I have been thinking a lot recently about this idea of building confidence and mental toughness through small acts of character, or doing the right thing for no other reason than it being the right thing to do! I truly believe that these small acts of character and integrity can transform your life by building confidence, will power, and mental toughness! Now let me tell you why! :)
This concept applies to every area of life, but given my background, I am going to use a simple illustration that I have seen time and time again in my basketball experiences…
A Test of Mental Toughness – The Suicide.
If you mention “running a suicide” to any high school basketball player, you will most likely be greeted with a sour look possibly of disgust, pain, and fear. A suicide is most commonly used as a conditioning or punishment tool by coaches, where players have to sprint to certain lines on the floor and back a number of times. This type of punishment has an equivalent in every sport, and I will be the first to tell you that these are not easy, and doing only a couple of them will have you gasping for air…
And this is where our story gets interesting.
One of the quickest ways I can find out who are the most mentally tough and coachable people (in our case players), is watching a team run suicides… Not to see who is the fastest, or who seems to be in the best shape, but who touches the lines. Although it may seem clear that the requirements of the punishment are to touch the lines, this doesn’t always happen, and I am actually quite surprised at how frequently it doesn’t.
Empowering Yourself, by Doing the Little Things.
Now, some may argue that it is “just a set of lines” and only a couple inches between where their foot touched and the line itself- Not a big deal right?… I would argue to say that this is completely backwards and someone who does not have the mental toughness and will power to touch the line (a very small thing, matter of inches) will quickly find shortcuts in all other areas of life. This in some ways, can become a mental crutch.
Doing the small things and not taking shortcuts is an incredible victory of character and integrity – and the beautiful thing is that the will power and mental toughness you build in one area of your life (like touching the lines in a suicide) will transfer into all other areas, making you a stronger and more confident human being! These are universal traits, and if you strengthen them in one aspect of your life, you will reap the benefits in others.
The little things add up.
I personally love the opportunities to do the right thing, even when no one is looking and knowing I will never be acknowledged. This is especially the case when I observe so many people constantly looking for shortcuts – these moments are quiet but prideful, when I can celebrate a small accomplishment of doing the right thing.On the basketball court, this becomes an advantage of both toughness and ability – while the physical benefits of a few extra inches are minuscule, apply this same concept to every single drill, practice, and game throughout a season, and the small things add up quickly!
On the basketball court it is these small victories that give me the confidence to know that I am the toughest player standing. Not because I am the most skilled, athletic, or talented, but because I am willing to do things and push myself to an extent that others simply aren’t.
The same dynamic is true in the workplace, classroom, and any other walk of life…
The Challenge.
How are you building this type of mental toughness and confidence in your life? Think about both the areas where you are good at this, and the places you look for shortcuts or excuses, we all have them! Acknowledge these dynamics in your life and work towards small victories of doing the right thing. Don’t worry about who is watching, or the short term setbacks (for example: touching every line may mean you run the set slower). These shots to your pride and ego are SO temporary, and the confidence and toughness that you will gain from knowing, deep within yourself, that you did the right thing, will be well exponentially more rewarding and will last your whole life!
