BLUF

A West Point psychologist shares three tips on how to develop mental strength.

Summary

The military is noted for wanting to develop mental resilience. This article about a new book on the subject by Nate Zinsser,  The Confident Mind: A Battle-Tested Guide to Unshakable Performance; makes the following three points:

  1. Train yourself to relax on cue. Learning to relax, to rest your brain is essential; Zinser notes that: "You essentially rest your brain, with physiological changes in blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen uptake, and blood lactate accumulation,"  he explains to Bloomberg.
  2. Don't waste your energy on negativity. To a certain degree, this is based on the stoic philosophy of not wasting energy on things you can do nothing about; the article notes the Serenity Prayer: "Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference". However, it is also worth noting that not everybody is a fan of the approach advocated in the Serenity prayer, see: Why the Serenity Prayer is Not Healthy in Recovery.
  3. Fill up your fuel tank. Even the toughest soldiers still need rest and food. Although preparation might mean missing a night out with friends, if that is the case, so be it.

 

 

Learn more about mental resilience.

References

May 2021 Mental Strength And Motivation Tips From A Special Forces Commando | Men's Health Magazine Australia (menshealth.com.au)

Aug 2021 Military Mindset: 5 Ways to Build Mental Toughness 

Nov 2021 Resilience Training: How to Master Mental Toughness and Thrive (positivepsychology.com)