Imagine this scenario: You are driving home from the gym after a really good workout and you begin thinking to yourself “I really worked hard today so I deserve a treat.” So you stop at McDonalds for a ‘little’ snack, and before you know it, you’ve eaten a large size Big Mac Attack Combo with an extra cheese burger on the side. Sound familiar?
This may seem like an extreme example for some people, but many of us are guilty for the same kind of behaviours where we work hard to achieve something, but do not pay any attention to the bad behaviours that undermine our efforts.
The following 3 habits are habits that you should develop to gain a greater mental strength for achieving more success in your life.
1. Replace Self-pity With Gratitude
No one is immune to hard times. Our challenges may come in many forms such as illnesses and tragedy but how you react to these challenges in life will say a lot about you.
Mentally strong people refuse to indulge in self-pity and instead develop a sense of gratitude. Research shows that developing gratitude can make you stronger on many levels. For example, a study conducted in 2003 published in the journal of Personality and Social Psychology, found that people who are grateful have healthier immune systems and suffer less often from aches and pains. In addition they also exercise more frequently, sleep better and enjoy a better general standard of health that their less grateful peers.
2. Mentally Strong People Hold Onto Their Powers And Forgive Others
Many of us will experience rejection in our lives, or moments where the negative opinions of others will hurt and discourage you. Mentally strong people don’t let the opinions of others determine how they think and act in life. The refuse to give power and permission to others on how they should govern their lives.
Oprah Winfrey is a great example of someone with great mental strength. Oprah was raised in poverty and experienced repeated instances of sexual abuse. At the age of 14, she became pregnant, only for the child to die shortly after birth. Throughout this period in her life, she was mocked for being poor.
However, Oprah did not waste time worrying about what others said about her, but instead she worked and studied hard until eventually, developed what would become her mega-successful talk show. Not bad from someone who had once been teased for being poor.
3. Mentally Strong People Don’t Envy Other People’s Success But Rather Seek To Collaborate With Them
Envy happens when someone feels bad because another person becomes more successful than them. Envy also influences a person find pleasure in seeing other successful people suffer in some way. If you want to become more successful yourself, then you need to overcome this initial envy of other people’s success and harness their power instead.
People who enjoy and celebrate other people’s success end up attracting other successful people with whom they can collaborate.
KEY LEARNINGS TO APPLY
Now that you have read the 3 tips for how to become mentally stronger and more successful, you then need to take it a step further and actually apply these principles in your life. It is not enough to just read the tips. In summary, in order to increase your mental strength and get more out of life, you should:
1. Refrain from feeling sorry for yourself
2. Never give your power away to others
3. Never be resentful of other people’s success.
All content was summarised and referenced from the book '13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do' by Amy Morin