Mental Toughness - A Toolbox for Personal & Professional Success

Introduction

What is mental toughness?

It’s not what most people think and the answer might surprise you.

The reality is that it is a hidden part of our personality that plays a significant role in how we handle stress, pressure, and opportunity. It plays a key factor in four key areas: wellbeing, performance, agility, and aspirations.

Delivered in bite-sized 30-minute sessions, this five-part webinar series will explore the 4C model of mental toughness in detail. Expert speaker Anthony Taylor will also share insights and practical tools on how you can build your mental toughness for life and career success.

Agenda

The modules covered are as follows:

Module 1 - What is Mental Toughness?

The term mental toughness means differ things to different people, but what people don’t realise is that it is something we all possess. It’s part of our personality that explains how we respond to stress, pressure, challenge, and opportunities.

This module will dispel some of the myths and show you why it matters to everybody, everywhere, every day, and why self-awareness is key to getting the most from yourself.

Module 2 - Control

What sets the best apart from the rest is the degree to which they control their emotions and their lives. It’s essentially about self-worth and plays a bit part in how people cope with stress and pressure.

This module will look at some of the behaviours associated with both ends of the spectrum and discuss why self-awareness is essential. You will also learn some techniques to build both emotional and life control as an individual, and some tools for helping build team toughness.

Module 3 - Commitment

A wise person once said, ‘Nothing worthwhile was ever achieved easily.’ That’s why the second ‘C’ of the 4C model of mental toughness is commitment, which refers to our ‘stickability’.

Why do some people hate setting goals, while others will move mountains to achieve them? We are all judged on our reliability to deliver what we say we are going to.

Depending on how we look at goals and targets can have a big impact on performance. Some people find them motivating while others view them as intimidating and can induce a whole range of negative emotions and behaviours including anxiety, fear, procrastination, and absenteeism. This module will provide you with tools to help you set the right goals and stay the course.

Module 4 - Challenge

Our ability to handle life's challenges is a measure of our strength of character. Challenge describes to what extent you see challenges, change, adversity, and variety as opportunities or as threats.

Our mindset to a situation, not necessarily the situation itself, is what matters when it comes to whether we will be successful or not. It’s often our perception that we find challenging and therefore determines how we behave.

In a business context, there are multiple applications for this concept. While overall being high in challenge is a good thing, there are potential downsides. This module will look at both, and will offer tools for developing your mindset, if you want to.

Module 5 - Confidence

Do you struggle with low confidence or feelings of being an imposter? That despite successes you are about to be found out. That it’s all down to luck?

Have you ever been called arrogant? Or said ‘I’ve got this’ right before you didn’t?

Low levels of confidence can impact on your career progression and on your ability to cope with stress and pressure. Equally, high levels can derail promising careers. This module will examine the two types of confidence, some of the behaviours associated with both and how to build your confidence.

This webinar was recorded on 8th December 2023