Demystifying Mental Toughness

Peter Ramage is an Assistant Football or Soccer Coach for Phoenix Rising FC in the United Soccer League. He is a former footballer who began his career with Newcastle United as an academy players before moving up to the first team where he played alongside, Alan Shearer, Craig Bellamy and Shay Given between 2004 and 2008. He then moved to Queens Park Rangers ending a 12 year association with Newcastle United. Peter also played for Crystal Palace, Birmingham City, Barnsley Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League, Coventry City before ending his playing career in the USA with Phoenix Rising FC.

In this episode, Peter and David discuss a variety of elements to Mental Toughness with a focus on confidence. His belief in his ability and interpersonal confidence, where he shares stories about standing his ground in some difficult situations. Peter also talks about the importance of having a good support network around you and using it well. Tune in to find out why it’s a game changer for yourself as a footballer or athlete who is looking to get the most out of your talent.

Essential Learning Points From This Episode

• When you’re a young player training and playing with star players – asserting yourself to gain their respect.

• How to deal with criticism from team-mates, coaches and fans.

• Coping with being dropped and pushing yourself when you’re a squad player.

• Dealing with serious injuries and off the pitch challenges.

• How to approach your coach or manager when you’re an unhappy player.

• The importance of being honest with yourself and taking the time out to reflect on your approach and attitude.

• Having the courage to talk about your challenges.

Demystifying Mental Toughness is for people who want to reach their goals faster and are curious what high performing athletes and professionals do to fulfil their potential.  David Charlton shares insights, strategies and stories from leading athletes, coaches, psychologists and specialists to help you perform to your optimum level on a more consistent basis.  If you’re a motivated athlete, coach, sport psychologist, mental game coach or executive listen in for proven and practical advice in this podcast.

Steve’s uplifting yet poignant journey will inspire you to achieve your own journey of excellence.  Sharing his unique story with takeaways he’ll explain the many times he picked himself up after being knocked down both physically and mentally. Going from wheelchair to world champion and onwards to successful professional speaker, author and coach.  

In this episode, Steve tells David about his inspirational story where he has faced a huge adversity in his life head on.  He crashed his car near Sheffield in 2002 crushing both of his legs.  Surgeons fortunately saved both of his legs and his life, however he was told that he was unlikely to walk again. 

He shares his level of commitment and the promises that he made to himself.  How he saw setbacks as challenges and opportunities, essential parts of Mental Toughness, in his quest to walk again and then become a 2 x World Champion Para Triathlete.  While revealing how his mental health suffered and how he coped with hitting rock bottom.

Steve also discusses his career change into motivational speaking and frequently uses his phrase “Don’t Lean on Excuses” the name of his book!

Essential Learning Points From This Episode

• How to deal with adversity and multiple setbacks
• How to cope with negative emotions and hitting rock bottom
• The power of goal setting and bench marking
• Being kind to yourself during difficult times
• The importance of having support
• How to manage expectations and pain
• Focus on what you can do
• Reviewing and refining your approach is essential if you want to be the best that you can be
• How to overcome a fierce rival
• The importance of wellness, rest and recovery
• Planning, setting your own rules and taking massive action
• The benefits of visualization and negative meditation

Useful Resources:

Don't Lean On Your Excuses: A World Champion's Courageous Story That Inspires Living With No Regrets

Demystifying Mental Toughness is for people who want to reach their goals faster and are curious what high performing athletes and professionals do to fulfil their potential. David Charlton shares insights, strategies and stories from leading athletes, coaches, psychologists and specialists to help you perform to your optimum level on a more consistent basis. If you’re a motivated athlete, coach, sport psychologist, mental game coach or executive listen in for proven and practical advice in this podcast. This is an exciting day! Today is our first podcast and I’m fittingly joined by Doug Strycharczyk. Doug is viewed as a rock star in the Mental Toughness world. He has pioneered the application of the mental toughness to a wide variety of sectors.

He’s seen as one of the leading authorities worldwide on the application of the 4Cs Mental Toughness model, Doug works in the Occupational, Educational, Social Work, Sports and Health settings in more than 80 countries. He’s the CEO for AQR International and an experienced author who has contributed to a number of books that look at developing mental toughness and resilience with individuals and at an organisational level, with youngsters through to leaders. The development of psychometric tests are also a feature of Doug’s work.

In this, the first episode, Doug and David go on to introduce what Mental Toughness is and why it is misunderstood by many people. Doug shares the background behind the highly evidence based 4Cs Mental Toughness model and the importance of Mental Toughness. We also discuss the current climate and the impact additional stress and pressure can have on people, leaders and organisational culture.

Essential Learning Points From This Episode

• Mental Toughness is not a macho or masculine quality. • Mental weakness is not the opposite to mental toughness.

• Mental toughness runs on a continuum and people who are not mentally tough have a lot to offer.

• Mental toughness and resilience are very different, with mental toughness a wider and more valuable concept.

• Mental Toughness is made up of 8 factors that are part of the 4C’s (commitment, challenge, control and confidence) model.

• Without self awareness mentally tough people can falter.

• Mental Toughness can be measured using psychometric testing such as the MTQ Plus questionnaire.

• The Mental Toughness profiles in leadership teams are passed down to impact the culture of organisations.

• Developing mentally tough qualities in staff is high on the agenda of “caring” organisations now as they are concerned about their staff and the impact Covid-19 has had on them.

Useful Resources:

Developing Mental Toughness

Developing Employability and Enterprise

Developing Resilient Organisations

Developing Mental Toughness in Young People

David Charlton supports athletes, coaches and teams to achieve their goals - faster working as a Sports Psychologist and Managing Director for Inspiring Sporting Excellence.  In the 10 years he has worked in this role, initially as a performance coach,  he has successfully helped 1000s of athletes across a range of sports from Golf, Football, Rugby union, Rugby League, Triathlon, Motor Sport from aspiring youngsters to top elite professional athletes competing at world championships, on golf tours and in the Premier League or Rugby Premiership. 

David is also an executive coach who supports business professionals to improve their performance and well-being with resilience and mental toughness coaching.

In this episode, David introduces the Demystifying Mental Toughness Podcast where he shares:

• What you can expect from the show.
• Why you should listen to the Demystifying Mental Toughness Podcast.
• The reason behind the name of the show.
• What Mental Toughness is and why it is misunderstood.
• Peter Clough MBE and associates widely researched Mental Toughness Model.
• Why Mental Toughness is important for performance and well-being.
• The downsides to being Mentally Tough.
• His own journey highlighting some personal and professional struggles.

David emphasises that you should listen if you are:

• A highly motivated Athlete or Coach who wants to be the best that you can be or would like to create a mentally tough culture in your team.  
• Are an Executive, HR professional or Business Leader who has an interest in mental toughness or mindset, with a fondness for sport and want to learn so that you can take your performances or up a level or two.
• A Sport and Exercise Psychologist, Sport and Exercise Psychologist in training, Mental Skills Coach or a Life Coach, you will also get a lot from this podcast learning a lot from some of the guests and the inspiring stories and insights that they share.