1 The Mental Toughness Developed Within Athletes Ethan R. Hartanto Antelope Valley College Psychology 101 Professor Rachel Thibault Jul. 15, 2022 2 Abstract The late Kobe Bryant was remembered for many things, one of them being, his mamba mentality, also known as mental toughness. Oftentimes, sports can be full of pressure, especially for the athlete, but a way of thinking that sets athletes apart, like Kobe, from the mediocre ones is mental toughness. This paper will display the role that a strong mentality has in athletes. Along with sports, it can be applied in everyday life as well. There is a small group of people who are mentally tough naturally; because the average person is not categorized in this group, it can be thought that having a mental toughness is not possible. But a study found that this concept can be developed; another article also shows how it can be developed. The paper will further expand on the definition of mental toughness, which is a very confusing topic due to its wide variety of meaning. If this difficult concept was to be explained with a couple of words, they would be grit and resolve. As it was slightly mentioned previously, mental toughness does not only have an impact in sports; it has an even greater impact in day to day life. When struggles come, what will allow the overcoming of them is the will to push through. That is why sports is an effective way to develop mental toughness. In sports, challenges and struggles constantly fill it and persisting through those trials will create an unshakable mindset. Some might say that they are too old for sports, but golf is an option and is probably one of the most challenging of them all. So why not do something benefiting the physical and mental side of health. Keywords: mental toughness, sports, athlete, life, struggles 3 The Mental Toughness Developed Within Athletes As it is widely known, life can be rough with constant events and negative information being relayed to individuals; however, the human race has learned and adapted to the way of self-control, instead of stress (Kilic & Yildirim, 2020). This way is the idea of mental toughness, which is a vital component to the success of what might be considered a stressful event, sports (Kilic & Yildirim, 2020). But because humans are not perfect, and quite frankly, very far from it, people do experience stress, a lot. That is why mental toughness is an important, ongoing development process (Kilic & Yildirim, 2020). Therefore, even though sports is not the only means, it is a healthy way of developing mental toughness in life. This research paper will endeavor to confirm the given claim by summarizing researched facts regarding mental toughness and sports. The Meaning of Mental Toughness First off, what even is mental toughness? From an athlete’s perspective, it is the mindset, whether instinctive or developed, to excel at the task at hand more than the competing rival (Kilic & Yildirim, 2020). For the player, this might be doing a drill faster than a teammate or continuing to push through during the last quarter of the game even with the lead. From a normal, day to day person’s perspective, the meaning of mental toughness is also the mindset to excel at the task at hand more than the rival (Kilic & Yildirim, 2020). For a student or adult at work, the task may be getting a research paper done before the deadline or having good integrity at work while other coworkers are partying during a shift. Even if the individual is exhausted or facing adversity, a mentally tough mindset overcomes the barrier of comfort and is able to go above and beyond the expectations (Kilic & Yildirim, 2020). It has only been until recent years when research is 4 being done on the true meaning of this complex term (Thelwell et al., 2005). This unique mentality can often be thought of as a superpower, which is innate, but it is one that someone can also develop (Thelwell et al., 2005). The two types of mentally tough people are the ones who have continued to build their level of mental toughness, while the others are born instinctively tough with a constant grinding mentality (Thelwell et al., 2005). While both of these people are mentally tough, there is still a contrast that can be made between the two. In common terminology, “grit” would be a simple adjective describing a naturally tough athlete or individual. The reason for the use of “athlete or individual” is because of how applicable mental toughness is to life, not just sports, which will be covered with more detail in the second point. Not stating that people who are born mentally tough did not experience failure, but those who have had to develop a tough mentality had to conquer difficulties persevere even through failure (Thelwell et al., 2005). That is mental toughness. Because the meaning only scratches the surface of what this mindset really is, the effects of mental toughness are crucial to display the impact it has. The Effects of Mental Toughness What are the effects or attributes that can be seen of Mental Toughness? Athletes at the highest level, such as Kobe Bryant, Michael Phelps, and Tiger Woods, have one main pillar, or foundation, that brought them where they are, or were; it was mental toughness (Kilic & Yildirim, 2020). It can be guaranteed that almost all professional players had to have the determination, perseverance, and willpower, which are all synonymous with mental toughness during their journey to greatness (Kilic & Yildirim, 2020). Oftentimes, a tough mentality is thought of as an attribute or a 5 characteristic, but mental toughness is more of a lifestyle. The effects do not just relate to sports; it translates to everyday life (McWhirt, 2019). The attributes that define a mentally tough individual include: “[being] able to suffer the longest; [being] able to do what other [people] won’t do; … [consistently] performing regardless of your situation; [remaining] confident under pressure; [tolerating] pain and discomfort” (McWhirt, 2019). Mental toughness can be applied to day to day struggles; a mentally tough student or employee has the determination and mindset to complete any job in the right way. The effect mental toughness has for a student may be acing the final exam or earning valedictorian of the class. For an adult employee, a promotion or raise may be the result of a strong mindset. Now that the outcomes have been shared, mental toughness can be developed, even as a non-athlete, and is not kept in secret just for the pros. The Process To Develop Mental Toughness Developing mental toughness is a concept that encompasses the attitude and way of thinking, which is greatly related to psychology (McWhirt, 2019). It is oftentimes related to the process of muscle building because of how it is an ongoing action through life; constant procrastination and laziness are causes of the opposite of mental toughness, mental weakness (McWhirt, 2019). No pun intended, developing a strong mental toughness is actually quite tough; the reason why everyone is not in the NBA or NFL is because not everyone can build this type of mentality (McWhirt, 2019). Overtime, the following tips are just an outline that will somewhat strengthen an individual’s mental toughness. First, set some targets that can be achieved for a specific area of improvement (McWhirt, 2019). Whether the task is writing a research paper or working out, try to hit the set goals to accomplish something; try getting two pages of a 6 paper done or try getting a deadlifting personal record in that workout (McWhirt, 2019). Secondly, because of the constant flow of thoughts that go through the head, most of those thoughts are negative; instead, controlling thoughts is a key component to mental toughness (McWhirt, 2019). Third, use mistakes as a learning point to become better (McWhirt, 2019). If a basketball player went four of twenty-six from the three-point line, and he is happy that he scored twelve points that game, that athlete needs to watch his film. Whether it is test-taking or bat-swinging, learning from mistakes will improve that certain skill (McWhirt, 2019). Lastly, and most importantly, find motivation from within; if it is for a dad or mom or grandparent, keep them in mind (McWhirt, 2019). Motivating factors such as money or fame, are external and temporary (McWhirt, 2019). Being mentally tough is achievable, but hard work and dedication are required. Now, it can be seen how mental toughness is required as an athlete in sports but more importantly, in life. An athlete who has developed a mental toughness has the ability to do well even under a lot of stress; they have a sense of peace and self-control as they play their game (Thelwell et al., 2005). The effects of mental toughness can also be distinguishable from a mentally weak athlete because of the versatility that player has off and on the court or field. These effects are very much visible in the best players at every level. As the last point, the process of developing mental toughness was discussed. Goals and standards are required for improvement; negative thoughts must be eliminated with a constant filter in the mind (McWhirt, 2019). Examining mistakes is vital for growth in mental toughness alongside proper motivations rather than external pleasure (McWhirt, 2019). Now that all of this has been said, mental toughness is not 7 for the simple-minded but for those who desire and work at it; with the next task ahead, be mentally tough, not weak. 8 References Kilic, Y., & Yildirim, E. (2020). Investigation of mental toughness levels of individuals who actively do sports: A sample of the city of elazig. Journal of Education and Learning, 9(2), 160. https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v9n2p160 McWhirt, J. (2019, August 8). Building mental toughness as an athlete. Thrive. Retrieved June 22, 2022, from https://thriveglobal.com/stories/building-mental-toughness-as-an-athlete/ Thelwell, R., Weston, N., & Greenlees, I. (2005). Defining and understanding mental toughness within soccer. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 17(4), 326–332. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200500313636
