Skip to main content

Tough Mind, Strong Success

When I was doing a word study on God's (and Moses') exhortation to Joshua to be strong and courageous as he entered the Promised Land to conquer it, it struck me that these words had more to do with Joshua's mental state and not his physical prowess. In other words, God was saying to Joshua that he had to be mentally tough if he was going to be successful.

I was surprised by this notion because today, many psychologist who are seeking to help people become successful have also come to the conclusion that mental toughness is a key factor one must have if one is to overcome adversities in life. Looks like what God knew is now known and confirmed by modern psychology!

To be mentally tough means
  • you are able to resist the urge to give up when experiencing failure
  • maintain focus and determination in pursuit of your dreams and
  • emerge stronger after each adversity
Psychologist also tell us that mental toughness is a SKILL that can be strengthened - good news for people like me who are painfully aware of my mental weakness.

Key message: Mental toughness comes from thinking like an optimist. How to do this? Well, according to Martin Seligman (my favorite psychology professor), to think like an optimist you must have the HABIT of interpreting setbacks as
  • temporary - "It's going away quickly"
  • local - It's just this one situation"
  • changeable - "I can do something about this"
So, when failure hits you what do you believe has happened and how do you describe your failure. Is it the opposite of what Seligman proposed?  Do you see your setback as permanent, pervasive and out of control?

Other than interpreting your setbacks properly, another exercise is to resist 'catastrophic thinking' - where you assume the worst whenever a bad occurs.
  • when your wife overseas fails to call back, you conclude she has been involved in a terrible accident
  • you get a bad report for your recent presentation and you are already preparing to be fired
  • your boss says to you, "I want to see you later", and you are sure it's bad news
If you have done this or something similar, you are guilty of 'awfulising'  and to fight back, you must catch your awful thought, write it down and challenge it:
  • Is this accurate?
  • Is there a positive spin to this?
  • Is there any genuine concern/problem I should act upon?
Lastly, enlarge two capacities in your life: gratitude and generosity. Intentionally (and if need to, schedule it in daily) "hunt for the good things" that reveal how fortunate you are daily. Many, before sleeping, write a gratitude journal, where they jot down several events, people or things that came across their life that day that they are thankful for.

I am certain you will be able to see all three of this skills in the adventures Joshua had as he entered and began conquering Canaan. I hope you and I will also develop and manifest these skills so when it's our day to take the hill or to deal with the giants in the land, we will prevail and be more than conquerors!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Understanding Church Trauma

Christian  communities are expected to be our safest emotional and physical spaces. Even so, there are times this sacred space become toxic, abusive, and traumatizing to a church member when leaders and members of a congregation exhibit actions that fail to reflect the love of God. In the infographic below, four common ways church trauma is caused is identified and explained. I hope the information will help you understand what has happened to you or someone you know in church (or now no longer in the Christian community). The purpose of this post is to promote healing among those traumatized and to highlight practices that need to stop so that a Christian community is restored once again as the safest  emotional and physical space for any child of God. As you continue educating yourself on church trauma and abuse, it’s important to remember that you are not alone. If you need to, seek a mental health professional to help you better understand your condition its impact on your...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Dream Jacket

New Zealand was cold but he knew just what he needed to keep him warm . . . and to bring him closer to realizing his dream. A leather jacket. He may have told me how and where he got the jacket but I can't remember. All I knew he wore it a lot while studying in New Zealand where he dreamt of wearing it when he rode his big bike. His jacket was part of his dream - to study overseas, to ride big bikes, to be successful - and he treasured it. He eventually returned home and as the years passed, put on weight and no longer could wear the jacket. Furthermore it was too hot and heavy for the humid Malaysian weather but he kept it. A treasure. A memento. A link to a special time in history. But the day came when, out of his generous heart and love for his brother, he gifted the jacket to his brother who was going to Melbourne for a much needed rest. The jacket was received with joy and it served the brother well by keeping him warm and more than that, my continuing its role as memory ...
Post a Comment
Read more