through various factors , including modelling , recalling previous successful actions , and mental imagery . A common misconception is that selfconfidence comes from success , but in reality , it comes from overcoming adversity , taking chances , and learning from failure . “ You have to suck to be great ”. True self-confidence comes with knowing that whatever challenge that may present itself , you can adapt and overcome it . However , the only way to develop that confidence is to continually practise being in situations where you must adapt and overcome . As Aristotle said , “ We are what we repeatedly do .”
3 . Attentional Focus is about maintaining Focus on one ’ s priorities and not allowing distractions to get in the way . For example , not allowing travel to affect diet negatively or Netflix to interfere with training .
or try to find motivation through Instagram quotes , or YouTube videos , the reality is that what is needed is mental Toughness . The good news is that mental Toughness is trainable ; the bad news is that there is NO easy way to do it . Never be fooled into thinking there is some unique life hack . Mental Toughness requires hard work , setting challenging goals , risking failure , and the embracing of adversity . The more you can turn into the hard things , the healthier you become .
“ Mentally tough athletes maintain focus by knowing the difference between what they can control and what they cannot .”
Mentally tough athletes maintain Focus by knowing the difference between what they can control and what they cannot . They accept and let go of what they cannot control and put all their energy and focus on what they can . They practice staying in the moment , and they focus on process , habits , and consistency . When I train athletes , our motto is “ focus on effort , not results .” Effort is within their control , results ( at least immediate ones ) are not . The irony is that when they focus on effort , they get the results and with less emotional struggle .
4 . Coping with Pressure is the ability to cope with adversity , stay calm under Pressure , and , most importantly , accept that anxiety and setbacks are inevitable and required to grow and succeed .
Coping with Pressure is a mindset where failure and adversity are not considered harmful but required to be your best . “ No failure , no growth .” A recent study conducted at the University of Nottingham Trent University ( Mustafa & Fletcher , 2017 ) looked at how vital adversity and even trauma were to Olympic athletes ’ success . The study concluded that an athlete CANNOT be successful at the highest levels if they have NOT experienced trauma or adversity at some point in their life and that athletes that have grown from adversity have a significant competitive advantage .
So , adversity is not something to be avoided but embraced , sought out and practiced . Failure to not consistently challenge yourself negatively affects your overall mental wellness ( Howells et al ., 2017 ). It seems that in a world that is always striving to make life easier , humans are designed to struggle .
So , while people try in vain to improve self-discipline
“ is TRAINABLE !”
Ronan Byrne is a high performance mental coach , Ironman Triathlete , and owner of
Strongermindcoaching . com . He has a B . A in Psychology and human performance from the University of Victoria and is currently a Master ’ s candidate at the University of Seattle , in Clinical Counselling , with a focus in sports psychology and Mental Toughness . He is a 5 x Ironman Finisher , ex rugby player with Sumitomo Bank ( Osaka , Japan ), and a retired commissioned officer from the Canadian Armed Forces where he held the rank of Lieutenant .
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