Mental toughness keeps athletes going when the going gets tough. There is no doubt the road to success is rocky with plenty of obstacles. Just as athletes can get physically stronger, they can get mentally tougher.

You only get good at things you do repeatedly. If you want to get physically stronger, then you need to lift weights regularly. If you want to get faster, you need to speed train more often. If you want to get mentally tougher, you need to dedicate time and effort to training mental toughness.

There are two characteristics to being mentally tough:
1| Self-Control The ability to control your emotions and behaviors to push forward in the right direction in order to achieve your goals. Self-control is that thing that makes you go practice when you feel like hanging out with your friends. Self-control helps overcome the temptation of slacking off or going through the motions even after a bad performance.

2| Persistence The ability to stay motivated and focused despite obstacles. Persistence is what bridges the gap between goal and its achievement. Persistence is “keeping your eyes on the prize” when things are not going as planned.

Here is a tip for improving mental toughness: Set aside 5-10 minutes each training session and determine how you will challenge yourself in that practice and how you will meet that challenge. By moving towards challenges, you will develop the self-control and persistence to become mentally tougher!