10 Daily Practices to Increase Mental Toughness

#1 Cold Showers

This is definitely one of my favorites. Cold showers increase your testosterone, human growth hormone (HGH), and other beneficial hormones. They also increase your mental toughness. When you first get in, resist the temptation to grimace or yell. Keep a cool face and stay as relaxed as possible while breathing deeply. Stay in for a minimum of 30 seconds.

#2 Unplug from Social Media

Social media is digital crack. It literally gives your brain dopamine hits with each little notification or piece of new and entertaining content. Unplugging from social media means using it as little as possible or as needed only. Unplugging will make you mentally tougher. The more you unplug, the more your instincts will feel sharp. Even Steve Jobs didn’t let his kids have ipads.

#3 Read

Reading makes you mentally tougher because it teaches your mind how to focus for long periods of time without getting distracted. So try this: Just turn off all distractions and read a book for a while. Nothing else. You may find a very profound state of relaxation and you may even get “learner’s high”. Doing this teaches you to delay your gratification and use your mind in a way more active way as opposed to the passive entertainment you get from social media or television.

#4 Do Mini Workouts throughout the Day

This one is a personal habit of mine I’ve been doing for quite a while now. If I don’t do this throughout the day my body starts to feel tense and uneasy. This applies to you especially if you sit a lot. Every 30 minutes to one hour, get up and knock out a set of 25-50 pushups or squats or any other exercise. I personally like to couple this practice with yoga or something that stretches my body. This makes you mentally tougher because instead of being sedentary, you are constantly taking yourself out of your comfort zone for a little while as you grind those reps out!

#5 Move slowly

This simply means to stop moving with haste. Moving with haste means being in a rush and moving compulsively. For example: When you get into your car, do you compulsively start connecting your phone into your car stereo to listen to music? Learn to stop rushing all of your movements. Learn to discipline your movements so that you’re in control of your pace. When you do this, you’ll move in a way more deliberate style. Don’t be impulsive in your movements. Over time this practice will permeate into your mind making you mentally tougher. Instead of reacting to your thoughts and emotions impulsively, you will take your time to carefully choose your reactions.

#6 Jump Out of bed

Don’t linger in bed until you “feel” like starting your day. You feel like shit for a reason, you just woke up. Get out of bed, splash your face with cold water and start moving around. Get your blood flowing. This will make you mentally tougher because it will reverse your addiction to the number one dream killer: Blankets and pillows.  

#7 Download a Chess App

Download the chess app on your phone. Playing chess is the equivalent of doing bench-presses for your brain. You’ll feel your mind start to become more and powerful as you do this. I personally like to play some chess when I’m commuting or when I’m taking a break or waiting for dinner to cook.

#8 Have a Monthly Challenge

Have one day every month or so that you dedicate purely to mental toughness. I do this with the guys in my inner-circle. We all get together and we pick a day each month to challenge ourselves. We wake up early and start the day off with a workout. Then we just keep pushing ourselves throughout the day with other challenges such as breathing exercises, meditation, sprinting, running, sparring, writing, contemplating, etc… It’s a day dedicated to growth. It’s fun especially with like-minded warriors passionate about becoming better.

Click here for an awesome breathing exercise course by Wim Hof AKA The Ice Man.

#9 Don’t Be Afraid to Get Dirty

Squish bugs with your bare hands. Walk outside with bare feet. If food falls on the floor, eat it once in a while. Go a day or two without a shower (ok not if you just finished lifting heavy at the gym). Stop being such a neat freak. Nothing pisses me off more than a man who is afraid to get a little dirt on his hands.

#10 Sleep On the Floor Once in Awhile

Sleeping on the floor is a good way to build mental toughness. If you want to go hardcore, don’t use a blanket. Medium mode: Only use a thin sheet. I’ve done this quite a few times and I will say it definitely has made me appreciate blankets and beds more. 

Train your mind,

Maximillian Giamarco

P.s. Would like to make progress on your journey to self-mastery? Check out the Spartan Ownership shop here for badass products and training courses that will accelerate your growth. Also, if you would like more personalized help, book a coaching session with me here.