession, or business, life will throw you challenges.

Just look at what's happened to us over the last couple of years.

So, allow me to let you in on a little home truth: It takes a special kind of fortitude to be successful and when the going gets tough, the tough don’t get going—they reach for a winning prescription called mental toughness.

What’s mental toughness all about?

It’s been described as the “ability to work hard and respond resiliently to failure and adversity; it’s the inner quality that enables individuals to work hard and stick to their long-term passions and goals.

And it’s the topic of today’s podcast with Mark Creedon founder and CEO of Business Accelerator Mastermind.

How do you develop mental toughness?

We all reach critical points in our lives where our mental toughness is tested. It might be a toxic friend or colleague, a dead-end job, a struggling relationship, a challenge with your investments, or business problems.

So how do you get through?

How do you carry on?

Can you really be mentally tough?

Mental toughness is a measure of an individual’s resilience and confidence that originated in the world of sport and was thought to predict the potential of success in sport, but it translates to the workplace and life in general.

Mental toughness is a choice and a discipline, not an innate quality bestowed upon the lucky.

It’s been said that a person of average intelligence and modest means can become world-class by implementing the thinking, habits, and philosophies associated with this principle.

The “4 C’s to Mental Toughness”

1. Confidence

People who are self-confident believe that they can achieve success, despite any obstacles they encounter.

2. Challenge

People who embrace challenges tend to have an extraordinary ability to think and work outside the box.

3. Control

People with a strong sense of control over their lives tend to be more relaxed and self-confident.

They are more connected to their emotions, self-regulating, and motivated to achieve results.

4. Commitment

Are you committed to achieving your outcomes?

Do you set goals and work consistently to achieve them, even when you experience setbacks?

This is also known as “stickability.”

Mental Toughness Habits

So, let’s look at some habits you can develop to improve your mental toughness and strategies you can use today.

1. They’re emotionally intelligent.

Emotional intelligence is the cornerstone of mental toughness.

You cannot be mentally tough without the ability to fully understand and tolerate strong negative emotions and do something productive with them.

2. They’re confident.

Mentally tough people believe that your mentality has a powerful effect on your ability to succeed.

This notion isn’t just a motivational tool—it’s a fact.

A recent study at the University of Melbourne showed that confident people went on to earn higher wages and get promoted more quickly than others did.

3. They neutralize toxic people. 

Dealing with difficult people is frustrating and exhausting for most.

Mentally tough people control their interactions with toxic people by keeping their feelings in check.

When they need to confront a toxic person, they approach the situation rationally.

They identify their emotions and don’t allow anger or frustration to fuel the chaos.

They also consider the difficult person’s standpoint and are able to find common ground and solutions to problems.

4. They embrace change.

Mentally tough people are flexible and are constantly adapting.

They know that fear of change is paralyzing and a major threat to their success and happiness.

They look for change that is lurking just around the corner, and they form a plan of action should these changes occur.

5. They say no

When it’s time to say no, mentally tough people avoid phrases such as “I don’t think I can” or “I’m not certain.”

They say no with confidence because they know that saying no to a new commitment honours their existing commitments and gives them the opportunity to successfully fulfil them.

6. They know that fear is the No. 1 source of regret.

Mentally tough people know that, when all is said and done, they will lament the chances they didn’t take far more than they will their failures.

Don’t be afraid to take risks.

7. They embrace failure…

Mentally tough people embrace failure because they know that the road to success is paved with it.

No one ever experienced true success without first embracing failure.

8. …yet they don’t dwell on mistakes.

Mentally tough people know that where you focus your attention determines your emotional state.

When you fixate on the problems that you’re facing, you create and prolong negative emotions and stress, which hinder performance.

When you focus on actions to better yourself and your circumstances, you create a sense of personal efficacy, which produces positive emotions and improves performance.

9. They won’t let anyone limit their joy…

When your sense of pleasure and satisfaction is derived from comparing yourself to others, you are no longer the master of your own happiness.

When mentally tough people feel good about something they do, they won’t let anyone’s opinions or accomplishments take that away from them.

10. …and they don’t limit the joy of others.

Mentally tough people don’t pass judgment on others because they know that everyone has something to offer, and they don’t need to take other people down a notch to feel good about themselves.

11. They exercise.

A study conducted at the Eastern Ontario Research Institute found that people who exercised twice a week for 10 weeks felt more socially, intellectually, and athletically competent.

12. They get enough sleep.

When you sleep, your brain removes toxic proteins, which are by-products of neural activity when you’re awake.

Unfortunately, your brain can remove them adequately only while you’re asleep, so when you don’t get enough sleep, the toxic proteins remain in your brain cells, wreaking havoc by impairing your ability to think—something no amount of caffeine can fix.

13. They limit their caffeine intake.

Drinking excessive amounts of caffeine triggers the release of adrenaline, the source of the fight-or-flight response.

The fight-or-flight mechanism sidesteps rational thinking in favour of a faster response to ensure survival.

This is great when a bear is chasing you but not so great when life throws you a curve.

14. They don’t wait for an apology to forgive.

Mentally tough people know that life goes a lot smoother once you let go of grudges and forgive even those who never said they were sorry.

Grudges let negative events from your past ruin today’s happiness. Hate and anger are emotional parasites that destroy your joy in life.

15. They’re relentlessly positive.

Keep your eyes on the news for any length of time, and you’ll see that it’s just one endless cycle of war, violent attacks, fragile economies, failing companies, and environmental disasters. It’s easy to think the world is headed downhill fast.

And who knows?

Maybe it is.

But mentally tough people don’t worry about that because they don’t get caught up in things they can’t control.

Instead of trying to start a revolution overnight, they focus their energy on directing the two things that are completely within their power—their attention and their effort.

Mental toughness is not an innate quality bestowed upon a select few.

It can be achieved and enjoyed.

Links and Resources:

Get the team at Metropole to help build your personal Strategic Property Plan Click here and have a chat with us

Why not join Metropole’s Business Accelerator Mastermind

Learn more about Mark Creedon – Business Coach to some of Australia’s leading entrepreneurs

Get a copy of Mark’s new book here – Have a Business, Not a Job

Get a bundle of eBooks and reports – www.PodcastBonus.com.au

Some of our favourite quotes from the show:

“We’ve been challenged with tough times the last couple of years, and even though we’re through some of those challenges, the world’s going to keep throwing challenges at us.” – Michael Yardney

“A no is a no. And there’s nothing wrong with that, you shouldn’t feel bad or ashamed about that, because otherwise, you’re playing to other people’s agendas.” – Michael Yardney

“I’ve found that mentally tough people don’t limit the joy of others, either.” – Michael Yardney

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