Have you ever looked at someone and wondered how they manage to be so successful? Is it because they are extremely talented? Or is there another reason.

Many successful people are successful because they possess mental toughness. Some research studies even suggest that your intelligence only accounts for 30% of your actual achievements. Mental toughness accounts for the rest.

So, what makes a person mentally tough?

If you are mentally tough, you have the perseverance to follow through on things. If you are an athlete, your mental toughness is displayed by not missing workouts; a student would not miss assignments; a writer works through the writer’s block and puts words on paper anyway.

People who are mentally tough are usually surrounded by successful people. They show traits such as being consistent, adhering to schedules and always approaching things with a positive and professional mindset. In other words, they know what their responsibilities are, and they carry them out.

If you currently don’t feel that tough, not to worry… you can work on developing this trait and increasing your mental toughness.

Your first step is to define what the words “mental toughness” mean for you. There is no one definition that suits everyone. So, write down things that you can do that will imply you have mental toughness.

Here are a few examples:

  • Not missing your workouts for the next 2 weeks
  • Finishing your next project ahead of schedule
  • Stop drinking soda
  • Doing that extra rep before quitting
  • Not missing family night with your kids

The only way to demonstrate that you have mental toughness is by taking action and proving it to yourself!

Changing your mindset is one of the first steps to increasing your toughness. You need to have a positive mindset and be committed to following through with things.

If you have decided to commit to a new exercise regimen for a month, you have to think about this in a positive way. This means not giving in to excuses for missing your workouts.

It can help to view your mental toughness as one large muscle group. Just like any of your other muscles, it needs to be exercised and developed to keep working effectively.

When you are confident that you can now tackle things head on, your mental toughness muscle is growing nicely. Always keep that positive mindset about you and your mental toughness will not shrink or shirk when it comes to time to face any circumstance.

Judi Moreo is an author, speaker, and life coach.  She has written 11 books including “You Are More Than Enough:  Every Woman’s Guide to Purpose, Passion, and Power.”  Judi can be reached at judimoreo@yahoo.com