1) Just Show Up And Keep Moving.
Things are always worse in your mind. The first step is always the hardest. The second step is also hard but the steps get easier as you keep moving. Just apply for college enrollment and show up for your first class. Just write the first page for the book you’ve always wanted to write and then write the next one. Just show up to a gym and ask for a tour of the facility.
2) Do It Right Or Don’t Do It At All.
Set high standards for yourself. Set the bar higher than anyone else does. Don’t allow yourself to cut corners. Be exact and pay attention to details. This will require extra work but the benefits far outweigh the cost of doing a half-hearted effort. Maintain this standard even when no one else does or when no one else is around because this is who you are.
3) Listen To Your Tough Inner Voice.
A soft inner language will make it easy for you to quit so you can get out of doing things. You want to be tough on yourself so when you hear your tough inner voice say “Get Up!” get up immediately. Learn to listen to and obey your tough inner voice because this is how you will meet your best self.
4) Take Care Of Your Body In Order To Keep Your Mind Optimized.
Strong physical health leads to excellent mental health. Make physical exercise and proper nutrition a large part of who you are. This includes sleep, relaxation and time with loved ones.
5) Early To Bed And Early To Rise.
Make sure you get six to eight hours of sleep per night. Set a pattern of getting up early and start on tasks that will move you toward your goals and dreams. Stop complaining that you don’t have time to do the things you want to do. Start waking up an hour or two earlier and watch how you get the feeling of a preemptive strike when you get up before the rest of the world. It sets a great tone for the rest of your day.
6) Do The Hard Things First.
It is so easy to avoid the hard things but the people who are mentally tough knock this one out first. This quickly builds confidence in yourself and your ability to make even the hard things possible.
7) Never Allow Yourself To Whine, Complain or Criticize.
These behaviors weaken your belief system and will infect your ability to be inspired about anything. These mindsets are a waste of time. Fill your mind with only thoughts of optimistic hope.
8) Act As If You Are In Total Control Of Yourself.
Be driven to achieve your personal best and see challenges as opportunities rather than threats. Carry yourself with a strong body language and use a calm, well-modulated tone of voice. How you use your mind and body determines how you experience the world around you.
9) Give Up The Need For External Validation.
Stop worrying so much about what other people think of you. You want to have a pleasing personality but not to the point that you are paralyzed by what others think.
10) Accept Failure And Mistakes As Part Of The Process.
All people who have achieved any form of success in life have experienced failure. Go ahead and accept that you will have failures and setbacks initially. Embrace this inevitable truth and look at each failure as a lesson which adds value to your overall character and mental toughness.
Mark Webb is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice at Oakwood Counseling Center in Valdosta. He is the author of How To Be A Great Partner and How To Argueproof Your Relationship. Read more of his articles at www. TheRelationshipSpecialist.com