{"id":14160,"date":"2021-12-03T11:24:45","date_gmt":"2021-12-03T16:24:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/?p=14160"},"modified":"2025-06-04T09:02:22","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T13:02:22","slug":"how-to-build-mental-toughness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-build-mental-toughness\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build Mental Toughness"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Hockey.jpg\" alt=\"Hockey Psychology\" class=\"wp-image-14163\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Hockey.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Hockey-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mindset_Training_to_Perform_at_Your_Best\"><\/span>Mindset Training to Perform at Your Best<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Article Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0769bf;color:#0769bf\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0769bf;color:#0769bf\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-build-mental-toughness\/#Mindset_Training_to_Perform_at_Your_Best\" >Mindset Training to Perform at Your Best<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-build-mental-toughness\/#Building_Mental_Toughness\" >Building Mental Toughness<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-build-mental-toughness\/#Related_Sports_Psychology_Articles\" >Related Sports Psychology Articles<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-build-mental-toughness\/#The_Confident_Athlete\" >The Confident Athlete<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>What is the opposite of mental toughness? The counter to mental toughness is mental fragility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The mentally fragile athlete tends to experience apprehension in big moments, become overwhelmed when playing tough competition, and feel inadequate compared to other athletes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mentally fragile athletes are anxious even before the competition starts and have difficulty controlling their emotions after a mistake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mentally fragile athletes are anxious even before the competition starts and have difficulty controlling their emotions after a mistake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another misconception is that mental toughness is a genetic trait. Mental toughness is a skill, not a product of your genes. Since mental toughness is a skill, you can build your mental strength through <strong>training<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You cannot expect to go through the motions in practice and hope you will be mentally tough in a game. Mentally tough athletes focus on being mentally strong in practices and <strong>training <\/strong>sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mental toughness is particularly on display late in games. Low levels of mental toughness cause athletes or teams to not close out games or crumble after mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 2021 Penn State University men\u2019s hockey team has had difficulty bouncing back after the opposing team scores and playing hard for a full 60-minute game. The two areas are a result of low levels of mental toughness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Playing all-out for the entirety of a game requires being tough-minded. When you play with total effort and focus, you can bounce back from mistakes, maintain confidence, focus on your game plan and compete aggressively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a game against Michigan, Penn State seems to give up early in the game. After the loss to Michigan, Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky commented on his team\u2019s mentality:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GADOWSKY<\/strong>: \u201c<em>We didn\u2019t finish. I thought we were very fragile\u2026I thought that we played really well [in] the first half of the game, but the fragileness comes from [how] we gave up after (that))\u2026 It\u2019s a 60-minute game.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to play hard through an entire competition, you must work hard and remain focused during every minute of practice and <strong>training<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Practicing for greater mental toughness will give you the confidence needed to perform at your peak and overcome mistakes or obstacles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mental toughness is a skill. Mental toughness is a part of your preparation for a game. When you are not working on your cognitive skills, you are not thoroughly preparing to compete at a high level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Building_Mental_Toughness\"><\/span>Building Mental Toughness<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One strategy for building mental toughness is to train your mind during practice by imagining situations you&#8217;ll have in competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to compete aggressively late in a game, create that scenario in your mind during practice. For example, tell yourself, \u201cThis is a playoff game, and we are tied 1-1. Be aggressive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this scenario, you are <strong>training <\/strong>your brain as to how you want to perform in competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Practicing mental toughness will help you play with mental toughness in games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-979ef383-5bc7-43ee-b8f9-249663ca1a6c\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Sports_Psychology_Articles\"><\/span>Related Sports Psychology Articles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"block-05642731-8752-4dbf-9c18-5cc4d276e821\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/mental-toughness-as-an-underdog\/\">Mental Toughness as an Underdog<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/mental-toughness-tips-for-athletes\/\">Mental Toughness Tips&nbsp;for Athletes<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/the-importance-of-mental-toughness\/\">The Importance of Mental Toughness<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-5726d13f-f715-4ca4-8813-2f8a9ebd8bc3\">*Subscribe to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/a>&nbsp;on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/a> on Spotify<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-281f5afb-980b-4c71-9aa0-11d606b5f7c9\"><strong>Download a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/mental-toughness-report-athletes\/\">free sports psychology report<\/a>&nbsp;to improve your mental game!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-94138e75-d591-4645-bb1d-212cf57a8841\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sport-psychology-training-athletes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn more about our one-on-one mental game coaching.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\" id=\"block-36795e73-4d77-416e-a6cf-aee01a0ba03e\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Confident_Athlete\"><\/span>The Confident Athlete <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/confident-athlete-audio250.jpg\" alt=\"Sport Psychology Cds\" class=\"wp-image-15979\" style=\"width:205px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Confident Athlete\u201d consists of 2 audio programs that include 14 days of confidence fueling exercises and a simple to follow workbook that guides you through the 14 days, helps you apply the strategies, and customizes the exercises to your personal needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let me help you put a <strong>stop to the confidence leak<\/strong>. You can learn to have greater levels of confidence in competition than you do in practice by identifying the specific ways you undermine your own confidence and <strong>how to convert your practice confidence into COMPETITIVE CONFIDENCE<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Confident Athlete\u201d is a ground-breaking system to teach you how to think like a champion and have ultimate self-confidence every time you step on the playing field, court, track, or course. The confident athletes was <strong>developed for any athlete \u2013 junior to professional \u2013<\/strong>that wants to gain confidence. However, coaches and sports parents can learn how to teach others to perform with ultimate confidence. Use my program if you want to bust a slump or just wanting higher or more consistent levels of self-confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-0b39f7aa\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-a74417ae gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-confident-athlete-cd-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GET DETAILS<\/a>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-461ab57c gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/collections\/the-confident-athlete-series-digital-download\/products\/the-confident-athlete-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mindset Training to Perform at Your Best What is the opposite of mental toughness? The counter to mental toughness is mental fragility. The mentally fragile athlete tends to experience apprehension in big moments, become overwhelmed when playing tough competition, and feel inadequate compared to other athletes. Mentally fragile athletes are anxious even before the competition starts and have &#8230; <a title=\"How to Build Mental Toughness\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-build-mental-toughness\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about How to Build Mental Toughness\">Sport Psychology Article&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14164,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[142],"tags":[324],"class_list":["post-14160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports-psychology-tips","tag-focus-in-sports"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 4.9.5.2 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The mentally fragile athlete tends to experience apprehension in big moments, become overwhelmed when playing and feel inadequate compared to 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