A Powerful Mindset Makes You Unstoppable: How to Train Your Mind & Unlock Your Full Potential

The way we think about toughness, according to Steve Magness, is all wrong. We traditionally define toughness as a combination of machismo, lack of emotion, and outward displays of dominance and control. But Magness claims that this “old-school” definition of toughness is harmful and that real toughness is defined by confronting reality, acknowledging your thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and using a multitude of strategies to cope with discomfort or adversity. In Do Hard Things, Magness provides a new, more accurate, and more effective way of thinking about toughness, which will help you overcome challenges and make better, more thoughtful decisions.

In this guide, we’ll explore why traditional ideas around toughness are not only ineffective but harmful. Then, we’ll look at Magness’ ideas on what it really means to be resilient, and we’ll provide strategies on how to overcome discomfort and adversity. Throughout the guide, we’ll compare Magness’s ideas and strategies with those of other self-help and psychological experts, helping you become a more thoughtful, versatile, and thus tougher person.

In The Mental Toughness Handbook, Damon Zahariades provides a step-by-step guide to building mental fortitude and resilience so you can confront challenges and navigate adversity. Mental toughness is a state of mind that you learn and earn through hard work, persistence, and patience. You build it by controlling negative emotions, cultivating your self-confidence, and reframing failures and setbacks as opportunities.

Damon Zahariades is a productivity expert and owner of ArtOfProductivity.com, where he explores time management strategies, reviews productivity apps, and teaches people how to create habits to get more done and enjoy their free time. He has also authored other books on these topics, including The Time Management Solution and The Art of Letting Go.

This guide is broken into two parts. In Part 1, we’ll examine what mental toughness is and some of its key benefits. In Part 2 we’ll discuss how to cultivate mental toughness. We’ll also contextualize, compare, and contrast Zahariades’s work with that of mindfulness, mental health, and other experts.

In virtually every domain—be it corporate jobs, athletic pursuits, or even college admissions—top performers are pushing the boundaries of human possibilities. But this relentless quest for excellence often leaves us suffering from chronic exhaustion and burnout, harming our performance and even our health. In Peak Performance, human performance experts Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness attempt to remedy this situation. They argue that sustainable elite performance is possible by implementing cycles of stress and rest.

In this guide, we’ll break down Stulberg and Magness’s formula for maximizing performance into two sections. First, we’ll discuss their formula for growth and highlight optimal strategies for subjecting your body to stress and recuperating afterward. Next, we’ll examine their recommendations for converting this growth into maximal performance by developing a consistent routine, intentionally structuring your time, and harnessing your purpose. We’ll also supplement Stulberg and Magness’s recommendations with other works on self-improvement and discuss actionable steps to implement these recommendations.

The way we think about toughness, according to Steve Magness, is all wrong. We traditionally define toughness as a combination of machismo, lack of emotion, and outward displays of dominance and control. But Magness claims that this “old-school” definition of toughness is harmful and that real toughness is defined by confronting reality, acknowledging your thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and using a multitude of strategies to cope with discomfort or adversity. In Do Hard Things, Magness provides a new, more accurate, and more effective way of thinking about toughness, which will help you overcome challenges and make better, more thoughtful decisions.

In this guide, we’ll explore why traditional ideas around toughness are not only ineffective but harmful. Then, we’ll look at Magness’ ideas on what it really means to be resilient, and we’ll provide strategies on how to overcome discomfort and adversity. Throughout the guide, we’ll compare Magness’s ideas and strategies with those of other self-help and psychological experts, helping you become a more thoughtful, versatile, and thus tougher person.

In The Mental Toughness Handbook, Damon Zahariades provides a step-by-step guide to building mental fortitude and resilience so you can confront challenges and navigate adversity. Mental toughness is a state of mind that you learn and earn through hard work, persistence, and patience. You build it by controlling negative emotions, cultivating your self-confidence, and reframing failures and setbacks as opportunities.

Damon Zahariades is a productivity expert and owner of ArtOfProductivity.com, where he explores time management strategies, reviews productivity apps, and teaches people how to create habits to get more done and enjoy their free time. He has also authored other books on these topics, including The Time Management Solution and The Art of Letting Go.

This guide is broken into two parts. In Part 1, we’ll examine what mental toughness is and some of its key benefits. In Part 2 we’ll discuss how to cultivate mental toughness. We’ll also contextualize, compare, and contrast Zahariades’s work with that of mindfulness, mental health, and other experts.

Ever tried to think positively and still felt unhappy? You’re not alone—many people find it difficult to feel happy no matter how many positive thoughts they force themselves to think.

Journalist and best-selling author Oliver Burkeman sheds light on this conundrum, suggesting that relentlessly trying to be positive can, ironically, make you unhappy. In The Antidote, he draws on research, philosophical insights, and diverse interviews to argue that accepting and even embracing negative emotions, uncertainties, and failures may be the key to feeling happier.

In this guide, we’ll delve into Burkeman’s exploration of the potential downsides of positive thinking and present alternative approaches to well-being and contentment that extend beyond perpetual optimism. Additionally, we’ll supplement his ideas with psychological research and actionable methods from other self-improvement authors and practitioners. You’ll come away with diverse insights that may lead to a deeper, more nuanced understanding and experience of happiness.

The way we think about toughness, according to Steve Magness, is all wrong. We traditionally define toughness as a combination of machismo, lack of emotion, and outward displays of dominance and control. But Magness claims that this “old-school” definition of toughness is harmful and that real toughness is defined by confronting reality, acknowledging your thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and using a multitude of strategies to cope with discomfort or adversity. In Do Hard Things, Magness provides a new, more accurate, and more effective way of thinking about toughness, which will help you overcome challenges and make better, more thoughtful decisions.

In this guide, we’ll explore why traditional ideas around toughness are not only ineffective but harmful. Then, we’ll look at Magness’ ideas on what it really means to be resilient, and we’ll provide strategies on how to overcome discomfort and adversity. Throughout the guide, we’ll compare Magness’s ideas and strategies with those of other self-help and psychological experts, helping you become a more thoughtful, versatile, and thus tougher person.

When we don’t feel good, we often assume that our circumstances are at fault and that we must change them to improve the way we feel. But, what if we’re going about this the wrong way?

In 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think, bestselling author and poet Brianna Wiest explores the interplay between your thoughts, your perceptions, and the way you experience life. She argues that unwanted life circumstances aren’t to blame for your bad feelings—only your thoughts about these circumstances are. Therefore, there’s only one solution to make yourself feel better: Change the way you think.

This guide discusses Wiest’s ideas on how your thoughts influence the way you interpret life, why it’s so hard to control how you think, and what you can do to manage your thoughts and feelings about yourself and your experiences. Additionally, we’ll expand upon each of Wiest’s ideas with research, advice, and actionable ideas from psychologists and self-improvement practitioners.

The way we think about toughness, according to Steve Magness, is all wrong. We traditionally define toughness as a combination of machismo, lack of emotion, and outward displays of dominance and control. But Magness claims that this “old-school” definition of toughness is harmful and that real toughness is defined by confronting reality, acknowledging your thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and using a multitude of strategies to cope with discomfort or adversity. In Do Hard Things, Magness provides a new, more accurate, and more effective way of thinking about toughness, which will help you overcome challenges and make better, more thoughtful decisions.

In this guide, we’ll explore why traditional ideas around toughness are not only ineffective but harmful. Then, we’ll look at Magness’ ideas on what it really means to be resilient, and we’ll provide strategies on how to overcome discomfort and adversity. Throughout the guide, we’ll compare Magness’s ideas and strategies with those of other self-help and psychological experts, helping you become a more thoughtful, versatile, and thus tougher person.