G ETTING M ENTALLY T OUGH

“V ICTORY BELONGS TO THE MOST PERSEVERING.” -Napoleon Bonaparte

M ENTAL TOUGHNESS IS THE ABILITY TO QUICKLY AND CONSTRUCTIVELY BOUNCE BACK FROM SETBACKS. (experiencing some bitterness is unavoidable; we could never experience the true sweetness of victory unless we have passed through some bitterness along the way)

M ENTAL TOUGHNESS IS FLEXIBILITY Roll with the punches! If life – or your opponent – throws something at you that wasn’t in your game plan, be able to change your game plan on the fly! The mentally tough athlete is able to constantly perform at the upper range of his or her talent.

M ENTAL T OUGHNESS IS REFUSING TO GIVE UP NO MATTER WHAT This is the MAIN INGREDIENT of mental toughness! Whether winning or losing, on good days or bad days, healthy or injured, the tough athlete never gives up. John Steven Akhwari

M ENTAL TOUGHNESS IS THE ABILITY TO CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS Block out negative emotions (anger, hate, revenge) Summon positive emotions (fun, joy, humor, love for the sport, a fighting spirit) Legarrette Blount

M ENTAL TOUGHNESS IS THE ABILITY TO STAY EMOTIONALLY ALIVE, ENGAGED, AND CONNECTED UNDER PRESSURE The tough athlete does not emotionally quit or “check out” when the pressure turns on.

Markers of Mental Toughness Bouncing Back Flexibility Emotional Control Perseverance Refusal to Give Up

W HAT M ENTAL T OUGHNESS I S N OT : Meanness Killer instinct A willingness to play dirty Defensiveness

H OW D O Y OU E XPLAIN F AILURE ? Permanence When you make a mistake or fall flat on your face, do you see the failure as a temporary setback or as a permanent trait? Do you say to yourself, “I really messed that one up, but I’ll get it next time?” or do you say to yourself, “Wow, I aways mess that up?” The mentally tough athlete is able to see mistakes, setbacks, and failures as temporary

Pervasiveness Something is pervasive when it invades everything. It is global. When you make a mistake, do you throw your hands up in the air and say “that whole thing was horrible!” Or can you pinpoint the exact error?

Personalization -means to internalize something; to make it a part of you. When you fail, do you think the mistake is part of your identity? That it came from some in-born trait? Or, do you realize that this mistake is something that happened to you?