“Mental toughness is a personality trait which determines in large part how people deal with challenge, stressors and pressure, irrespective of their circumstances.”
Dr Peter Clough, Head of the Department of Psychology at Hull University
When translated into business reality, Mental Toughness & Resilience means:
- keeping your emotions in check and staying calm in emergency situations
- working efficiently under the pressure of time and requirements
- persistence despite difficulties – meeting new clients despite all of the “nos” you have heard from the previous ones; finding it easier to cope with failures
- flexibility and adaptability, initiating changes, as well as the ability to maintain balance in constantly changing conditions
People diagnosed with high levels of Mental Toughness & Resilience:
- can cope well with stress because they have the ability to reduce tension in their body
- are able to keep their energy and positive attitude for a long time
- have the ability to focus on the current task, and therefore, they do not get distracted
- look for new solutions.
Mental toughness is one’s ability to achieve top form and great results despite the difficulties and problems they face.
Mental strength translates into efficiency
The features of individuals and teams with a high level of achievement are, above all, great self-confidence, control over what can be controlled, and resilience – coping with failures, as well as seeing each new challenge as a chance for self-improvement. It is also the ability to clear the mind of any unnecessary thoughts (to focus) and the ability to relax.
It has been confirmed multiple times that the state of mind is responsible for the different levels of our achievements.
Mental strength correlates with mental well-being
Human well-being means experiencing positive emotions by a person, a low level of bad moods, as well as a high level of life satisfaction. Mental strength affects how we feel about ourselves, whether we can rest, how we sleep, and how we deal with stress.
Resilient individuals can regain their balance after failure
Everyone has bad days and less strength from time to time. Resilience makes it possible to bounce back after a difficult experience. Similarly to a roly-poly toy, we right ourselves after being pushed. While people with a low level of resilience will resist change and experience it on an emotional level, a psychologically resilient person adapts to the new situation, acclimatizing quickly.
Image credit: AQR International
