Five Qualities Of a Mentally Strong Person.

 

What does it mean to be a Mentally Strong Person? Well the first thing that might come to mind is that a mentally strong person is a Strong, Vibrant and hardworking person. But that’s not the case.

Let’s look at the word Mental Strength; mental strength means not complaining, using failure as an appetizer for the win. ... It means not waiting for someone else to pass the torch to. With this definition you might quickly jump into conclusion that Oh Yes I think am a Mentally Strong Person!

But truthfully, it’s quite hard to be a mentally strong person especially when you are in a critical situation and you feel stucked. One major attributes of a Mentally Strong Person is that where others see impenetrable barriers, they see challenges to overcome. Now think about it deeply; do you think that way when faced with challenges?

When Thomas Edison’s factory burned to the ground in 1914, destroying one-of-a-kind prototypes and causing $23 million in damage, Edison’s response was simple:

Thank goodness all our mistakes were burned up. Now we can start fresh again.

Edison’s reaction is the epitome of mental strength—seeing opportunity and taking action when things look bleak.

Well let’s be realistic, we can’t all think like Edison in this particular issue, I can imagine my reaction in this situation, God forbid, I would be terrified and devastated. No one was born with Mental Strength, am sure Edison didn’t become this strong mentally overnight, it takes a lot of effort and practice, inculcating the right attitude and habits would prepare us for challenges ahead.

You cannot be mentally strong without the ability to fully understand and tolerate strong negative emotions and do something productive with them.

Confidence is another quality that a mentally strong person should possess. Mentally strong people have an upper hand over doubtful people, their confidence inspires others and helps them to make things happen. Their confidence inspires others and helps them to make things happen.

They neutralize difficult people. Dealing with difficult people is frustrating and exhausting for most. Mentally strong people control their interactions with toxic people by keeping their feelings in check. When they need to confront a toxic person, they approach the situation rationally. They identify their emotions and don’t allow anger or frustration to fuel the chaos. They also consider the difficult person’s standpoint and are able to find common ground and solutions to problems. Even when things completely derail, mentally strong people are able to take the toxic person with a grain of salt to avoid letting him or her bring them down.

They embrace change. Mentally strong people are flexible and are constantly adapting. They know that fear of change is paralyzing and a major threat to their success and happiness. They look for change that is lurking just around the corner, and they form a plan of action should these changes occur.

Only when you embrace change can you find the good in it. You need to have an open mind and open arms if you’re going to recognize, and capitalize on, the opportunities that change creates.

They embrace failure. Mentally strong people embrace failure because they know that the road to success is paved with it. No one ever experienced true success without first embracing failure. By revealing when you’re on the wrong path, your mistakes pave the way for you to succeed. The biggest breakthroughs typically come when you’re feeling the most frustrated and the most stuck. It’s this frustration that forces you to think differently, to look outside the box, and to see the solution that you’ve been missing.

Yet, they don't dwell on mistakes. Mentally strong people know that where you focus your attention determines your emotional state. When you fixate on the problems that you’re facing, you create and prolong negative emotions and stress, which hinders performance. When you focus on actions to better yourself and your circumstances, you create a sense of personal efficacy, which produces positive emotions and improves performance. Mentally strong people distance themselves from their mistakes, but they do so without forgetting them. By keeping their mistakes at a safe distance, yet still handy enough to refer to, they are able to adapt and adjust for future success.

They don't compare themselves to others. Mentally strong people don’t pass judgment on other people because they know that everyone has something to offer, and they don’t need to take other people down a notch in order to feel good about themselves. Comparing yourself to other people is limiting. Jealousy and resentment suck the life right out of you; they’re massive energy-stealers. Mentally strong people don’t waste time or energy sizing people up and worrying about whether or not they measure up. Instead of wasting your energy on jealousy, funnel that energy into appreciation. When you celebrate the success of other people, you both benefit.

Mental strength is not an innate quality bestowed upon a select few. It can be achieved and enjoyed. 

I hope this piece has really been helpful. So are you a Mentally Strong Person?

Reference: Dr. Travis Bradberry

 EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE 2.0 & President at TalentSmart