11 Signs You're Mentally Tougher Than 90% Of The People You Know
Are you the kind of person who easily gets through things that only the strongest people would survive?
Yavdat / Shutterstock Being mentally tough can be difficult with all that's going on in the world. People who are the toughest mentally have a kind of resilience and an unwavering persistence that allows them to get through adversity and challenges more effectively than those around them. This mental fortitude can show up in several of life's domains, whether it be sports, business, or the day-to-day ups and downs.
The most mentally tough people address challenges head-on, knowing that the only way to get past them is to go straight through them. They continue to push forward in hard times and keep their eye on the prize, fully aware that sometimes a setback is a setup for an epic comeback. Not everyone has this mindset, so the few that do stand out amongst the crowd. If the signs below sound familiar, you're mentally tougher than 90% of the people you know.
1. You are super resilient
The strongest people exhibit unmatched resilience. You have a deeply ingrained belief that you can bounce back from the worst of circumstances. You have a strong bias for action, and instead of dwelling on failures, you look for solutions to your problems and see them as opportunities to grow and learn.
The American Psychological Association defines resilience as "the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands." It is one of the most effective coping strategies you have in your mental toolbox.
2. You are confident and have high self-esteem
mimagephotography via Canva
If you are mentally tough, you likely have high confidence in yourself and your ability to succeed. You are not delusional or overly confident, but you have a realistic understanding of your strengths and weaknesses and strongly believe that you have what it takes to remove barriers through effort and persistence.
Your confidence and high self-esteem have been built through your internal beliefs, external validation from people who care about you or admire you, life experience, self-awareness and acceptance, the ability to set and achieve goals, positive self-talk, and a strong support system. Confidence is key when developing mental toughness.
3. You are self-motivated
Self-motivation is your intrinsic desire to meet your goals, regardless of external pressures or what anyone else thinks about you. You set your mind on something and refuse to stop, no matter what challenges, hurdles, or roadblocks you encounter. You can see the big picture and clearly understand your long-term objectives.
Motivation starts with positive self-talk. It relies on achievable and measurable goals that you regularly review to be sure you are on track. You take on things of importance and value to you, making it vital that you cross the finish line, no matter what.
4. You remained focused
Focus is the ability and capacity to concentrate on the tasks at hand despite distractions. When you are mentally tough, you know exactly what your objectives are, and don't allow distractions to divert you in other directions. Regardless of what comes your way, you will not be derailed.
Mentally tough people know that there will always be trials and tribulations they will face, but never lose sight of the end game. They have an invisible roadmap, and even when they must make a detour, they return to their planned path as soon as possible.
5. You have extreme self-control
With so many things in life vying for our attention, it's important to have discernment about what matters. That discernment allows you to control your actions and emotions, so you make decisions with clarity and effectiveness. You know what is within your control, and use that knowledge to keep your emotions in check and stay calm under pressure.
Self-control is not just about self-discipline. It is also about knowing what you have no control over and releasing the need to exert energy on a lost cause. Controlling only what you can leads to clarity. Not letting go of the need to control the circumstances, actions, and thoughts of others can make you feel stuck, so you should focus on what you have 100% control over: you.
6. You remain optimistic
Kampus Production from Pexels via Canva
You are one of those people who see the silver lining in every situation. Your optimism leads you to believe that setbacks are temporary and surmountable. You have a positive outlook on life and believe that you never fail. You either win or you learn. This mental toughness keeps on engaged and progressing, certain that the desired outcome is right around the corner.
You stay away from people who have a problem for every solution and choose not to allow yourself to be overwhelmed by negativity. Pessimists may get annoyed by your flowery outlook on life because they have given up and accepted their fate, while you have an inner knowing that if you keep going, success is yours to have.
7. You are flexible
Things change. People and plans change. Mentally tough people are keenly aware of this and can bend with the wind but never break. You deal with changes in direction or circumstances productively and can adjust your plans accordingly. You don't fret over what was but accept what is with ease.
Flexibility is closely related to letting go of things you can not control. If you are mentally tougher than 90% of the people you know, when things come up that are outside of your control, you practice radical acceptance and move forward promptly, refusing to get stuck in the past and what was lost.
8. You adapt easily
While most people only thrive in certain conditions, you can adapt to any environment or situation. You observe and acknowledge things that make you uncomfortable and decide how you will deal with them in your own unique way. You see the light at the end of the tunnel and know that in some cases, you have to go through it to get to it.
Adaptability is considered a prerequisite to innovation. Adaptable people get comfortable with being uncomfortable and can think rationally in times of change. They perceive stress as motivation to keep moving forward and can make mental tweaks as necessary to get to where they want to be.
9. You tolerate stress well
kupicoo from Getty Images Signature
While many people are paralyzed by stress, you use it as fuel for your fire. Pressure either busts pipes or creates diamonds, and for people like you, it's the latter. You operate effectively and grow through adversity, knowing that tough times don't last, but tough people do.
Stress is a part of life, and when managed right, it can be used as a tool to level up and do better, rather than being seen as a threat to your well-being. You cannot avoid the ups and downs in life, but you can decide how you will deal with them. People who manage stress effectively avoid many of the associated pitfalls, like anxiety, depression, digestive problems, sleep difficulties, and issues with memory and focus.
10. You have social support
When thinking about strong people, it is common to focus on their independent nature, but it is also important to recognize that mentally tough people see the value in seeking support as needed. You know how to ask for help and are good at building a network of people you can rely on.
A sign that you are mentally tougher than 90% of the people you know, is that you can allow people into your life without fear because you know that there is nothing anyone can do to you that you cannot overcome. On the flip side, they release people who do not serve their needs easily and permanently, believing that what is meant for them will stay.
11. You stay committed
Mentally tough people will not be deterred by minor inconveniences or the uncertainty of others. You decide to do something and never let up, regardless of the difficulties you face. You rise to challenges, dealing with them as they come, but never allowing them to make you doubt yourself or stop you from moving toward your goals.
Staying committed requires a conscious effort on your part, the ability to honestly self-reflect, practice, and a desire to learn from every experience in life, building more mental toughness along the way. You know with every fiber of your being that you can do the impossible and that no weapon formed against you will prosper.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and the author of seven books. She focuses on lifestyle and human interest stories that delivers informative and actionable guidance on interpersonal relationships, enlightenment, and self-discovery.
