Developing coping strategies can help build perseverance against the challenges of life. It’s not as simple as just ‘being tougher’ though. As a consulting officer I have heard a number of people speak about tactics to build mental health and wellness – it is important we focus on this, just as we do our businesses. I’ve picked up some valuable tactics from those people.
Mental toughness or resilience is the ability to keep strong in the face of adversity. Essentially, mental toughness is that voice in your head that tells you to keep going, keep pushing, keep trying, even when the going gets really tough. Events in life rarely go the way we’d like them to, but that doesn’t mean they have to throw you off your game.
Managing expectations is one of the best ways to build resilience. If expectations aren’t managed, the situation can feel like it is beyond your control. This feeling can lower morale and weaken mental fortitude. Having flexibility and the ability to adapt to changing situations are key components to laying the groundwork for a strong mental resolve.
Don’t just roll with the punches, but swing hard. You can’t control everything, but you are in absolute control of how you react to it. Take a look at the situation from the outside and try to see a different perspective. Pretend you’re giving yourself advice when you’re looking for a way through the challenge. It is sometimes human nature to react impulsively to something, even if we don’t completely understand it. Understand the pieces first, then put things together and take action.
Stay motivated. Even if you manage to maintain realistic expectations and you’re keeping your emotional responses in check, you still need some motivation to keep going. So where do you find the motivation? The simple answer is to ask yourself why. Why do I need to solve this problem? Why do I need to get through this? Asking yourself these questions will provide motivation and purpose. When you know why you need to overcome the challenge it gets easier to carry on.
Learning to fail is an important factor in being mentally strong. You need to let go of mistakes quickly if things don’t go your way, and understand the time and patience needed to accomplish results. However, you also need to accept you can only control so much, and let the rest go. Don’t make it harder for yourself by trying to keep strong for something that doesn’t benefit you or your goals. There will be some things you just have to let go.
Developing mental toughness, or resilience, is a process and it’s not something you can perfect overnight. If you have realistic expectations, control over your emotional responses, strong motivation and a patience to see things through, you won’t sweat the small stuff and you’ll be better equipped to handle the big challenges that you face.
