Is Mental Strength the Driver of Success?

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It used to be that if you did well in school more than likely you'd get a good job, have a successful career and make lots of money. You can have a double degree these days and get stuck stocking shelves at Woolworth's and did you know law degrees are now pretty much a dime a dozen out there.
So it would seem a degree is not always enough anymore. I hear you ask what's the point of going to uni then? Why build a HECS debt for nothing?
Well, I'm not saying those things are a waste of time, but you need something else.
You need to be a driving force that's going to stand out in the crowd and that's where the mental strength comes into play.
I read a great article in the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday that identified 21 signs of mental strength articulated by psychotherapist Amy Morin. I want to highlight the ones I think may help you not just in your career but also in everyday life.
You Balance Emotions With Logic
If somebody pisses you off for whatever reason you can get angry or agitated or keep your cool and not get sucked into the drama of their world. Think road rage, always best to ignore them than to drown in a pool of their bad energy.
You face the fears that hold you back
If you have a fear of flying that doesn't mean go ahead and book a 24 hour flight to London. But if you have a fear, and we all have them, take baby steps in facing them. A fear shrinks each time you face it but you need courage (mental strength) to do that.
You learn from your mistakes
Mentally strong people don't make excuses for their mistakes, they suck it up and learn from the blunder.
You balance self-acceptance with self-improvement
Nobody is perfect but if you accept yourself warts and all you won't waste time beating yourself up over the not so good things about yourself. Instead, you'll use that time to improve the not so good things about yourself.
You are comfortable living according to your values
Don't sit on the fence. Embrace your values and make decisions accordingly. I remember one of the most inspiring things a teacher ever wrote in my high school year book "you have guts Gloria and I admire you for that'. She said that because I was true to myself in all I did, granted I was never popular.
You focus on sharpening your skills, rather than showing them off
You don't do things to impress people, you do it because you are genuinely driven by self-improvement.
You bounce back from failure
You can either give up after failing (at whatever that may be) or dig deep, pick yourself up, learn from your mistakes and go for it again. That's mental strength at it's best!
You're a realistic optimist
Let's face it, a blind person will never win a Formula 1 car race. The mentally strong will always look for a silver lining but reality will always play a part in how they see the world. I love to write but I'm not going to quit my day job because I know how hard it is to make a living out of writing creatively.
You accept personal responsibility for your choices
The mentally strong don't waste their time and energy beating themselves up for making a bad decision, they take responsibility and move on.
Hope this helps!

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