Are You Mentally Strong?

So many of us see people faced with adversity and say, "I could never do that." You don't know what you can do until you're faced with a difficult situation, and trust me, most of us can do more than we think we can. Executives, and entrepreneurs in particular, have tenacity, grit, optimism and an unfailing ability as Forbes contributor David Williams says, to "fail up."

Mental strength can also be identified by the things these people do NOT do. Below is a list of some of the things mentally strong individuals do not do. This includes executives, entrepreneurs, and anyone who is faced with adversity. Are you mentally strong?

1. Mentally strong people do not waste time feeling sorry for themselves. They have learned to take responsibility for their actions and outcomes, and they have an inherent understanding of the fact that life is not always fair.

2. Mentally strong people do not shy away from change, they embrace change and welcome challenge. Their biggest fear is not of the unknown, but of becoming complacent or stagnant.

3. Mentally strong people do not worry about pleasing others. The mentally strong person strives to be kind and fair, but is unafraid to speak up.

4. Mentally strong people do not dwell in the past. They do not mire their mental energy in past disappointments or fantasies of days gone by.

5. Mentally strong people do not make the same mistakes over and over. He/she accepts full responsibility for past behavior and is willing to learn from mistakes.

6. Mentally strong people do not feel the world owes them anything. They are prepared to work and succeed on their merits, at every stage of the game.

7. Mentally strong people do not give up after failure. Even the greatest entrepreneurs are willing to admit that their early efforts invariably brought many failures. The point is, they don't give up, but learn from their failures.

8. Mentally strong people do not expect immediate results. They're in it for the long haul. They apply their time and energy in measured doses and they celebrate each milestone and increment of success along they way.

Look at the people you know that you consider mentally strong, and my guess is they have many of these characteristics. Sometimes we don't know how strong we are until we are faced with adversity. In this era of "quick fixes" and instant gratification, the mentally strong, who are in it for the long haul, are the successful ones, if it's weight loss, exercise or business. Are you mentally strong?>