There are many ways to categorize people: short and tall, intelligent and simple-minded, athletic and clumsy. One way to classify people is mentally strong and weak.
It’s easy for you to think of someone that’s mentally strong and another that’s weak. We all know what that means, but have you considered the actual differences between these two types of people?
The differences are real and significant. There are many things that mentally weak people either can’t or won’t do. Can you guess what these things are?
Mentally strong people consistently demonstrate these behaviors:
Get started. Mentally strong people do a wonderful job of getting started. They are aggressive starters.
● There are a few mentally weak people that are good at getting started, but most quickly run out of gas. The average mentally weak person does a decent job of planning, but never takes the first step when it comes time to take action.
Finish. Getting started is only part of the battle. Mentally strong people are also good at crossing the finish line. Are you one of those people that seems to give up before you complete anything significant? If so, you’re not as mentally strong as you could be.
Do the hard things that need to be done. To be successful at anything substantial, it’s necessary to do some difficult things. These difficult things might require a few failed attempts, learning something challenging, or simply doing something that’s uncomfortable.
● Mentally weak people avoid these types of activities as much as possible.
Embrace change. Strong people make the most of change. Weak people avoid change or are paralyzed by it.
● Change is a wonderful opportunity for growth and progress. Strong people take advantage of change while weak people are harmed by it.
Take risks. Calculated risks are a part of creating massive success. Mentally strong people are able to avoid taking foolish risks or playing the game of life too conservatively. They find the optimal middle ground.
● Mentally weak people either give in to foolish urges and risk too much, or they are too conservative.
They don’t resent the success of others. Strong-minded people are comfortable, or even happy, when others are successful. Weak-minded people are jealous or resentful of those that do well in life.
Persevere. Mentally weak people give up far too quickly and easily to ever achieve much. Those with stronger minds manage to persevere until they are successful.
They say, “no” quickly and easily. Some people have a hard time saying no. However, mentally strong people are able to say “no” when needed and don’t lose any sleep over it. They’re able to stay on track when it comes to their goals.
Delay gratification. The most successful people are able to delay gratification for years. The inability to delay gratification is a serious weakness. If you need to feel good or be rewarded right now, you’ll struggle to ever accomplish anything significant.
Mentally strong people have many advantages in the world. They get more done and are more effective at dealing with obstacles. They’re able to refuse requests that are too inconvenient. They persevere when the average person would simply give up. They also leverage change to their advantage.
In short, mentally tough people are able to do the things that mentally weak people won’t do. This is a huge advantage. It’s very difficult for a mentally weak person to compete with someone that is much stronger mentally.
Look at the list above and see where your mental toughness lies. You can learn to be tougher, and the results in your life will improve along with your toughness.