Can you be too mentally tough? If so, what can you do about it?

Encouragement in the media and sporting contexts to show mental toughness, hanging in there, show grit, dogged determination...is common. But is this always a good thing? Sure, being determined and remaining undeterred in pursuit of your goals is a good thing - especially if you are susceptible to being knocked-off track, or find it difficult to get going in the first place. However, I believe that there is a flip-side to this emphasis of rising to all challenges, quitting being for wimps...

Take the example of the runner who runs twice a day according to the schedule they have from their coach. They run no matter what. When they are shattered they don't do less or run at a lower intensity, they push it even more on these days because they fret that if they don't they are somehow a lesser athlete or not mentally tough enough, perhaps reminding themselves that "Winners never quit, quitters never win." They don't ease off on easier weeks, for fear of losing fitness. Perhaps they even get up in the middle of the night and sneak out for an extra one-hour run a couple of nights a week. You may think that this is extreme, but I've seen athletes who've done it.

What's the result? Faster running? Improved performance? Accelerated development? No, or at least not for long. Instead the result will be a mixture of overtraining, colds, aches, pains, injury, illness, a performance plateau or decline.

For other over-motivated athletes risks develop if they persevere during competitions when they should pull-out. They develop an injury or their body gets into difficulty during an event which can risk long-term consequences. Now, I can write from first-hand experience about this as in 2006 I developed gastric problems during an Ironman after 3.5 hours and continued for another 8 hours, then need medical attention (but received the opposite of what I needed), then received adrenaline into my heart, heart shocking and 36 hours on a ventilator in ITU (if interested you can read my account here: www.sportspsychologist.co.uk/aboutme.html) 

So what's the solution?

1. To prevent a similar situation developing as the runner's scenario above: (a) introduce regular reviews of training volumes, intensity and progress where honest feedback is received from someone in the know (e.g. a coach); (b) be on the lookout for performance plateaus, injury, and illnesses; and (c) schedule and follow periods of less activity and activities that boost recovery.

2. To prevent a similar situation developing during an event (as in my scenario): (a) have reviews throughout competition where you look at key performance indicators such as intensity, speed, power and low the body is functioning (stiffness, pain, stomach/gut function etc.) and consider if you can receive feedback from someone else at the competition (e.g. a coach, family member etc.); and (b) decide before hand what the likely scenarios will be where the best thing would be to pull-out of the competition in order to look after yourself and be able to have a better race on another day.

Dr Victor Thompson
www.sportspsychologist.co.uk