Why these five resilience strategies will help you build your mental fortress.

Some people just seem to plough through or bounce back from whatever life throws at them. Whether it’s illness, loss, or tragedy, they do the tough work of picking themselves up, dusting themselves off, and carrying on—even when it seems impossible.

They seem to have an impregnable mental fortress .

If you’ve ever thought, “I could never do that” when looking at one of these apparent “superheroes,” don’t be so sure. It’s absolutely possible to build the mental toughness to enable yourself to work through the most difficult times. It does require you having the will to do so and being persistent in following through on much of the advice below but its achievable.

Building your resilience is the foundation to your own mental fortress and here are five strategies so you are better prepared for when the tough times strike.

1) STAND AND DELIVER 

One of the hardest aspects of anticipating and then dealing with a potentially difficult situation is being able to mentally stand and face it as though you are ready for the challenge, rather than turn your back and run away. By acknowledging that you may, for example, lose your job or that someone close to you is critically ill then you can choose how to respond and whether or not you wish to be resilient and positive. Independent research generated through studies of the MTQ 4C’s mental toughness framework have shown that those people with a positive outlook tend to have greater resilience which leads to improved performance and wellbeing. Of course, sometimes tragedy or devastating events can strike when they are least expected but developing the right mindset—including the ability to reframe negative events- and taking action to mitigate potential damage where you can, will go a long way in helping you increase your feeling of strength and recover in a worst-case scenario.

2) KNOW YOUR SELF 

Your ability to become and remain resilient is closely determined by your own self-awareness so that you can understand who you are, and what you stand for and why. You should learn to understand your moods and emotions and how you respond when you are under pressure or how your emotions play out in your behaviour when you become angry, offended or upset. Learning more about yourself helps you recognize the tell-tale signs as challenging events unfold and gives you time to change the situation before it or you go bad. Being able to remain calm, composed and in control of how you relate to those people around you also increases your feeling of strength and empowerment.

3) HAVE A PLAN 

Closely aligned to your self awareness is having a strong purpose and plan that will provide a clear roadmap to take you from any difficulties you are facing now to a more positive future.

Writing your plan out is doubly useful in building your resilience because it gives you clarity on your direction and improves your chances of developing good habits that enable you to make sound decisions that help you get things done .Writing can also help you resolve any issues that may be preventing you from recovering from a setback as it feels safer to manage words on paper than it does to confront those tough situations in your brain.

4) MAKE IT HAPPEN 

Having a plan is one thing but making it happen is another and in this world of continuous distractions and diversions, staying sufficiently focused to make your plan come to fruition is difficult but essential. There are a variety of components here that include prioritizing your plan, focusing on getting the most important things done first and pacing yourself with regular breaks from technology to remain energized. Obviously being productive can help you make progress physically, but the feeling of forward momentum is also good for you mentally because it helps keep the feelings of being overwhelmed or becalmed at bay. You are in motion.

5)     FIND YOUR TRIBE

Another key component to resilience is the people you have around you in your “tribe”  . If you invest in strong relationships with family, friends, and work or community colleagues then they will help you in varying degrees to push through difficult times . And it works both ways as you help them bounce back too when they need your support. If you don't have access to those people who know you and care about you a crisis becomes so much more difficult to face alone . You don't build a network or find a tribe just to help you out when times are tough -for the most part you want to enjoy their company during the good times but there is no doubt their importance in every situation .

 To learn more on mental toughness contact Mental Toughness Partners

Paul Lyons is an experienced CEO who coaches leaders to improve their performance and wellbeing by developing their mental toughness. 

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