Developing Mental Toughness generally happens by teaching you to handle stress more effectively through making fundamental changes to the way you think about problems and by teaching you the tactics and strategies that mentally tough people use.
Either approach can work, although the programme needs to be tailored as you will likely have a unique profile with different strengths and development needs. The MTQ48 psychometric tool will measure your mental toughness and after reflection and ideally a conversation with an experienced mental toughness practitioner to assess your development needs you would commit to purposeful practice using the appropriate tools or techniques, which fall into 5 broad groupings:
1. Positive Thinking
There are many techniques for developing a ”can do” mindset which include self-talk and stopping or reframing negative thoughts.
2. Visualisation
This involves developing your ability to first imagine something in your head to help you deal with a real event.
3. Anxiety Control
Breathing exercises and relaxation techniques will enable you to deal with those panic moments when things seem out of control, producing a physiological reaction.
4. Goal Setting
Tools and techniques, which support the development of your sense of purpose and how to set about achieving it.
5. Attentional Control
Used extensively by sports coaches to teach how to focus better and for longer. Developing mindfulness which is learning how to notice what is around you.
Whilst all these techniques work they don’t work for all people and different techniques are better used to develop some 4C’s than others.
Contact Mental Toughness Partners for more on developing Mental Toughness.