Health & Wellness Magazine Community Of Caring - Summer 2019 | Page 9

MENTALLY STRONG
10 Habits
O F M E N TA L LY S T R O N G P E O P L E
DESPITE WEST Point Military
Academy’s rigorous selection process,
one in five students drop out by
graduation day. A sizeable number leave
the summer before freshman year, when
cadets go through a rigorous program
called “the Beast.” The Beast consists
of extreme physical, mental, and social
challenges that are designed to test
candidates’ perseverance. So, Angela developed her own test
to determine which cadets had the
mental strength to conquer the Beast.
She called it the “Grit Scale,” and it
was a highly accurate predictor of
cadet success. The Grit Scale measures
mental strength, which is that unique
combination of passion, tenacity, and
stamina that enables you to stick with
your goals until they become a reality.
University of Pennsylvania psychologist
Angela Duckworth conducted a study
in which she sought to determine which
cadets would make it through the Beast
program. The rigorous interviews and
testing that cadets went through to get
into West Point in the first place told
Angela that IQ and talent weren’t the
deciding factors. To increase your mental strength, you
simply need to change your outlook.
When hard times hit, people with
mental strength suffer just as much as
everyone else. The difference is that
they understand that life’s challenging
moments offer valuable lessons. In the
end, it’s these tough lessons that build
the strength you need to succeed.
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