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How to build mental toughness: What we can learn from pro athletes
Learn the four key ingredients that make mental toughness - grit, perseverance, passion and long-term focus - and how anybody can harness them to excel under pressure.
Mental toughness is often the difference between success and failure in a high-pressure situation. For freerunner Hazal Nehir, who made a name for herself jumping across gaps between rooftops, her ability is 80 percent mental strength. It’s an important skill for anyone who wants consistent performance at a high level. The same habits of mental toughness that help elite athletes can also help any individual accomplish their goals.
The concept of mental toughness in sport was first raised in 1898, when Normal Triplett observed that cyclists rode faster when competing on a track with a competitor, than when they rode alone. It was proof that the brain affects performance. Sixty years later, sports psychology has become a much-used tool among professional coaches and athletes. It’s now a mainstream notion and has spread far beyond the realms of professional sport, referencing the ability to perform under pressure. So what are the elements of mental toughness?
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The four elements of mental toughness
Hazal Nehir needs plenty of mental strength to make leaps like this
© Samo Vidic/Red Bull Content Pool
1. Grit
You can’t have mental toughness if you don’t have grit. It's when quitting is not an option in your mind. It’s knowing something will be hard, and doing it anyway. Like Natalie Pohl swimming around Ibiza, for example, or Emil Johansson coming back from broken ribs and a fractured collarbone to win at Red Bull Joyride.
2. Perseverance
By definition, perseverance is the act of continually pursuing a goal over a long time, regardless of obstacles. When Lucy Charles-Barclay failed to finish 2025's Ironman World Championship following a difficult period of injury and personal bereavement, she didn't give up on her season. Instead she picked herself up and focused on her next goal: the Ironman 70.3 World Championship, which she duly won. Her perseverance paid off. Lindsey Vonn is another case study in perseverance. The alpine ski racing legend was forced to retire in 2019 after a series of knee injuries, but returned to the World Cup slopes five years later with a new knee and undimmed competitive spirit, setting new records along the way.
Nathalie Pohl made history with her 104.5km swim around Ibiza
© Daniel Toni Jais/Red Bull Content Pool
3. Passion
As obvious as it may sound, you have to want to win above all else. Sports psychology has shown that at the most elite level, the outcome of a sporting event may not be just about physical training. It’s often also about passion, or who wants it more. If you want a great example, watch This and Nothing Else, a mini series you can watch on Red Bull TV. It tells the stories of firefighters, fishermen and office workers who train and surf relentlessly, while also holding down regular jobs to support their families.
4. Long-term goal orientation
As the saying goes, “it's a marathon, not a sprint.” One of the most essential elements of mental toughness is long-term goal setting and accepting realistic timelines for your accomplishments. Making a real plan that builds short-term goals toward a long-term goal is the only tried-and-true process for success.
Become a mentality monster
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How to be mentally tough
Lindsey Vonn is the poster girl for perseverance, focus and mental strength
© Erich Spiess/Red Bull Content Pool
Mental toughness is rarely innate; it is made up of disciplined habits that anyone can enact in their daily life. So what character traits constitute mental toughness – and how have they been shown to aid performance?
A mentally tough person sees challenges and setbacks as an opportunity to try even harder than before, and these habits help develop that attitude.
Stoicism
Stoicism is a school of philosophy from ancient Greece. It focuses on the idea that life is out of our control, so we must let go of the desire to control everything. In that case, you can unlock the ability to identify what parts you can manage and focus on that.
Act in control
We're never entirely in control of our lives and a completely unexpected event can happen at any moment. The key is to act in control of what you can. So if you're going to be a leader of your discipline, you have to act in control. This also means taking responsibility for your own actions and being mindful to only behave in ways that align with your long-term goals.
Kristian Blummenfelt has enough grit to become Ironman World Champion
© Daniel Tengs/Red Bull Content Pool
Don't dwell on mistakes
If you pursue a long-term goal with steadfast commitment, especially if you are just starting out, you'll make mistakes. What defines a successful person is moving on rather than focusing on failure.
Enjoy success, but don't overindulge
Just as it's important to not dwell on your losses, it's equally important to not to let your victories go to your head. Complacency is the biggest hindrance to success. So even after a win, it's essential to keep working just as hard as before.
No complaining
Whatever goals you want to achieve, you should be mindful that you're doing it for yourself. That means no complaining about how hard it is, or all the obstacles you'll face, because you've already accepted them. Once you take ownership of the work necessary to succeed, you'll stop making excuses.
HYROX is a real test of your mental toughness
© Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool
Find internal motivators
Self-reliance and internal motivation are essential habits to develop mental toughness. If you base your motivation on someone else, you’ll only be as strong as they let you be. Simply put, own your goals and be your own biggest cheerleader.
Never give up
When working toward long-term goals, you have to accept that there will be times you want to give up. One of the main differences between people who succeed and those who don't, is that one stopped trying. It's only a failure if you quit.
Stay positive
Positive self-talk and positive visualization are cornerstones of sports psychology. You have to believe in yourself and be kind to yourself on the marathon route to your goals. Yes, you have to be disciplined and not make excuses, but if you become too self-critical, it will hurt your confidence and make it harder to perform.
Mental toughness is more than a trendy term, it’s as significant a factor in individual performance as physical ability. The good news is that even a person who thinks they don’t have the qualities of mental toughness can learn to develop them to help achieve their goals.
