Chapter 2: Building Mental Toughness

There's a reason why so many successful people swear by their morning routines. The way you start your day sets the tone for everything that follows. It's your chance to set yourself up for success, to build that armor before you step out onto the battlefield of life. Your morning routine is your daily opportunity to armor yourself, to prepare for the challenges ahead, and to set a positive trajectory for your day.

Mental toughness is not an innate quality that some are born with and others are not. It's a skill, a muscle that can be developed and strengthened over time through consistent effort and deliberate practice. It's the ability to persist in the face of adversity, to push through pain and discomfort, to keep going when every fiber of your being is screaming at you to stop.

In this chapter, we're going to learn deep into the mechanics of building mental toughness. We'll explore three key concepts that form the core of this process:

The concept of "armoring" yourself Developing a morning routine The importance of starting with the hardest task

These aren't just abstract ideas or feel-good mantras. They're battle-tested strategies that have been forged in the crucible of real-world challenges and extreme situations. They're the tools that have enabled myself to push past their perceived limits and achieve what many would consider impossible.

So buckle up. The journey ahead won't be easy, but nothing worth having ever is. Let's dive in and start building that mental toughness that will serve as your foundation for greatness.

The Concept of "Armoring" Yourself

Understanding the Battlefield of Life

Life is not a gentle stroll through a peaceful meadow. It's a battlefield. Every day, you step out into a world that's ready to test you, to challenge you, to push you to your limits. And if you're not prepared, if you're not "armored up," you're going to get knocked down. Hard.

This is where the concept of "armoring" yourself comes in. It's a metaphor, yes, but it's also a very real and tangible process. When a soldier goes into battle, they don't just walk onto the field in their everyday clothes. They put on body armor, they arm themselves with weapons, they prepare for the fight ahead. And that's exactly what you need to do every single day of your life.

What Does It Mean to "Armor" Yourself?

Armoring yourself isn't about building walls or becoming emotionally distant. It's not about becoming hard and unfeeling. On the contrary, it's about making yourself strong enough to remain open and vulnerable in a world that often punishes such qualities.

Armoring yourself is about preparation. It's about readiness. It's about stepping out into the world not just hoping you can handle whatever comes your way, but knowing you can. It's about building a foundation of strength, resilience, and confidence that can withstand the storms of life.

The Components of Your Armor

So what exactly makes up this "armor" we're talking about? It's a combination of several key elements:

Physical Preparedness: This is about being in good physical shape. It's about taking care of your body through regular exercise, proper nutrition, and adequate rest. When your body is strong and healthy, you're better equipped to handle physical and mental stress.

Mental Readiness: This involves training your mind to be focused, disciplined, and resilient. It's about developing the ability to stay calm under pressure, to think clearly in stressful situations, and to maintain a positive outlook even when things get tough.

Emotional Stability: This is about understanding and managing your emotions. It's about developing emotional intelligence and the ability to regulate your emotional responses to various situations.

Knowledge and Skills: The more you know, the more prepared you are. This armor is built through continuous learning, skill development, and the accumulation of experiences.

Self-Belief: This is perhaps the most important piece of armor. It's the deep-seated belief in yourself and your abilities. It's the confidence that comes from knowing you've prepared, you've put in the work, and you're ready for whatever comes your way.

Building Your Armor Daily

The key thing to understand about this armor is that it's not something you put on once and you're done. It's something you have to build and reinforce every single day. 

This isn't about positive thinking or empty affirmations. It's about real, tangible actions that build your resilience and capability. It's about the daily habits and routines that slowly but surely make you stronger, tougher, more resilient.

And that brings us to our next key concept: the morning routine.

Developing a Morning RoutineThe Power of the Morning

There's a reason why so many successful people swear by their morning routines. The way you start your day sets the tone for everything that follows. It's your chance to set yourself up for success, to build that armor before you step out onto the battlefield of life.

Your morning routine is your daily opportunity to prepare for the challenges ahead and to set a positive trajectory for your day.

The Growth Morning Routine

Let's take a closer look at how to structure your mornings for maximum mental toughness:

Early Wake-Up: Waking up early isn't about torturing yourself with lack of sleep. It's about taking control of your day from the very beginning. When you wake up early, you're immediately exercising your willpower and self-discipline.Immediate Physical Activity: Starting your day with physical activity serves multiple purposes:It kick starts your metabolismIt releases endorphins, improving your moodIt gives you an immediate sense of accomplishmentIt provides time for mental reflection and problem-solvingMental Work During Physical Activity: Use the time during your physical activity productively. Whether you're running, walking, or doing another form of exercise, use this time to work through problems, build mental fortitude, and plan your day.Refuel: After your workout, it's important to eat to replenish your energy.More Physical Training (Optional): Depending on your goals, you might include additional physical training in your routine to further build physical and mental resilience.Why This Routine Works

This routine isn't about comfort or ease. It's about consistently pushing yourself to be better, stronger, and more resilient. Here's why it's so effective:

It Builds Discipline: By following a strict routine every day, you're training yourself to do what needs to be done, regardless of how you feel.It Provides Structure: A solid routine eliminates decision fatigue and provides a stable foundation for your day.It Boosts Confidence: By starting your day with accomplishments, you're building confidence from the get-go.It Improves Physical Health: Regular exercise and proper nutrition have numerous benefits for both physical and mental health.It Creates Mental Space: The physical activity provides time for reflection, problem-solving, and mental growth.Crafting Your Own Morning Routine

While the routine described above is undoubtedly intense, the principles behind it can be applied to create a routine that works for you. Here are some steps to create your own mental toughness-building morning routine:

Set a Consistent Wake-Up Time: Choose a time and stick to it, even on weekends. Consistency is key.Start with Physical Activity: It doesn't have to be a two-hour run, but some form of exercise to get your blood flowing and your mind alert.Include Time for Mental Development: This could be meditation, reading, journaling, or problem-solving.Fuel Your Body: Include a nutritious breakfast in your routine.Prepare for Your Day: Review your goals, plan your tasks, and mentally prepare for the challenges ahead.

Remember, the goal is to create a routine that challenges you and helps you grow, but is also sustainable in the long term. Start small if you need to, and gradually increase the intensity as you build your mental toughness.

The Importance of Starting with the Hardest Task

The "Eat That Frog" Principle

There's a popular productivity principle called "Eat That Frog," based on a quote often attributed to Mark Twain: "If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first."

In the context of building mental toughness, this principle is not just about productivity – it's about deliberately choosing to do the hard thing, the uncomfortable thing, the thing you're most likely to procrastinate on, and doing it first.

Why Start with the Hardest Task?

Starting your day with the hardest task serves multiple purposes in building mental toughness:

It Builds Momentum: When you conquer your most challenging task early, everything else seems easier in comparison. You start your day with a win, which propels you forward with confidence.

It Prevents Procrastination: By facing the hardest task head-on, you avoid the mental drain of dreading it all day. You don't give your brain time to come up with excuses or reasons to put it off.

It Strengthens Your Will: Consistently choosing to do the hard thing first thing in the morning is a powerful exercise in self-discipline. It's a way of telling yourself, "I don't shy away from challenges. I face them head-on."

4.It Maximizes Your Mental Energy: Most people have the most mental energy and focus in the morning. By tackling your hardest task then, you're using your peak cognitive resources on your most demanding work.

It Builds Confidence: Completing a difficult task early in the day gives you a sense of accomplishment that boosts your confidence for the rest of the day.

The Mental Battle

Starting with the hardest task isn't easy. Your brain will resist. It will come up with all sorts of reasons why you should do something else first. This is where mental toughness comes in. As Goggins says:

"Your brain is the most powerful weapon in the world. If you can't control your own brain, you've got to tell your brain where you want to go and how you want to go and how you want to get there. You've got to control it. If not, it's over."

This is the essence of mental toughness – the ability to override your brain's desire for comfort and ease, and to choose the hard path deliberately.

Strategies for Starting with the Hardest Task

Here are some strategies to help you implement this principle:

Identify Your Frog: At the end of each day, identify the most challenging and important task for the next day. This is your "frog" – the task you'll tackle first thing in the morning.

Prepare in Advance: Set out everything you need to start working on this task the night before. Remove any potential obstacles or excuses.

Use the Five-Second Rule: When it's time to start, count backwards from 5 to 1, then immediately begin. This technique, popularized by Mel Robbins, can help overcome initial resistance.

Break It Down: If the task seems overwhelming, break it down into smaller, more manageable steps. Focus on taking the first step.

Employ the Two-Minute Rule: Tell yourself you only have to work on the task for two minutes. Often, getting started is the hardest part, and once you've begun, you'll likely continue.

Visualize Success: Before you start, take a moment to visualize successfully completing the task. This can boost your motivation and confidence.

Reward Yourself: Plan a small reward for after you complete the task. This gives you something to look forward to and reinforces the positive behavior.

The Compounding Effect

The beauty of consistently starting with your hardest task is that it has a compounding effect over time. Each day that you successfully tackle your biggest challenge first, you're not just completing a task – you're building your mental toughness.

You're training your brain to embrace challenges rather than avoid them. You're developing the habit of doing what needs to be done, regardless of how you feel. You're becoming the kind of person who doesn't shy away from difficulty, but leans into it.

Over time, what once seemed impossibly hard becomes manageable. Your capacity for handling difficult tasks expands. Your confidence in your ability to overcome challenges grows. This is the essence of building mental toughness.

Putting It All Together

Building mental toughness isn't a one-time event. It's a daily practice, a commitment to continual growth and self-improvement. By armoring yourself each day, developing a strong morning routine, and consistently tackling your hardest tasks first, you're laying the foundation for extraordinary mental toughness.

This is the mindset of mental toughness. It's about embracing the suck, pushing through the pain, and coming out stronger on the other side. It's about expanding your capacity for discomfort and challenge, which is the essence of growth.

As you implement these strategies, remember that building mental toughness is a journey, not a destination. There will be setbacks. There will be days when you fall short. But what matters is that you keep getting up, keep pushing forward, keep challenging yourself to be better than you were yesterday.

In the next chapter, we'll explore how to confront your past and use it as fuel for growth. Remember, the journey to mental toughness is ongoing. Every day is an opportunity to build your armor stronger, to push a little harder, to become a little tougher. Stay hard!