Disclaimer- Presented by BetterHelp. How do you build mental toughness in business? Running a business comes with its fair share of ups and downs. From financial setbacks and failures to long hours, investor relationships, customer satisfaction, and more – being an entrepreneur takes a lot of grit and mental toughness.
However, building mental toughness isn’t straightforward, especially when you’re bogged down by stress and exhaustion. In this article, we’re taking a closer look at what mental toughness is and how you can build it to become a more resilient and successful entrepreneur.
What is Mental Toughness
Mental toughness is a state of mind that relates to how well a person can deal with pressure, stress, and challenges. Unlike some traits that people are born with, mental toughness is like a habit that can be strengthened over time with effort and practice.
All entrepreneurs face a fair share of personal and business challenges, so it’s clear to see why mental toughness could be a valuable trait.
Mental toughness is very close in nature to qualities like perseverance, resilience, grit, and character, but it’s all about having the mental fortitude to withstand challenges. One way to measure mental toughness is with the “4C model,” which basically says mental toughness is comprised of four C’s: control, confidence, commitment, and challenge. If you have all four of these things, then you can consider yourself mentally tough.
But how does a person foster mental toughness? What kind of strategies should you implement to build your own mental resiliency?
3 Habits to Build Mental Toughness
Here are several habits you can start working on to build mental toughness.
Stay Focused on The Positive
They say that gratitude is the attitude for success, and that’s true in this case. Many people think that being mentally tough means gritting your teeth and bearing whatever hardships come your way, but it’s about much more than this.
Cultivating mental toughness isn’t about taking whatever your business throws at you; it’s about finding ways to embrace and overcome those challenges and doing so with a positive mental attitude. There are a couple of ways you can focus on the positive. One is by saying positive mantras to yourself like, “This problem is tough, but I’m tougher, and I will overcome it like I always have.”
Another option is by focusing on the things that are going right. Being aware and grateful for the good things in your business can help keep you in a positive state even when the going gets tough. When you get overwhelmed or frustrated, try to refocus by thinking about the positive things, express your gratitude for them, and see how that changes how you feel.
Acknowledge and Address Your Feelings
While being positive is important, that doesn’t mean you ignore how you feel. Building mental toughness requires cultivating self-awareness. Knowing how you feel and having the tools to address those emotions can be critical for creating resiliency.
It’s okay to feel frustrated, sad, upset, angry, stressed, or whatever emotion you feel. You just need to acknowledge that you’re feeling it and find some healthy ways to address the feelings. For example, if you realize you’re angry about a business deal that went sour, it could be a good idea to step away and take a quick run around the park. If you’re feeling stressed, it could be beneficial to try some of the tips listed in this resource: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/general/what-you-need-to-know-about-young-adulthood/.
Ultimately, building mental toughness isn’t about ignoring or squashing your emotions. Instead, it’s about acknowledging them and finding healthy ways to process them so you can focus on the important things in your business.
Keep Your Perspective by Staying Present
It can be easy to get overwhelmed by a mountain of what-ifs.
- What if we don’t reach our sales numbers?
- What if my star employee quits?
- What if my biggest customer leaves?
- What if our software crashes?
- What if this business fails?
- What if I can’t land the investor I want?
Add these hypothetical scenarios to the stress of your to-do list, and it can feel like you’re running in a hamster wheel. This is why staying realistic and grounded in the here and now is important. Try not to create catastrophes where there aren’t any, and don’t get so far ahead that you lose sight of the present.
Consider trying mindfulness practices, like meditation and breathwork, to help keep you focused on the present. The better you get at keeping your perspective focused, the more mental toughness you’ll have.
Takeaway
Mental toughness is a trait many entrepreneurs need to thrive. If you want to build mental toughness, start by developing the habits shared in this article and watch your grit and mental strength grow over time.
