Hey there,
I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for ways to become tougher mentally.
I don’t want to be the type of person who quits when things get hard. I want to set a goal and stick with it, even when it feels like I have everything going against me.
And that’s exactly what mental toughness is: our ability to manage and overcome doubts, worries, and circumstances that prevent us from succeeding or making progress toward a goal or pursuit.
One of the best ways to build mental toughness? Fitness and sports.
Every time you push yourself to do just one more rep, run just a little bit faster or further, or go to the gym when you don’t want to, you’re building mental strength.
Fitness can help you build mental toughness in countless different ways:
-It helps you get more comfortable being uncomfortable
-It teaches you to work through obstacles
-It builds your consistency muscle
-It helps you learn that failure isn’t final
Each small attempt to build mental toughness in your fitness journey will help you get stronger physically and mentally, which will help you become mentally tougher in all areas of your life.
What I’m reading —
The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning by Paul Bloom
We all want to have happy, meaningful lives. But Bloom explains in The Sweet Spot why suffering is a necessary part of a happy life. Whether it’s struggle we seek out or not, effort and struggle lead to more joyful and satisfying pursuits, relationships, and lives.
I absolutely loved this book, and also recently listened to a couple of interviews he did on The Psychology Podcast and Sam Harris’s Making Sense podcast.
What I’m listening to —
The Science of Gratitude and How to Build a Gratitude Practice / Huberman Lab podcast
Gratitude can rewire our brains and have tremendous effects on both our physical and mental health. Huberman discusses the latest science around gratitude and how to get the most out of a gratitude practice. Fascinating as always.
A quote that inspires me —
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” — Oprah Winfrey
What I’m training —
Here’s a 12-minute HIIT workout using a foam roller I posted on Instagram.
Three new workouts —
4-Minute Rainy Day Tabata Workout (4-minute Tabata, equipment-free)
Explosive Medicine Ball 12-Minute AMRAP Workout (AMRAP, medicine ball
405 Rep Bar Challenge Workout (Time challenge, dip bar)
You can get these and all future workouts right in the 12 Minute Athlete app when you subscribe as a Super Athlete.
Questions? Feedback? Content requests?
Please feel free to reply directly to this email if you have any questions or comments (yes, I am a real human). I get a lot of emails and messages, so I can’t reply to all of them, but I do read everything you guys send me!
Here’s to building mental toughness,
– Krista