What does it mean to become mentally strong? How can I do it?

[MotivationDistrictYT]

What does it mean to become mentally strong? Easy, doing the things you are supposed to do, regardless if you like it or not. You do it because if is good for you, your family, and other loved ones. This sentiment directly can not only directly translate to athletic performance, but also other fields of our lives. While this video is only about eight minutes long, there are so many topics to discuss.

This concepts of the “warrior mentality,” and “callusing the mind” are referenced first. The warrior mentality refers to soldiers being first in a line to open a door. Behind this door is the unknown. The room could be empty. Conversely, there could be something that would lead to this first soldier’s death. The video touches on integrating this tenacity into our everyday lives, whether it is through achieving our goals in the gym or in our careers or other areas of life. It is easy to succumb to some of the contemporary luxuries of life and live a “softened” lifestyle. It is encouraging to see throughout this video each speaker’s passions to push themselves to the limit. The reasoning? To callus their minds in a way that will prepare them for the inevitable tragedies of life. The loss of loved ones, opportunities, control, or direction is bound to happen to some degree in everyone’s life. Mental strength is being able to accept that these events occur and being able to persevere for yourself and others. We can callus our minds through intense athletic training and career advancement.

While I agree with these ideas, I did want to argue the importance of balancing pushing your mental and physical limits. We do grow through adversity and discomfort. However, your tank is going to deplete much quicker if you continually step on the gas. I think that this idea of mental strength can be expanded to understand when your body and mind needs rest.

So what is mental strength? Perhaps it’s the ability to balance responsibility and accountability with our succumbing to their pressure.