Unpacking Mental Fitness

The majority of us understand the concept of becoming physically fitter and invest in the process in different ways. Gym memberships, equipment, and nutritional supplements. People spend a great deal of time and money on services and products that support this area of their life.

Reports suggest the market size, measured by revenue, of the gyms and fitness Centres industry, was £1.75 billion in 2022. It’s forecast to keep growing further in 2023.

The correlation between physical fitness and physical health is also well understood. When physically fitter our propensity for suffering from injury decreases while physical performance levels increase.

However, when it comes to the concept of mental fitness and its correlation with mental health you may be less clear. The aim of this article is to provide clarity, as well as introduce a potential training approach.

I’ll begin by offering the following definition:

Mental fitness - The level of mental preparedness one has at any given point to navigate challenges and perform at an optimal level. To think and feel clearly. To make decisions efficiently and effectively.

Key points:

1. Part of being mentally fit is preparedness - There is a proactive component. We can train.

2. At any given point, our mental fitness and level of response will fluctuate - Like physical fitness, mental fitness isn’t a one-and-done deal. It is a practice. It requires consistency. An ongoing effort to maintain.

3. The way we navigate challenges and respond is directly influenced by our level of mental fitness - This may be about keeping our head above water through adversity. This may be about thriving and seizing the opportunity.

Four key areas impact our level of mental fitness in different ways:

Fundamentals - Our sleep, diet, physical exercise, and rest levels.

Environment - The setting in which we are living or operating. Are we being given appropriate tools to do our job? How supportive is our physical home or workspace setup concerning our needs and objectives?

Culture - The ‘way of life’ embodied within the system we are living or operating in. That system could be an organisation, family, or even a whole country. Ideals such as values, behaviours, and laws are all present here.

Mindset - The established set of attitudes we hold. These attitudes are informed by a wide range of nature and nurture-related factors.

Three supporting observations:

1. Each of these areas will impact us in terms of mental fitness levels however to what degree will be on an individual-by-individual basis. Some of us require more sleep than others. However, we all require a certain amount of sleep in order to fully mentally function. 

2. The degree and way these areas impact our mental fitness will shift over time depending on age and resilience levels. 

3. These areas are interlinked and in relationship with one another. 

When considering a mental fitness training approach, it is the area of mindset where I would like to focus.

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‘We can try to be more mentally fit or we can train to be mentally fit…the choice is up to us.’ 

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A mindset fitness training approach that has gained great traction in recent years is Positive Intelligence (PQ). Positive Intelligence is the science and practice of developing mastery over our mindset with respect to attitude. With a particular focus on how much of a negative or positive viewpoint we’re seeing things, and in turn, making decisions from.

The approach encourages us to claim better control over the steering wheel that is our mind. With improved self-command, we become able to respond to life’s challenges with a more positive rather than negative mindset.

Intentionally making this pivot has been scientifically proven to:

• Improve work performance and response in key moments. 

• Improve relationships and levels of calmness.

• Reduce the propensity for toxic stress.

In essence, we become more mentally fit.

The positive intelligence training programme is a mindset fitness mindset boot camp. The programme gives us insights, motivation, and structure to practice and develop our PQ muscles for 15 minutes every day and it combines weekly video sessions with daily app-guided practices to boost your three core mental fitness muscles.

Further details concerning the programme found here: Mental Fitness - Positive Intelligence 8-week Program

So here we are. A definition for mental fitness, reflection points, key areas, and a training approach to consider.

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*Original article published on the Life Coach Directory, 16/01/2023 (Source - https://www.lifecoach-directory.org.uk/memberarticles/unpacking-mental-fitness)

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The tortoise and the hare…what if there was a third entrant in the race?

The story of the tortoise and the hare has stood the test of time. The tale can be traced back to the Greek storyteller Aesop (620-564 BCE) who wrote this piece as part of a collection of short stories we know as ‘Aesops fables’.

In the famous tale the speedy hare races against the slow-moving tortoise. In the early stages of the race, the hare leaves the tortoise in his wake, taking a significant lead. However, at the midway stage, his over-confident nature leads him to believe he can take a nap and still easily win.

On awaking, hare realises he’s forgotten to set an alarm, overslept, and been overtaken by his shelled competitor. Unable to recover he is left embarrassed and ashamed as the tortoise crosses the finish line to claim victory.

The moral lesson of the story…

We can be more successful by doing things slowly and steadily than by acting quickly and carelessly.

At times earlier in my own life I’ve been guilty of coming out of the gate too fast with new projects. With excitement follows over-confidence, leading to lacklustre execution and a disappointing outcome.

However is the moral of this Aesop fable the golden ticket?

To simply take our time and plod our way slowly and laboriously to glory?

What if there was another way?

What if a hippo had been in town, entered the race, and appeared at the starting grid?

Yes, the hare would still take an early lead, but hippo (capable of speeds of 30/40km/h) would still have had him in his sights.

Hippo would then stop to observe the hare taking his nap from a distance. Once he was in a deep sleep he would then quietly slip past and motor on to claim race victory by a country mile. Tortoise would then trundle in for second place, with hare facing even greater embarrassment, stumbling over the line in third.

And…what about unpredictable events that could show up in the race?

What if a grizzly bear wanders onto the track and decides it’s dinner time?!

The tortoise may be able to disappear into his shell, but he has to reappear at some point, and when he eventually does he's a goner. Hare might be able to stay out of range for a round or two, but eventually, he’d be cornered and easily overwhelmed. Then hippo, who just so happens to be the most dangerous mammal in Africa. With a 6cm thick skin, a bite force 300% of that of a lion, and weighing 3 times more. Bear could give it his best shot but frankly doesn’t stand a chance.

What if a bridge over one of the rivers that were part of the racecourse was out of order?!

The hare would be stuck, losing precious time trying to secure some other means of crossing. Tortoise would plop into the water and slowly paddle over to the other side. But what about Hippo? Able to hold his breath for up to 5 minutes and swim speeds of up to 8 km/h he would be in and across in no time. The hippo can even nap underwater if he likes, using a biological reflex that allows him to bob up, take a breath, and sink back down without waking up.

What if there was a forest fire the day before the race with all the grass, leaves, and trees destroyed?!

No energy-boosting snacks on route for tortoise or hare. But hippo? Although typically herbivore hippos have been known to turn carnivore and eat other animals when required. In the case of a forest fire, the hippo simply turns carnivore, goes hunting, and secures himself the benefits of an energising protein-rich, mid-race snack.

The hippo not only wins but win’s regardless of unforeseen race obstacles.

The moral of this revised story…

We can be most successful by maintaining a steady pace, pausing when required, and being versatile.

When beginning a new project it can help to get going at a steady pace. By moving forward in this way we generate useful feedback quicker and can ‘improve on the move’.

Where possible it is important to pause and break at points to review progress. Keeping an eye on, and learning from the competition when we do so.

It is key to utilise various talents to overcome the inevitable challenges that come our way. To be adaptable and innovative.

In summary.

When it comes to new or current goals, work some ‘hippo-ness’ into your approach,

Our propensity for success and a shortening of the time it takes to get there increases significantly when we do :-)

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