Mental toughness is the invisible secret sauce that separates out good performance levels to that of elite performance for any athlete on the field, or any individual off it. Just like pro athletes who are becoming more aware of training their body as a muscle, it is important to train your mind as the muscle it is too. Building mental toughness and resilience takes quite a bit of discipline, self-reliance, and intrinsic motivation. True mental toughness is focusing on the process of your goal, being able to adapt under pressure, and having the right mental state to bounce back from setbacks no matter what obstacle comes your way."
Develop a Pregame Ritual
Creating a pregame ritual is one of the most effective ways to increase mental toughness in a similar way as a professional athlete would. It's important to remember that a pregame ritual is much more than a physical warm-up, it is also a great way to prepare your mind, focus your attention on what is important, and fire up your confidence! A pregame ritual becomes a set of consistent behaviours that begin to condition your mind that it is time to perform, which makes you less anxious and distracted when performing. For example, a pregame ritual may include visualization, breathing exercises, or listening to a playlist before competition. The practical application of pregame rituals is to create a mental anchor that connects the body and your mind at a time when you want to perform at your highest level.
Train Under Discomfort
The fire in which true mental toughness is developed is through discomfort training. Discomfort training teaches athletes how to sit with pain, doubt, and fatigue when their mind tells them everything to find an excuse to stop and quit. By learning to train through scheduled difficult training sessions, early mornings without excuses, and phases of delayed gratification, you teach yourself how to manage fear, cope with ambiguity, and commit to process, not results. Discomfort becomes part of the teacher's cycling process: it exposes limits, shapes strategy, and builds confidence that go beyond physical ability. The best competitors learn to accept suffering as part of preparation. On race day, they arrive calm, clear-minded, and resilient. Developing this mindset turns short-term discomfort into long-term performance and absolute self-belief, daily.
Find Your ‘Why’
One of the first steps to building mental toughness is finding your "why." For athletes, it is not simply about the scores or medals. It is about discovering a deeper purpose that IS the reason why you get up and train, make sacrifices, and continue to try when you face setbacks. Your "why" can come from reasons like personal development, inspiring your peers, or living your most important values. Whenever you encounter challenges along your journey, that "why" is what emerges as your anchor, allowing you to focus and continue pursuing your goals. The clearer and more significant your "why," the stronger you will be committed to doing what is required. It transforms challenges into opportunities and inspires you to give the best effort, even when the road ahead seems daunting.
Detach Ego from Performance
To build mental toughness like a professional athlete starts with unlearning the association of ego and performance. Top athletes, regardless of sport, understand that if they want to grow, they need to adopt a mindset that accepts feedback, failure, and progress without the wrappings of pride. They accept their targets through using methods such as visualization, goal setting, consistent sleep, quality nutrition, daily activity, resistance training, and building the right environment - putting the emphasis on being consistent, rather than comparative. Once you can detach ego, you will see any setbacks as lessons, rather than threats, promoting resilience and adaptability. This clarity of view is where you will take your maximum potential, and have the discipline and confidence to seize opportunities as they present themselves.
Learn the 90-Second Rule
Mental toughness, like elite athletes, includes the ability to exert control over one's emotions. One of the most important tools is the 90-Second Rule developed by neuroscientist Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor. She explains that in moments of stress, the chemical reaction our body engages in (such as a spike in adrenaline) will only last for approximately 90 seconds. After this point, the continuation of stress, anger, or fear is an exercise in cognition if it even exists at all, as we chose to stress over it. Understanding how a 90-second window works allows you to pause for 90 seconds, reset, and respond logically. In essence, if you can train yourself to endure those 90 seconds, you could begin developing resilience and a greater level of mental training.
Know When to Shut Off
Elite athletes know that rest and recovery are as important as training; the mind and body also need time to reset. Learning to totally shut it off can help avoid burnout, allows for better focus, and focuses on long-term performance. In other words, establishing boundaries, taking a break from pressure, and participating in activities that restore balance and sanity. Whether it is spending time with family or friends, spending time on a hobby, or simply resting, learning to shut it off allows an athlete to come back sharpened, stronger, and more resilient. The true test of toughness is learning how to balance both.
Once we find consistency, commitment, and discipline to train ourselves mentally for intrinsic motivation, we gain mental strength throughout our lives, on and off the field.
(Raahil Dhruva, Founder of Marcos Quay)
