Mental Strength: Training the Inner Mind

Negativity has a way of amplifying itself. One slight doubt becomes a storm, and suddenly your energy is consumed by what might go wrong. I’ve felt that myself as a runner—during pushes, all-outs, and half marathons. The inner voice says, “Stop, this hurts, it’s too much.” But when you train your mind to push through, you discover something powerful: momentum is stronger than doubt.

This theme has been showing up everywhere for me lately. On Sunday, our preacher from South Africa spoke about how negativity can take hold of the mind, https://www.youtube.com/live/uyH_BqVpQ8M?si=0N5Yv4OiwCfIdxqu. Earlier in the week, a podcast sparked fresh thoughts on the same subject. And just this morning, my coach, Kyle, said during training: “Get in your pace and level out your mind.” I love that line. It’s a reminder that mental strength isn’t about brute force—it’s about rhythm, balance, and perspective.

Dr. Michael Gervais, a high-performance psychologist who has worked with Olympians, CEOs, and Navy SEALs, reminds us that our inner dialogue is the most critical performance skill we have. When negativity sets in, the battle isn’t outside of us; it’s in our own minds. Training that inner voice through awareness, breath, and intentional reframing can turn self-criticism into self-coaching.

Lessons from the SEALs

In Navy SEAL BUD/S training, one of the most grueling selection programs in the world, physical strength is crucial, but it’s mental strength that ultimately determines who makes it through.

Research shows that runners often excel—not because they are the biggest or strongest, but because they’ve learned to negotiate with that inner voice. I’ve experienced this first-hand. As a mile runner, I’ve been asked if I can work through that negative mindset. The answer is yes. Training for all-out and half-marathons teaches you how to break down the overwhelming into the manageable: one step, one breath, one mile at a time.

Instead of succumbing to the inner critic, runners embody the principle of “keep moving”—because momentum, no matter how small, is stronger than paralysis. That same mindset carries into BUD/S and beyond.

Purpose as a Compass

Simon Sinek puts it this way: Start with why. When fatigue, doubt, or negativity set in, clarity of purpose becomes a source of fuel. You’re not just enduring pain; you’re enduring it for something that matters.

Purpose reframes suffering into sacrifice and struggle into progress. It turns the voice of “I can’t” into “I must, because this matters.”

Building Mental Strength in Everyday Life

You don’t need to be an Olympic athlete or a Navy SEAL to apply this. The same practices apply in the boardroom, on a sales floor, or even at home:

• Notice your inner dialogue. Is it helping or harming?
• Break it down. Don’t think about the next year—just the next step.
• Recenter on purpose. Ask yourself: Why am I here? Why does this matter?

The Stronger Close

Mental strength isn’t about never facing negativity. It’s about facing it, reframing it, and moving forward anyway.

The SEALs say it best: “The only easy day was yesterday.” Progress is built step by step, thought by thought, breath by breath.

The strongest people aren’t those who avoid adversity; they’re the ones who harness it as fuel.

So here’s the question:

When that negative voice shows up in your life, what’s the practice you rely on to quiet it and keep moving forward?