Hey everyone, and welcome to TopThink. Today, we will learn about ten habits that make you
mentally tougher. Now, let’s begin.
Life is full of challenges, obstacles, and setbacks. You might fail to achieve a lifelong
goal. You might build up your expectations, only for your dreams to come crashing down. There’s no
way around the many obstacles we face in our lives, but that doesn’t mean those obstacles
should prevent us from achieving success. Success may be defined in any number of
ways. You might admire people who conquer the business world, accruing wealth and power
through hard work and ingenuity. Maybe you’re drawn to visionaries and creatives, people who
have spent years perfecting inventions and works of art that influence people around the world.
From the outside, you see these highly ambitious and successful people doing things you never
thought possible for yourself. You see how far these people come, but you don’t see the
many failures they experienced along the way. Every successful person has faced their fair
share of challenges, just like the ones you’re facing now. At one time or another, they, too,
lost faith in themselves. They made mistakes and experienced disappointment. They were cheated and
misled, yet they persevered through adversity and accomplished something extraordinary.
During their long journey, these successful people learned and developed psychological traits that
made them into the people they are today — traits like drive, resilience, and focus that allowed
them to create an unshakable mindset. In other words, their failures have made them strong.
Mental strength or toughness is essential for anyone who find success. We’re not just talking
about professional success. Your mental strength impacts your passions, hobbies, and relationships.
It influences how you think about yourself and how you’re received by others. Building this
strong mindset changes the way you live your life. Of course, these powerful psychological traits
don’t magically appear out of nowhere. It all starts with the little habits you practice every
day. Little by little, anyone can build their momentum, discover their motivation, and develop
true mental strength. With the right habits and routines, you can think and work like the people
you admire most. No matter who you are, your road to success will have bumps and surprises,
but by using these ten everyday habits, you can overcome any obstacle and become mentally strong.
1. Heaven and Hell
Many of us are motivated by dreams of what our lives could be, but we’re also inspired by fears
and doubts that remind us of who we never want to become. This duality creates two powerful yet
opposing visions of ourselves — one in which we rise to the occasion and another in which
we sink into failure and disappointment. If you want to become mentally stronger,
use these visions to drive your life in a positive direction.
Every day, remind yourself what kind of person you want to be and what kind of person you don’t.
At every crossroads, make decisions that move your life in the direction of your dreams. Choose, day
after day, to become the best version of yourself and leave your fears and failures in the past.
2. Remember Who You Are Fighting For As you strive to become stronger,
your motivation will be tested. There may be days when you can’t remember why you’re working
so hard. You might lose faith in your goals or fall into a cycle of bad decisions. When your
willpower is at its lowest, look to the people you love for inspiration and encouragement.
When you’re stressed and anxious, it’s easy to forget the people in your life, like friends and
family, who want you to succeed and cheer for you from the sidelines. Anytime you’re feeling
unmotivated, turn to the people that you love. Remind yourself who you’re fighting for because
their support will give you strength. 3. Make Your Body Powerful
If you want to strengthen your mind, start by strengthening your body.
Many people don’t realize how connected the mind and body really are. When you train your body and
push your physical limits, you’re also exercising mental muscles like willpower and self-control.
For every pound you lift and every mile you run, you’re teaching yourself to overcome
obstacles and believe in your abilities. If you want to find mental strength,
make rigorous exercises like strength training and cardio a regular part of your routine.
Gradually build your strength and endurance until you’re lifting more and running further
than you ever thought you could. Make your body unstoppable, and your mind will follow.
4. Deliberate Nothingness No one can work hard every moment
of every day, and nobody ever should. It’s great to be committed to and concentrated on your goals,
but there’s also value in quiet moments of rest and contemplation. Meditation,
for example, can help you stay calm and grounded when the stress of life becomes too much to bear.
It’s in these moments that you gather the clarity and courage to face new challenges.
If you want to be mentally stronger, spend at least ten minutes each day deliberately
doing nothing. Instead of planning or worrying, sit down, close your eyes,
and allow your mind to wander freely. You may consider doing nothing a waste of your time,
but for many successful people, daily meditation is the key to their mental strength and success.
5. Two Little Pages It’s no secret that
reading has tremendous benefits. One great book can challenge your preconceptions, transform
your view of the world, and exponentially deepen your understanding of yourself.
Despite the incredible benefits of reading, most people struggle to read consistently.
The problem is... they’re setting their goals too high. They expect themselves to burn through 300
pages in a single sitting when they haven’t read a book all year. These kinds of lofty expectations
discourage you from making any real progress. If you want to read more consistently, you don’t
need to read for hours every day. All you need to do is read just two pages. No more, no less.
It helps to carve out a block of time in the morning or the evening when you can sit down
and focus on nothing but your two pages. It may not sound like much — two pages a
day — but you’d be surprised how quickly this simple routine can change your life.
6. Activate Your Voice Many of us don’t give ourselves the
same respect and consideration we give everyone else. For example, if someone needs a favor,
you may be afraid to say “no,” even if that means inconveniencing yourself. At face value,
“no” is an easy thing to say, but in a more general sense, learning how to
speak your mind can be a real challenge. Luckily, you can practice this important
skill with one simple habit. Every day, force yourself to say something you’re usually
afraid to say. Simply by using your voice, you’re becoming a mentally tougher person.
7. Total Relaxation It takes discipline and motivation to be
a mentally strong person, but no one can be strong every hour of every day. We all need time to
recharge our batteries so that we can confidently tackle the challenges to come. The problem is...
most of us are so worried and stressed about those challenges that we never actually relax.
If you want to be mentally stronger, set aside at least 30 minutes every day to relax, recharge,
and worry about nothing but yourself. During these precious blocks of time, allow yourself
to unwind in whatever way is meaningful to you. You might write, read, or relax in a hot shower.
For some people, the best way to relax is to do nothing— simply enjoy a few moments of silence.
Either way, spend half an hour completely removed from your stress and responsibilities because even
the hardest workers deserve a break. 8. Empower Your Decisions
We waste a lot of energy on things that we cannot control.
We obsess over the past and the future. We try to control the actions of others and predict
how our lives will turn out. But no matter how much we stress, these things will never change.
That’s why mentally strong people concentrate on the present moment. They only worry about things
they have the power to change, like their own words and actions. At any given moment, you have
complete control over what you do or say. You may not be able to rewrite history or see the future,
but you’re far from powerless. Remember that, and you’ll become mentally stronger than most.
9. The Media Detox
How many hours a day do you spend on social media? Social media can be a helpful tool,
but it can also be a massive time-waster and, in some cases, a major source of insecurity.
For example, you might spend hours scrolling through videos of people living a life that
seems much better than your own, making you feel dissatisfied and unmotivated.
If you want to be a mentally strong person, you might try taking a short break or “detox”
from social media. Instead, challenge yourself to reconnect with aspects of your life you’ve
ignored. Connect with your friends. Re-experience long-lost hobbies. Not only will you reclaim
hours of wasted time, but you may discover a drive and confidence you never knew existed.
10. Constructive Feedback If you’re a proud person, accepting
criticism may be a tough thing for you to do. It’s hard to hear someone list what you did wrong
or explain how you might change, but feedback is one of the most reliable ways to improve.
The simple truth is that, sometimes, other people see things that you don’t. If you ignore their
feedback, you’ll never get any better. That’s why it’s important to regularly
ask for feedback from the people in your life. Stay humble, be willing to learn,
and genuinely listen to what others have to say. Criticism may not always be easy to hear, but that
doesn’t mean it isn’t worth hearing. When it comes from someone you trust and respect, constructive
criticism can make you stronger than ever. Thank you for watching TopThink and be
sure to subscribe because more incredible content is on the way.