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What is Mental Toughness?

This is an excerpt from Focused for Rugby by Adam Nicholls & Jon Callard.

What Is Mental Toughness?

Most coaches and athletes believe that mental toughness is one of the most important psychological characteristics that determine success in rugby. Mental toughness is a widely used, but often misunderstood, term. People who are mentally tough have complete self-belief in their own ability, an unshakable faith that they are in complete control of their own destiny, and a conviction that they will be relatively unaffected by setbacks.

Callard the Coach. People often misunderstand the distinction between mental toughness and physical toughness. Physical toughness is about being strong, abrasive, and unrelenting in a physical performance. Players performing with injuries and battling through the pain are often referred to as being mentally tough. I agree in part, but mental tough-ness is about players who can handle their minds in high-pressure situations—the two-on-one pass in the corner, the last-minute pressure kick to win the game, or the crucial lineout throw to the jumper to secure possession. All are simple examples of the mind being in control of the situation, thus allowing the body to perform its function well and remain undistracted.

Four Cs of Mental Toughness

Mental toughness consists of the 4 Cs: control, commitment, challenge, and confidence (Clough, Earle, & Sewell, 2002).

  • Control. People who are mentally tough are not afraid to take control or responsibility for the situation that they are in.
  • Commitment. Mentally tough individuals involve themselves fully in what they are doing and always give maximum effort.
  • Challenge. The athlete who is mentally tough views all stressful situations as being challenging and focuses on what can be gained from stressful situations (e.g., enhancing reputation, scoring a try, winning the match).
  • Confidence. The most mentally tough rugby players have an immensely strong belief in their ability to achieve success.

The four Cs are the foundations of mental toughness. Researchers have also identified a number of traits and behaviours that are associated with mental toughness (see figure 4.1).

Callard the Player. I kept in control during pressure situations in games by using triggers in my head. It worked and allowed me to control situations that were thrust upon me. I was lucky to play in the same side as some very courageous and committed players. I used to thrive off them, and I did not want to let them down—that was the basis for my commitment. When it was tough, in both training and matches, I used to recount to myself, ‘If it was easy, everyone would be doing it!’ Also, you need to have a clear focus of where you want to be and how you are going to get there. It has to mean something, something of huge value that you would sacrifice all for. It has to challenge you. Additionally, it becomes a habit, an addiction, the ability to win games in the severest situations, but it also comes from confidence, as teams will play knowing that they will only beat themselves by imploding.
FIGURE 4.1 Traits and behaviors associated with mental toughness. Sources: Clough, Earle, and Sewell 2002; Jones, Hanton, and Connaughton 2007.
FIGURE 4.1 Traits and behaviors associated with mental toughness.
Sources: Clough, Earle, and Sewell 2002; Jones, Hanton, and Connaughton 2007.

Becoming More Mentally Tough

We have now explained what mental toughness is, and you might now be asking yourself what you can do to become more mentally tough. Researchers have investigated the strategies and behaviours of the most mentally tough athletes. You can improve your mental toughness by

  1. adopting the mind-set, attitude, and behaviour of a mentally tough rugby player and
  2. engaging in the strategies used by the most mentally tough athletes.
Callard the Coach. Wanting to be mentally tough is not something that happens overnight. You have to work on it, you have to be inspired to want to do it, and more important, you must have a desire to do it. This is something you cannot bluff, something you cannot turn on and off. You have to develop it deep inside. I have seen some great champion-winning sides that prepare the mind for the mental battle through sheer physical endeavour. I had the pleasure of watching one of the South African Super 14 sides train in preseason. The players were ‘flogged.’ They ran to the point of physical despair and were then asked to perform the skill of a drill under intense duress straight after. They worked on the mantra ‘If the body can sustain the exterior bashing, it can protect the encased computer that will remain always undamaged.’ In that following season they won the championship again. In no fewer than eight matches they managed to win the game in the last few minutes! Yes, they were physically strong, but they were mentally strong enough to complete and defend plays to the final whistle, too. The players had the mind-set, attitude, and behaviour of being mentally tough.
More Excerpts From Focused for Rugby

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