Mental strength evolves from cognitive abilities and strategies that individuals use to manage their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. These skills can be developed and honed through practice and training. Mental skills are often associated with performance enhancement in different areas of life, including sports, academics, work, and personal relationships. Some common mental skills include: Visualization, Self-Talk, Energy Regulation, Intentional Breathing, Goal Setting, and Mindfulness.

To understand the subtle difference between mental strength and mental health, let’s think about physical strength and physical health. Building muscles in the gym will make you physically stronger. Building mental skills like visualization, breathing, and self-talk will increase your mental strength to perform with confidence. Building physical and mental strength can also improve overall wellness, but may not protect you from suffering ill health, like the flu or anxiety. And, the opposite is true: you can be mentally healthy but lack the skills to maintain composure under pressure. 

The bonus is this: Building mental and physical strength can help build mental and physical health and protect against illness. We’ve all heard that physical exercise protects us from heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and more. Mental strength training can likewise help protect us from the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and the like. Reaching out to a mental performance coach to hone these life skills is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of curiosity, readiness to learn, and strength.