Play some Dota 2.
Ask HN: How do you guys develop mental toughness?
21–30 of 72 posts
Re: Ask HN: How do you guys develop mental toughness?
#22Practicing MMA (but any single art like Boxing, Wrestling, Muy Thai, etc would work) has definitely boosted my mental toughness. Once you step into a ring with someone who is trying to attack you, and come out okay, you realize you can handle pretty much anything.
Even if you don't spar, simply motivating yourself to go to practice can be tough. If you can walk into a room knowing you're going to be pinned and choked, you can walk into an interview/negotiation/meeting/date no problem.
Re: Ask HN: How do you guys develop mental toughness?
#23Protect yourself from
Machiavellianism(manipulate/deceive others)
Psychopathy(lack of remorse/empathy)
Sadism(pleasure in suffering of others)
Narcissism(egotism/self-obsession)Re: Ask HN: How do you guys develop mental toughness?
#24Some ways of putting psychological stress on yourself:
- Public speaking
- Taking on leadership roles
- Do things that are counter to your personality. Eg, if you're shy, force yourself to talk to strangers on the street
- Put yourself in situations where you will probably face rejection
- Do things that will make you stick out. Eg: showing up at work one day in a suit when everyone else is wearing t-shirts. Or vice-versa
- Take a flight to a random foreign country where you don't know the local language, and where most people don't know English. No hotel reservations in advance, no laptop, no smartphone, minimal budget. Figure out how to survive, have fun, and visit the city's major landmarks over the following 5 days. Bonus points if it's a developing country
Not that I'm particularly recommending all of the above. But they will certainly put you in an psychologically "uncomfortable" spot and help expand your comfort zone.
Re: Ask HN: How do you guys develop mental toughness?
#25Definitely an out there response, but recreational drugs take you to a place where you build up different views on how 'everything' works. Really gives you a different perspective on what is "difficult" in life.
Oh, and meditation and video games surely.
Re: Ask HN: How do you guys develop mental toughness?
#26Some ways of putting psychological stress on yourself: - Public speaking - Taking on leadership roles - Do things that are counter to your personality. Eg, if you're shy, force yourself to talk to strangers on the street - Put yourself in situations where you will probably face rejection - Do things that will make you stick out. Eg: showing up at work one day in a suit when everyone else is wearing t-shirts. Or vice-…
- Take a flight to a random foreign country where you don't know the local language, and where most people don't know English. No hotel reservations in advance, no laptop, no smartphone, minimal budget. Figure out how to survive and visit the city's major landmarks over the following 5 days. Bonus points if it's a developing country
This could result in you being more than just psychologically uncomfortable. Tourists are, broadly speaking, expected to have hotel rooms booked; showing up at immigration without any advance plans is a good way to be denied entry to some countries. (Yes, even countries you don't need a visa to visit: Border officials can deny you entry on the basis of "this person's story doesn't add up".)
Re: Ask HN: How do you guys develop mental toughness?
#27Listen to Jocko Willink all day...
Re: Ask HN: How do you guys develop mental toughness?
#28Practicing MMA (but any single art like Boxing, Wrestling, Muy Thai, etc would work) has definitely boosted my mental toughness. Once you step into a ring with someone who is trying to attack you, and come out okay, you realize you can handle pretty much anything. Even if you don't spar, simply motivating yourself to go to practice can be tough. If you can walk into a room knowing you're going to be pinned and choked…
I practiced judo and boxing for two decades, and I still have low-confidence and anxiety. At least in my case, it's totally unrelated.
Re: Ask HN: How do you guys develop mental toughness?
#29Some ways of putting psychological stress on yourself: - Public speaking - Taking on leadership roles - Do things that are counter to your personality. Eg, if you're shy, force yourself to talk to strangers on the street - Put yourself in situations where you will probably face rejection - Do things that will make you stick out. Eg: showing up at work one day in a suit when everyone else is wearing t-shirts. Or vice-…
- Take a flight to a random foreign country where you don't know the local language, and where most people don't know English. No hotel reservations in advance, no laptop, no smartphone, minimal budget. Figure out how to survive and visit the city's major landmarks over the following 5 days. Bonus points if it's a developing country This could result in you being more than just psychologically uncomfortable. Tourists…
You can always make a bogus reservation on a cheap refundable hostel, and cancel it as soon as you get through immigration. That's exactly what I did when I applied for a visa and they insisted on seeing full hotel reservations.
Re: Ask HN: How do you guys develop mental toughness?
#30Get married and divorce a couple of times.
It can be torture: