Prepare for the understatement of the century – 2020 has been one heck of a bad year. But as we celebrate World Mental Health Day, The Gaggler asked Dubai-based entrepreneur, motivational speaker, extreme athlete coach, founder of health and performance company Inner Fight and all-round superhero Marcus Smith on what it takes to build extreme mental resilience when all the odds are stacked against you.
“Everyone asks me what the key to building mental resilience is. It’s a question I’m often asked, but you’d be surprised by just how many people listen to me and then utter the words: “Oh, that sounds too hard” and just continue doing what they’ve always done. So, I want to start by telling you that building mental resilience is hard. At times it is very, very challenging and it’s not always enjoyable. But that is simply the required process for developing mental resilience. If you can remain committed to the process, then you can enjoy the end result of enhanced mental toughness.”
Want to follow Marcus’ lead? Here are 4 key things that you can do, starting today, that will help you cultivate insane mental resilience to guarantee success against all odds:
- Understand your behaviour: “The key starting point is understanding yourself. View this step as stage one of your schooling; it’s a fun, often surprising process that will reveal a lot of important information. Take time to reflect on your actions from the previous day so you become more aware of your behaviours and the results they are creating. Building a strong mindset starts with deepening your understanding of what you do each day, and why. You must learn how your mind works in order to control it when life gets hectic.”
- Do things that challenge you: “You can sub out the word challenge for ‘make you feel uncomfortable’ – because what I am about to tell you, may do either or both for you. Wake up at 5:29 am and stand in an ice-cold shower for 30 seconds. Cold water is incredibly uncomfortable and for many, waking up before the birds may not be enjoyable. But if you can do these simple things daily then when more difficult things come up in life you will have conditioned your brain to deal with challenges and you will get through them more easily.”
- Build a solid team: “There must be a few people around you at all times that can add real value to your mindset. They are the people that will be open with you, and at times brutally honest. You need these sorts of people in your life. They keep you accountable. Pat you on the back when needed. Give you tough love when deserved. When times get tough, you don’t need to face them alone, so make sure you have a solid group of superstars around you to help you navigate challenging times. You’ll be better prepared to face issues on your own after learning tactics from a wider group.”
- Embrace change: “This in it of itself is a mindset shift. If you are stubborn and set in your ways, then this step is not going to work for you. You have to be ready to change. In the same way that some people want to lose weight but aren’t willing to cut out junk food, you must be prepared to make a change to build a strong mindset. Something has to change. Sometimes many things need to change, and when the time comes for change, you have to be ready. Change is what you need.”
Watch Marcus Smith On How To Build Extreme Mental Resilience
“The amazing thing about building mental resilience and developing your mindset is that you can use the strength you gain in many areas of your life. The thing to remember is that it’s going to be tough at times and you may have to do things you don’t enjoy – but that’s the key to cultivating insane mental resilience. The more uncomfortable you become, the faster you will become the best version of you.”
To find out more on how to increase your mental strength, visit www.innerfight.com, or follow Marcus on Instagram @mjd_smith
