“If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it… or something like that.”

Physical training – working your body out and training hard – produces many tangible and intangible benefits or by-products. Tangible things like a change in you body composition and muscle definition; strength, endurance, speed. Intangible things like mental toughness, discipline, courage, patience, humility, honesty, indomitable spirit.

So, PT is an excellent way to develop, maintain and grow your level of mental toughness. I’ve found through personal experience that the best way to cultivate mental toughness is to do those things that are uncomfortable. Just make the choice and do it. I find it can be a springboard of sorts where the next decision is easier, and the next. Momentum is built. Conversely, when I choose to be lazy and not go down the path I know I need to go or should go, then its a slippery slope to letting the next thing go, and the next thing and the next until I’m doing absolutely jack shit and wondering why I am no closer to my goals than I was six months ago. Mental toughness isn’t something you can store up and have in massive reserves; the law of diminishing returns applies here as well as incremental gains. If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it… or something like that.

You get the idea.

Mental toughness is the sister of discipline. Discipline is refined in the grind, the day to day, the choosing to go and train even when you are plateaued and bored as fuck. Mental toughness carries you through that training session when you are spent, when you are sucking wind, when you want to give up, when you are feeling pain and discomfort, when you are afraid. If you don’t give up, if you suffer through, if you put everything you have into that session and don’t stop until you have completed your training, you can come back next time stronger mentally as well as physically.

Growth in mental toughness comes from struggle, conflict, pain and discomfort.

Embrace it.

Be strong for you.

Be strong for family.