What is a tough person?

  • As defined by Collins dictionary, a tough person is strong and determined, and can tolerate difficulty or suffering.

  • As defined by Urban dictionary, Tough is mentally strong. Adjectives: excellent, first-rate; used as a positive description of someone or something; synonyms include cool, hot, tight, bitchin’, sweet, awesome, pissa, hip, rad, etc. Tough is a word that few people truly understand. Tough=grit. Tough people are never taken down by challenges. Suffering, for tough people, is endurable. The goal, however, is the objective.

15 Habits of Mentally Tough people

  1. They’re Emotionally Intelligent: You cannot be Mentally Tough without the ability to fully understand and tolerate strong negative emotions and do something productive with them.

  2. They’re Confident: Mentally Tough people have an upper hand because their confidence inspires others and helps them to make things happen.

  3. They Neutralize Toxic people: Mentally Tough people keep their emotions in check when dealing with a toxic person, and don’t allow their anger or frustration to fuel the chaos.

  4. They Embrace Change: Mentally Tough people embrace change with an open mind and open arms so they can recognize and capitalize on the opportunities that change creates.

  5. They Say No: Research from the University of California shows that the more difficulty you have in saying no, the more likely you are to experience stress, burnout and even depression. Mentally Tough people know that saying no is healthy, and they have the self-esteem and foresight to make their no clear.

  6. They Know Fear is the #1 source of Regret: Mentally Tough people know they must get outside their comfort zone sometimes and can’t be afraid to take risks. The key to balance lies in your ability to transform failures into nuggets of improvement. This creates the tendency to get right back up every time you fall down.

  7. They Embrace Failure: Mentally Tough people embrace failure because they know that the road to success is paved with it. No one ever experienced true success without first embracing failure.

  8. They don’t Dwell on Mistakes: Mentally Tough people know that where you focus your attention determines your emotional state. Distancing yourself from mistakes without forgetting them is the key to adapt and adjust for future success.

  9. They won’t let anyone Limit their Joy: When Mentally Tough people feel good about something they do, they won’t let anyone’s opinions or accomplishments take away from that.

  10. They won’t Limit the Joy of Others: When you celebrate the success of other people, you both benefit.

  11. They Exercise: Exercise results in immediate, endorphin-fueled positivity and is also responsible for a measured uptick in confidence, key to being Mentally Tough.

  12. They get Enough Sleep: Mentally Tough people know that their self-control, focus, and memory are all reduced with they don’t get enough, or the right kind, of sleep, so they make quality sleep a priority.

  13. They Limit their Intake: Mentally Tough people know that too much of a good thing is trouble, and they don’t let it get the better of them.

  14. They don’t wait for an Apology to Forgive: When you forgive someone, it doesn’t condone their actions; it simply frees you. Mentally Tough people know that grudges let negative events from your past ruin today’s happiness.

  15. They’re Relentlessly Positive: Mentally Tough people don’t worry about things they can’t control, instead they focus their energy on directing the two things that are completely within their power- their attention and their effort.

Special Shoutout to Dr. Travis Bradberry, Ph. D and award-winning coauthor (obviously a fellow Superhero!)