There’s a term that is most commonly associated with athletes that can be applied in businesses.

The term is: mental toughness.

Mental toughness is commonly used by sport psychologists to define a developed psychological advantage that athletes use to handle the demands, pressures and distractions of their sport.

The idea is that it takes an enormous amount of belief, fight, and dedication to achieve their goal.

The same is true in business.

The workplace is filled with demands, pressures, and distractions which take an enormous amount of belief, fight, and dedication from employees to reach their goal(s).

Mental toughness is a key factor that enables not only athletes and employees, but everyone the ability to perform at the peak of their abilities.

Regardless of the genes you were born with, mental toughness can become a defining trait.

It starts by knowing what “toughness” means for you.

Although mental toughness is an abstract quality, it’s tied to concrete actions.

Simply thinking that you’re tougher than before is not enough. It has to be measured or proven by doing something in life.

Going through extreme situations undoubtedly test our courage, perseverance, and mental toughness, but what about everyday situations?

Situations where you could have stopped at the ninth rep but went for the tenth anyways.

Situations where it would have been easier to accept but chose to ask a question.

Mental toughness is something that can be practiced every day and in little ways.

Think of toughness as a muscle, it can’t grow and strengthen if it hasn’t been used.

It’s habitual and comes from a focused mindset.

A big part of having that focused mindset is perseverance.

Success in business, as well as in life depends on the ability to master not only what you do but how you think.

For a majority of people, when things get tough, they’ll find something easier to work on.

For mentally tough people, when things get tough, they’ll find a way to stay on schedule.