Some of the most influential people in our lives are coaches. Think back to a time when you had a coach who worked to inspire you, motivate you, and keep pushing you, even when it didn’t look like you could win.

That coach was helping you develop your mental toughness. In sports, mental toughness refers to an athlete’s ability to perform at a high level, even after making mistakes, failing, or facing other challenges. It’s not something you’re born with, it’s a skill you develop with time and practice.

However, mental toughness is not just a quality you need to succeed in high school sports. Mental toughness is a crucial aspect of effective leadership, in everything from leading your family to fulfilling a volunteer role to running a company.

Why Mental Toughness?

Mental toughness is your ability to believe in yourself, give maximum effort, and remain mentally calm during challenging situations. Building mental toughness will allow you to lead by example, instill confidence, and be resilient in challenges. With resilience as a guiding force, leaders can conquer obstacles, achieve extraordinary results, and leave a lasting impact on their teams and the world of leadership.

This might look like staying calm when your business is struggling and needs to change directions. Or it could look like praying in faith with a friend who is facing a frightening medical diagnosis. Having mental toughness gives you the ability to lead by setting a tone of positivity and potential, even when you’re not in charge.

Manage Your Self-Talk

Part of what influences your mental toughness is how you talk to yourself. The internal conversations you have all day can affect your mindset and performance positively or negatively.

Most people know that the Bible tells us to watch what we say, but guarding your thoughts is just as important. If it isn’t true or doesn’t line up with the word of God, don’t let yourself dwell on it! Paul writes this to the church in Philippians:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:6-8

Guarding your mind is what allows you to have peace and to keep doing what God has called you to do, regardless of the situation.

Embrace Setbacks

I’m not saying you have to look for setbacks or welcome them. But the fact is that you are going to face setbacks! The way that you view setbacks is determined largely by your mental toughness.

A leader who struggles with mental toughness will look at a setback and feel discouraged. They will allow it to cause them to question their skills, purpose, and even their faith.

On the other hand, leaders who realize that setbacks are a part of life and are an opportunity to grow will be calmer and more confident as they navigate the challenge.

Don’t Dwell On The Past

People and teams that exhibit authentic mental fortitude practice the fine art of debriefing. In the military, these are called after-action reviews. When pursuing any goal, project, or challenge, it’s important to reflect on what’s going well, what isn’t, and areas for improvement. Debriefing wins is as important as debriefing losses. Extract valuable insights and move on.

Whenever I face an issue, whether in my business or even with my family, I like to ask myself these questions.

• What went well?

• What do I need to improve?

• What do I need to stop doing?

Processing the event will help you accept what happened and make a plan to move forward. Instead of dwelling on the issue, you can focus on the action steps, so you do not remain stuck in the past.

You may not play a sport anymore, but you can still practice and develop your mental toughness. One easy way to start is by simply becoming more aware of how you respond to challenges. Take inventory of every thought you have and ask yourself whether it lines up with Philippians 4:8.

Focus on reframing the way you view challenges and watch yourself become a better leader!