If you answer 'always' to these 8 questions, you're more mentally resilient than most.

The capacity to control your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively, even in difficult situations, is known as mental strength. This skill allows you to manage yourself internally, enabling you to perform better externally.

It is difficult to self-regulate in practice, despite most of us intuitively understanding that it is necessary for success in both work and life.

Over the course of 30 years, I have focused my research on understanding the factors that contribute to mental resilience, particularly in leaders. As a result, I have created a Mental Strength Self-Assessment tool that can help you evaluate your current state and identify areas for improvement.

Mastering communication and public speaking is the ultimate guide.

Completing these eight questions with "always" indicates a high level of mental strength.

1. Are you resilient in the face of setbacks?

Facing obstacles and challenges can lead to moments of defeat, but your mental strength is determined by how you pick yourself up and continue.

Instead of dwelling on the negative aspects of adversity, mentally strong individuals look for opportunities and focus on moving forward.

2. Do you perform well under pressure?

Your ability to cope with stress is largely determined by your mindset and initial response to challenges. Thinking of stressors as opportunities rather than threats is a key component of mental strength.

When you perceive something as a threat, your body responds similarly to how it would to a predator in the wild: with a rapid heartbeat, clammy palms, tensed muscles, and an upset stomach. This feeling of anxiety and visualizing potential negative outcomes can impair your ability to execute.

Mentally strong people think: "I'm prepared for this challenge."

They can manage stress, concentrate better, and regulate their emotions and thoughts, which improves their performance. Instead of worrying about "What if ...?", they focus on "What will now happen is that I'm going to ... ."

3. Do you avoid approval-seeking behavior?

Pursuing approval with people-pleasing behaviors can harm mentally strong individuals' confidence and security, leading to a false sense of comfort.

They are aware of how their desire for approval hinders them, yet behave as if they have already gained it.

4. Do you avoid comparing yourself to others?

Comparing yourself to others most often makes you feel small and inadequate.

The exercise of comparing one's own weaknesses to others' strengths often leads to the belief that their success is due to an inherent superiority, rather than considering the context and factors that may have contributed to their success.

Those with the greatest mental fortitude focus on self-improvement rather than comparing themselves to others.

5. How often do you challenge the status quo?

People with mental strength understand that being courageous results in development. Courage involves having a vision, taking chances, overcoming unease, experimenting with novelty, and accepting transformation in pursuit of something valuable.

To break free from limiting beliefs, it's necessary to identify and challenge unhelpful assumptions, confront self-imposed labels, and uncover stagnant narratives that hold you back.

Empowering beliefs, such as "I have all the ability I need to succeed," replace limiting beliefs, like "I'm not good enough."

Can you control your negative emotions as they occur?

Mentally strong people don't let negative emotions take over.

To regulate their emotions, they take a moment to breathe and create some distance when they sense their temperature rising.

They resist allowing their emotions to lead them to unwanted destinations.

Instead of being controlled by their emotions, they logically reassess the situation and reframe it in a way that leads to beneficial outcomes.

7. How frequently do you (or others) describe yourself as decisive?

Lack of self-regulation, discipline, courage, and conviction is a damaging form of indecision, especially for leaders.

Indecisiveness at work can halt an organization, deplete a team's vitality, and undermine employees' confidence in decision-making. When leaders fail to make decisions, they prolong multiple possibilities, resulting in financial losses and delayed schedules.

Hesitation enables others to seize opportunities before you, resulting in wasted time spent doubting your decisions.

Leaders who possess mental strength are capable of making tough decisions, weighing the consequences of a wrong choice versus the cost of indecision, setting deadlines for decision-making, and accepting difficult choices sooner while willingly making unpopular calls when necessary.

8. How often do you hold yourself accountable?

People with mental strength aren't afraid to confront their reflection and question themselves.

• "Where am I making excuses instead of progress?"
• "Where am I avoiding the issue instead of owning it?"
• "Where am I blaming instead of being brave?"

Doing the right thing is rarely easy, but holding yourself accountable is even more challenging.

By focusing on the right intention and utilizing the appropriate tools, you can enhance your mental strength and maintain it over time.

Scott Mautz is a well-known speaker, trainer, and LinkedIn Learning instructor. He was previously a senior executive at Procter & Gamble, where he oversaw several of the company's largest multi-billion-dollar businesses. He is the author of "The Mentally Strong Leader: Develop the Skills to Control Your Emotions, Thoughts, and Actions." Connect with him on LinkedIn.

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