In any Spartan race, being physically tough isn’t always enough to get you through your next obstacle. Being mentally tough is the key to succeeding when you have nothing left in the tank. The same applies off of the race course. When life throws obstacles in your way, being mentally tough is what’s going to help you overcome them.

Spartans know a thing or two about doing things the hard way. Keep reading for our tips on how to boost your mental resilience and achieve more than you thought possible. 

Mental Toughness Tips

1. Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

Spartans don’t sit around waiting to encounter obstacles – they go out and seek challenges each and every day. Intentionally finding and overcoming obstacles builds the mental toughness needed to bounce back when life gets hard.

So take the road less traveled – do things the hard way. We love starting the day with a strenuous workout. That means pushing your body to the point of failure. Trust us, it’s the best way to get stronger. 

And get out of your comfort zone outside the gym, too. If you’re not comfortable with public speaking, volunteer to give the next presentation at work. If you feel anxious during solo activities, go out to eat by yourself. No matter what you’re doing, take the most difficult path – every single time. 

2. Make a Commitment – and Stick to It

Let’s face it, we’ve all made resolutions and fallen off the wagon after a few weeks. It’s easy to give up when you face a few roadblocks and aren’t seeing progress, but taking the easy way out won’t get you where you want to go.

Next time you make a resolution, commit to it. See it through. If you have trouble sticking to new routines, try telling friends and family about your goals and how you plan to achieve them. Speaking your goals aloud and reporting back to someone can help keep you accountable and committed. In fact, one study found that those who wrote down their goal and regularly updated their friends or family were 50% more likely to accomplish their goals compared to those who didn’t.

3. Face Your Fears

Research shows that when it comes to fears, we’re often scared of the unknown. Meaning, when we can’t reliably predict the outcome of something, we tend to run away from it, rather than face it. But being scared of hypothetical “what ifs” can hold us back from taking chances, reaching our full potential, and building mental toughness.

If you want to build your mental toughness, take a leap of faith. Jump into the unknown and face your fears. If you’d like to be prepared, some find that making a list of worst-case scenarios and preparing for them ahead of time can help ease anxiety. Even if you’re unsure, take a risk and step into the unknown anyway. You’ll probably find that it’s not so scary after all.