3 Techniques to improve your Mental Toughness

There's a reason why special operations forces use grueling, nearly torturous selection courses...they want to weed out the quitters and the weak...those without the mental toughness to keep going, even when they're completely, totally and utterly exhausted.

If your will is broken, you're done for.

Mental fortitude is the oft undervalued trait that more often makes the difference between triumph or defeat.

Even in every day life, you need self discipline and willpower to do what you need to and keep making progress towards your goals. 

Most of our caveman brains have a hard wired aversion to things that are difficult, uncomfortable or downright painful...even if they're things we know and believe we should be doing. Instead, our brains want the easy, quick fix.

Case in point: physical training of any kind. Everyone knows you should exercise--but how many people don't do it, or struggle to do so consistently.

Our brains are awesome at coming up with reasons for why we shouldn't do those hard, uncomfortable things:

"I'm too tired."

"I'm too busy."

"I deserve a break."

"This isn't worth it."

"I'm not having fun."

It's natural. It's normal. There's a big part of our brains that wants us to sit around and eat donuts. Eat, drink and be merry.

But, guess what? You can't let that part of your brain win.

Luckily, there are simple mental techniques that you can use help to overcome your inner weakling. These may seem like minor, but they're used by some of the toughest, disciplined and successful people in the world.

Here are three of my favorites:

Compartmentalization

A large number of big, daunting problems can be daunting, discouraging and overwhelming.

Breaking those problems down into smaller, more manageable pieces can make them easier to handle. Focus on the obstacle right in front of you; get over it and move onto the next.

That can mean breaking things down to one day at a time, one minute at a time or one footstep at a time. However small and manageable you need to in order to make progress.

Small goals lead to small victories, and small victories add up fast.

"Just get through the next day and you're golden."

"Just make it to the top of that next hill."

"Just one more step...one step is no big deal."

I've read dozens of accounts of special operation soldiers, survivors and others, and this is one of the most commonly used and powerful coping mechanisms.

Just Get Started

This ties in with compartmentalization. You can't make progress if you never start, and starting is often the hardest part. Maybe it's overwhelming, maybe you're tired--whatever. 

So, tell yourself that you just need to do one, small thing--that's it--and then you'll be done.

And then you do that one thing, and hey--not so bad. Why not keep going?

I do this frequently with PT, when I'm tired and don't feel like diving into an hour long workout session. I'll tell that inner weakling to just do the one main exercise--squats, deadlift or bench--and then it's okay to be done. That way I'll at least get my workout in.

Sure enough, 95% of the time, that turns into the full workout session.

Give it a try.

Remember the Big Goal
"A lifetime of glory is worth a moment of pain." -- Unbroken

Keeping your eye on the prize--your ultimate goal--is a powerful motivator for making progress. Adopt the attitude that you are going to achieve that goal, no matter what--because it's worth doing whatever it takes.

Great, meaningful victories require work. A lot of work. Years or even lifetimes of work.

That could be success at physical training, winning some competition or making it home to see your family again.

Visual reminders of your goal or motivation can be inspirational here. Arnold or Bruce Lee posters slapped on wall of your home gym. A picture of your family tucked in your wallet. Whatever you need to help keep you focused and working towards your goal.

Comments
Have another technique that helps you stick to your plans? Favorite motivational quote, person or book you'd like to share? Let the TEOTWAWKI Tribe know in the comments section.

2015 Goals

With the start of a new year, it's goal making time.

Here are some of my big 'uns for the year:

• Rebuild emergency fund after last year's decimation; have refunded by year end
• Get down to 195 by June; generally improve overall fitness level
• Training course or two in the 2nd half of the year - book in the second quarter, attend in the 3rd quarter
• General consolidation of stuff / updating / completing various systems (go-to AR, battle rattle, EDC, etc.)

I find it generally helpful to break big goals up into smaller goals - compartmentalization, if you will. So for weight loss, I have a per week and per month goal that are the main focus. For emergency fund, it's a monthly savings goal, etc.

Check-in points and milestones are good, too - e.g. have X completed within the first quarter, which will allow you to do Y in the summer. Throw 'em on a calendar, set up reminders, tell somebody else about 'em and get things moving.

Like most, I'm not the bestest at completing all of my annual goals. I get lazy, busy and distracted by new shiny things like everybody else. But, in writing down some goals at the beginning of the year, I find that I usually get the majority of them done.

How about you guys and gals? What are your big goals for the year, prep related or otherwise?

Goals for 2014

With a new year, it's a good time to look at the year ahead a figure out what the heck you want to accomplish over the next 365ish days.

I've done goals for the past several years, and while there are always several goals that do not happen or morph into others, it's good to have them as a starting point. Some of mine for 2013 as a starting point.

2013 goals that happened: buy a house, write a book, most of the acquisitions list (more on this later).

2013 goals that didn't happen: beef up on primitive skills and hunting, jujitsu classes, carbine course

The goals that didn't happen were largely due to our 6-month move and my role during that time. It screwed up my vacation time for much of the year and sidetracked those plans.

Big Goals
I've done long lists of goals in the past, but the laundry list tends to water down the important goals with less significant ones. There's also have a friggin' list that I have to refer back to periodically to even remember the goals you came up with in the beginning.