04/11/2025
8 Qualities of Mental Toughness in Athletes: Part 1
Mentally tough athletes…
1. Find a way, not an excuse – Mentally tough athletes don’t make excuses when things don’t go their way. Instead of playing the blame game, they take responsibility for their performance, go back to the drawing board, right the ship and try again.
2. Adapt – Instead of doing things the way they always have, mentally tough athletes find new ways of challenging themselves, pushing themselves to outer limits of their potential. Mentally tough athletes understand what they did yesterday got them to where they are today… but more is required today to get them to where they want to be tomorrow.
3. Expend their energy on things that benefit performance – Mentally tough athletes focus on the things they can control. Mentally tough athletes don’t dwell on the past or feel sorry for themselves nor do they concern themselves with distractions outside of their direct control. Mentally tough athletes focus on what they can do in the present moment to overcome the challenges of performance and give them the best opportunity to succeed.
4. See the past as valuable informative lessons and nothing more – Mentally tough athletes learn from their mistakes and the mistakes of others, then the let go of the past and move forward. Mentally tough athletes see the past as mental training for better performance in the future. Mistakes, errors and losses don’t define mentally tough athletes, these experiences strengthen their resolve.
5. Take risks – Mentally tough athletes understand that fear of failure prevents fully committing to and achieving excellence in their sport. Mentally tough athletes seek out opportunities to move out of their comfort zone. Mentally tough athletes meet challenges with enthusiasm instead of dread and anxiety. Mentally tough athletes refuse to be average and understand they may miss the mark on occasions but it is worth taking the chance in order to achieve great things.