The Science of Developing
Mental Toughness
In Your Health, Work, and Life by James
Clear
Research is starting
to reveal that your mental toughness … or “grit”
As they call it …
plays a more important role than anything else for
Achieving your goals
in health, business, and life. That’s good news
Because you can’t do
much about the genes you were born with,
But you can do a lot
to develop mental toughness.
Our hypothesis that
grit is essential to high achievement evolved
During interviews
with professionals in investment banking, painting,
Journalism, academia,
medicine, and law. Asked what quality
Distinguishes star
performers in their respective fields, these individuals
Cited grit or a close
synonym as often as talent. In fact, many were awed
By the achievements
of peers who did not at first seem as gifted as others
But whose sustained
commitment to their ambitions was exceptional.
Likewise, many noted
with surprise that prodigiously gifted peers did not
End up in the upper
echelons of their field.
- Angela Duckworth
You can’t become
committed or consistent with a weak mind. How many
Workouts have you
missed because your mind, not your body, told you
Were tired? How many
reps have you missed out on because your mind said,
“Nine reps are
enough. Don’t worry about the tenth.” Probably thousands for
Most people,
including me. And 99% are due to weakness of the mind,
Not the body.
- Drew Shamrock
