10 habits of mentally strong people

I came across this article on grit and 10 habits of mentally strong people. Here are the characteristics with my own spin. 

1. You have to fight when you already feel defeated.

• You’re going to get knocked down, over and over again. In the immortal words of Rocky, ‘It ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!’

2. You have to delay gratification.

• Ever heard the phrase anything worthwhile doesn’t come easily? It’s true.

3. You have to make mistakes, look like an idiot, and try again — without even flinching..

• Don’t be afraid to fail, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. My mistakes are much more valuable than my successes. Learn, grow, and don’t make them again!

4. You have to keep your emotions in check.

• Still working on this one haha…but I’m getting better. Anything done out of pure emotion will lead you down a wrong path. Be smart, be calculated, and use your experience to guide you, not your emotion.

5. You have to make the calls you’re afraid to make.

• Let me tell you a secret you may not know, life is hard! Anyone who thinks otherwise is lying to themselves. Life is filled with decisions and choices that are not easy to make. Don’t hesitate, don’t be afraid. Stick to your own morality and core principals. As long as the tough calls fall in line with those, you’re good. I have a huge fear of failure…it’s a good thing. It will actually fuel me to ensure that I will not fail. Fear can cripple or it can empower, choose the latter.

6. You have to trust your gut.

• I can’t explain this one. It’s just an innate thing. Speaking personally, my mind plays tricks on me all the time. I’ll think about something a thousand different ways until I reach a conclusion. Your gut won’t lead you astray. If something feels right, it will be right one way or another. If it feels wrong, it most certainly will be.

7. You have to lead when no one else follows.

• I’m a big believer in leading by example. I’ve been leading that way even when I was completely on my own as an independent contractor, and it’s brought me to this point. I’m not a rah-rah pep talk kind of guy. But I’ve been around the block enough times to effectively lead the way from sales and customer service, all the way down to mopping the floors.

8. You have to focus on the details even when it makes your mind numb.

• The little things are what define you. In any industry or life in general, you’ll find thousands of people just like you broadly. It’s the little things that make you the individual and separate you from the pack. These little things may not be as exciting as the larger ones, but they have a tremendous impact.

9. You have to be kind to people who are rude to you.

• One of the best business quotes I’ve taken with me is ‘you need to eat shit and learn to like the taste of it.’ Kind of crude, I know, but profoundly impactful. Going back to keeping emotions in check, I’ve managed to put out many fires in my life by checking my ego at the door, taking the ‘shit’ someone is giving me with a smile, and moving forward positively. Nothing productive EVER comes from meeting a rude person with rudeness; in fact, that’s exactly what that person wants to get out of you. The satisfaction of lambasting someone for their behavior is a fleeting feeling. Properly and positively handling difficult people and situations will benefit all involved greatly.

10. You have to be accountable for your actions, no matter what.

• MOST IMPORTANT PIECE!! Take ownership of your actions, PERIOD.