It sounds easy to to define, but I would contend that it is anything but easy to define. It is about as easy to define as genius, or exceptional. The reason these concepts are so difficult to define is that there are so few that actually possess them. I, personally, never possessed a great deal of mental toughness as a player. Sure, I had moments of mental fortitude, even games, days, or weeks, but that is not mental toughness. Mental toughness is sustained, unwavered persistence. It's like a rain drop that falls in Minnesota. It has an end in mind. That end is the Gulf of Mexico. It will do anything to get there. Through rivers, lakes, streams, over land, through the land. It has one goal. It has prepared for the journey ahead and nothing can stop it.
Maybe the best way to define mental toughness is with a line graph. Mentally tough players are not robots; they too get distracted. The difference is their ability to re-commit to the task at hand; to get back on track. The graph below represents the distraction variation, or focus level, of an average player and a mentally tough player. Both players get distracted by missed shots, bad refs, yelling coaches, screaming fans, bitching teammates, but they handle these distractions differently. One player allows them to derail, while the other moves past them.
Mentally tough people, not just athletes, all have that rare ability to realize when they have veered off path and somehow, some way, force themselves back in line. Most of us do not have that kind of self awareness, let alone that level of self control. Most of us would rather aimlessly meander our way through a day, while mentally tough people have a map. They have planned and prepared. They know what to expect. When an obstacle arises they analyze, adjust, and advance. That is the key: acknowledge issue, solve issue, bury issue. Next play.
I also think we've too often associated physically tough players with mental toughness. In my opinion they have little relation. Sure mentally tough players generally carry that persistence into the weight room or during conditioning, but mental might and physical might are very different. Mentally tough players come in all shapes and sizes. They can be big or small, fast or slow, shoot well or not. What they all possess is an astute self awareness. They focus on what they can control. That's it. All else is meaningless, and for someone else to worry about. They understand that the distracted nature of human beings is their only opponent. They crave focus. They have become brain washed by it. They love it. There is no other way. They just play, and play, and play.
There is nothing quite like playing against those mentally tough players that just keep on coming. Play after play, loose ball after loose ball, screen after screen. They wear you down with persistence. It has little to do with their size, strength, or even skill. Eventually they overtake you. They are the avalanche and you are the skier. You get engulfed by their sheer mental force. You give in. A sense of helplessness overcomes you; you can't keep up with your opponent. That's when it all falls apart. You start complaining to the refs. You yell at a teammate for missing a lay up. You don't get through a screen but blame your teammate for not helping. You become selfish, not self aware. You're beaten.
If you're a coach, I can't tell you how to train a player towards mental toughness. If you're a player, I can't tell you how to become one. All I can tell you is that mentally tough players carry a lot of the same characteristics. They take criticism without backlash. They never undermine a teammate. They carry themselves with confidence, even in the most hostile situations. They pick others up when needed. They shoulder the blame when it is warranted. They use words like we and us. And most of all they never, ever quit. There it is. I guess I do have an answer for you. Quit quitting and just play.
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