What are some adjectives or words that pop into your head when you hear mental fortitude?

Resilience, mental strength, stoicism might be some of the words.  

Mental resilience and mental fortitude are helpful especially during uncertain periods of time in one's life or when faced with challenges or obstacles. 

But mental fortitude is also something to tap into when times are good.

In fact, one of the major tenets of Stoicism, an Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy, is to challenge your mental fortitude when everything is going well. It's about preparing for difficult situations and taking and taking advantage of situations where you're comfortable to deliberately introduce some discomfort. This is so that you are prepared for when discomfort arrives (and that's inevitable) you're more prepared with how to handle it.

Another adjective that comes to mind is grit.

It's about persevering through adversity and responding with grace and courage. 

It's not always graceful but when you're preparing, having grit in mind and doing your best to respond with grace can help you call upon those states of being during tough timed or heated conversations. 

How Does One Develop Mental Fortitude?

I.

In the planning phase, think about the worst-case-scenario and what would the game plan be. Going into problem solving mode helps one think more creatively about coming up with solutions in the face or discomfort.

II.

Don't have rigid plans. Build buffer in your plans. Add some flexibility to your time table or schedule so that you have wiggle room. Also having the buffer allows you to stress less about something should it go wrong. You can take this approach with regards to travel, budgeting time during the day, planning vacations, scheduling flights etc.

III.

Do your research. It's important to know what you're getting into ahead of time so that you can plan in advance and act accordingly. If you're going on a trip, do the research about the place, the climate, the altitude and what you need to do to be prepared. But this could be for any unfamiliar situation or new experience that you're going to be getting into to. Talking to people also 

IV.

Build up to challenges. Start with smaller challenges, more familiar experiences, less daunting situations. For example, if you're not adept at planning events, don't start with planning your wedding. Start with smaller events. Work your way up toward different challenges and you'll become more acclimated.

These strategies help you be prepared for whatever comes your way.

We all have challenges. By developing the right models and strategies for addressing them, we're more easily able to surmount the obstacles. 

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Can you think of any other way to develop mental fortitude? Share that with us in the comments on our YouTube page.

See you in the next lesson!

Happy Explearning 

About the Author and the Explearning Academy:

Mary Daphne is an expert in communication, executive interpersonal skills, and personal development. She is the founder of the Explearning Academy, a platform dedicated to helping individuals enhance their social fluency, boost their careers, and elevate their social game. Through immersive group coaching programs like the Executive Communication Lab and self-guided journeys, participants gain the social superpowers and career catapults they've been searching for. If you're ready to take your negotiation skills to the next level and connect with like-minded individuals, visit academy.explearning.co and explore the various plans available. Join the Explearning Academy community and unlock your full potential.

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