Today’s blog will be about one of my favourite topics, mental strength and toughness. But first an analyse of the difference between mental strength and mental toughness.
Mental toughness focuses on performance, pushing through adversity, and enduring short-term discomfort to achieve a goal. In contrast, mental strength emphasizes character development, emotional regulation, and long-term health. While toughness is about looking unshakeable, strength is about having the tools to adapt and grow.
What is this topic all about? Is mental strength/toughness to do the 10 hard intervals you planned? or to do the 45km speed hike with backpack in just one day? Mental strength isn’t just seen in major crises – it’s seen in everyday life, when you can adapt, stand up for your values, and keep moving forward even when it feels tough. It’s not about always being positive or never getting affected, but about recovering, learning, and choosing what’s important, time and time again.
Ok, here we go. Let’s start by looking into the 7c’s of mental strength; Competence The ability to handle situations effectively, rooted in real skills and lived experience. Confidence The solid belief in your own abilities, built by demonstrating competence rather than just receiving empty praise. Connection Developing close ties to family, friends, and community so you know you are not alone during tough times. Character Having a fundamental sense of right and wrong, a strong moral compass, and a caring attitude toward others. Contribution Feeling a sense of purpose and realizing that the world is a better place because you are in it. Coping Having a robust toolkit of strategies to manage stress, stay flexible, and view challenges from multiple perspectives. and Control Realizing that your decisions and actions shape your future, allowing you to focus on what you can change and let go of what you can’t.
Have you ever wondered what makes someone a good athlete or a good leader or guide? Why do some people accomplish their goals, while others don’t? The answer will often be; He/she is so intelligent, or he/she is so lucky. But if you dig a bit deeper of that thought, we will find something else…In fact, when you start looking into it, your talent and your intelligence don’t play nearly as big of a role as you might think. The research studies say that intelligence only accounts for 30% of your achievement. What makes a bigger impact than talent or intelligence then? That will be the Mental toughness. There has been some study of this in the military area. What they could see there wasn’t strength-smart or leadership potential that was the key to passing the boot camp training to sift the chaff from the wheat . Instead, it was grit — the perseverance and passion to achieve long–term goals — that made the difference. It was mental toughness that predicted whether a cadet would be successful, not their talent, intelligence, or genetics.
Hm. But what makes someone mentally tough? The key word here will be consistent. A mental tough athlete never misses a workout. A mental tough leader has a clear goal that they work towards each morning and each day. They don’t let short–term profits, negative feedback, or hectic schedules prevent them from continuing the march towards their vision. They make a habit of building up the people around them — not just once, but repeatedly.
The good news is that grit and perseverance can become your defining traits, regardless of the talent you were born with. You can become more consistent. You can develop superhuman levels of mental toughness. If have been following me to this point, your question should now be -yes, I have understood. But how, you might ask. Please tell me, I want to go there…That my friend will be this week’s cliff-hanger. Next blog, you will find out…
Consistency beats inspiration…
See ya soon…
Interesting topic Bergman