Mental toughness is something that we all want, but many of us struggle to achieve. So how do you do it? Well, to help you along, we’ve put together 8 ways to build mental toughness!
What is Mental Toughness?
There are a few different components that make up mental toughness:
- Persistence: The capacity to persistently pursue goals and remain determined under stress and pressure.
- Resilience: This allows individuals to bounce back from setbacks and view them as part of the growth process.
- Self-belief: This entails a realistic and positive belief in one's abilities, providing stability even in the face of criticism.
- Self-respect: This involves recognising and asserting what is best for one's own well-being.
- Self-awareness: helps navigate challenges with a clear mind, aligning actions with values and goals.
- Adaptability: This ensures the ability to adjust to changing circumstances.
Put simply, mental toughness can be defined as a person’s ability to bounce back from or push through an adverse event. This could be pushing through the 96km Gold Coast Kokoda Challenge, or it could be the loss of a loved one, or other significant life event. We know our diggers certainly showed all of these traits during the Kokoda campaign all those years ago. So, if you’d like to develop more mental toughness, well, the good news is you can - it’s not something that you have or you don’t, there are ways to cultivate it.
8 Tips to Cultivate Mental Toughness
1. Surround Yourself With the Right People
Much easier said than done, but surrounding yourself with the right people is a great first step towards mental toughness. A supportive environment has been shown to increase the psychological resilience of both children and adults alike. As humans, we are social creatures, and so this shouldn’t really come as a surprise. This is especially important when putting together your team for a Kokoda challenge - make sure you choose the right people!
2. Be Proactive
As mentioned above, mental toughness isn’t just something that you have, nor is it something that you build on your own. A vital step in mental toughness is knowing what to do and when and being proactive with your actions. Find out what works for you - if talking things through with friends provides great value to you, then keep at it. If going for long walks is your thing then make sure you do so. Mental toughness is something to chip away at so make sure to use all of the tools in your toolkit.
3. Stay Optimistic
Maintaining a positive outlook is crucial for cultivating mental toughness. Optimism helps you to see challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles, which can help build toughness. By focusing on what you can control and letting go of what you cannot, you create a mental environment conducive to growth and perseverance. Try to develop a habit of reframing negative thoughts into positive ones and practice gratitude to strengthen your mindset. This shift in perspective not only enhances your mental fortitude but also improves your overall wellbeing.
4. Challenge Yourself
Regularly stepping out of your comfort zone is essential for developing mental toughness. Challenging yourself with new and difficult experiences helps to build resilience, adaptability, and confidence. By pushing your limits, you become more comfortable with uncertainty and better equipped to handle adversity. You can do this by setting incremental challenges that gradually increase in difficulty, whether it's taking on a new project at work, learning a new skill, or participating in a physically demanding activity - like the Kokoda Challenge. With events hosted in Brisbane, Newcastle, and on the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, take a look at your nearest event, choose your distance, and prepare to learn what mental toughness is all about!
5. Try Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a powerful tool for enhancing mental toughness. It involves being fully present in the moment, aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings without judgement. This practice helps reduce stress, improve emotional regulation, and increase resilience. A study found that Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) enhances self-reported mindfulness, distress tolerance (DT), and resilience, demonstrating that mindfulness can significantly bolster mental toughness by promoting a calm and focused mind, even under pressure.
6. Start a Journal
By journaling regularly, you can process your thoughts and emotions, identify patterns, and gain insights into your behaviours and reactions. This practice not only aids in self-awareness but also in emotional regulation, both key components of mental toughness. Keeping a journal allows you to track your progress, set goals, and reflect on your achievements and setbacks, providing a clear roadmap for personal development. All of these factors make it a great tool in building mental toughness.
7. Exercise Regularly
Exercise is a vital component of mental toughness, significantly enhancing resilience to cognitive and brain diseases by building brain and cognitive reserve. Physical activity induces numerous positive effects on the brain, including improved neuroplasticity and cognitive function, which help the brain better react to life's challenges. Studies have shown that exercise not only mitigates cognitive deficits but also counteracts brain pathology, both before and after disease onset. Regular exercise prepares the brain to be more resilient to cognitive impairment, promoting overall mental and physical health throughout life.
8. Be Consistent
Maintaining a consistent routine is essential for building mental toughness and resilience. Research indicates that individuals with a structured daily schedule, especially during challenging times like the pandemic, score higher on psychological resilience assessments. A regular routine helps mitigate the effects of chronic stress, which can exacerbate conditions such as anxiety and depression. By sticking to a consistent schedule, you create stability that supports your mental health, enhancing your ability to bounce back from stressful cognitive and psychological events. This consistency fosters a resilient mindset, enabling you to better manage life's challenges and maintain overall wellbeing.
Build Mental Toughness with the Kokoda Challenge Today
From surrounding yourself with supportive people to being proactive, staying optimistic, challenging yourself, practising mindfulness, starting a journal, exercising regularly, and maintaining consistency, each step strengthens your resilience and adaptability. By embracing these tips, you can enhance your mental toughness and face life's obstacles with confidence and determination. Ready to test your mental grit and embark on a transformative experience? Register now for the Kokoda Challenge and discover the strength within you.
