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