Mental Toughness

By: Taylor Vargas

 Agenda:
• Objective (1 min)

• What is mental toughness/why is it important? (2 min)

• Activity one (10 mins)

• Student TED talk video (7min)

• Fixed mindset vs. growth mindset (3 min)

• Activity two pair share (3 min)

• 10 strategies for mental toughness (3 min)

• Reflection (1 min)
 Audience &
when to use:

• Students with low

motivation
• Use with students to
enhance their ability to stay
mentally strong and
promote growth mindsets.
 Today’s Objective
1. Students will be able to determine the
difference between a fixed mindset and a
growth mindset

2. Students will learn strategies to acquire a

growth mindset.

3. Students will learn how to set long-and

short-term goals and have the strive to
achieve them.
 Why is this work
shop important?
• Mental tough students have stamina, determination
and perseverance.

• They STRIVE, not just survive.

• Some examples could be trying out for a new sport

or learning a new skill.

• We all have goals that motivate us, the trick is to

NOT GIVE UP!
 Activity

Think about something in your life that

require some of these characteristics.
 Write, Rehearse,
Share
• Instructions: With your partner stand and
each take turns reading what you wrote.
When we are all ready and rehearsed we will
take turns sharing what we wrote. (Think,
ink, pair, share)

• Use this sentence starter. “A tough

experience I recently went through
was______________________, I _____________
to overcome it.
Shakinar Mutulili:
Mental Toughness
 Fixed vs. Growth
Mindset
• With a FIXED MINDSET, students believe their
basic abilities, intelligence, and talents, are
just fixed traits - either born with or not.

• “Talent doesn’t make you mentally tough,

there are many talented individuals who
don’t follow through in their commitments..”

- Angela Lee Duckworth

• Students with a FIXED MINDSET
believe that they have a certain
amount and that is it.

• For instance, a student’s goal is to

look smart all the time and never
look dumb.
 Growth Mindset
“Mental Toughness”
• Students with a GROWTH MINDSET,
understand that their talents and
abilities can be developed through
effort, good teaching and persistence.

• These people know that anyone can

learn or do nearly anything through
dedication and work.
• Those with a GROWTH MINDSET realize
that natural talent or intelligence is
only a starting point, a baseline
from which real progress begins.
 Pair share

• Use either sentence starter

• “I haven’t learned how to _____ yet.”

• “________ has been challenging for

me.”
10 Tips & Strategies
“Mental Toughness”
1. Acknowledge and embrace
imperfections.

- Hiding from your weaknesses means

you’ll never overcome them.
2. View challenges as opportunities

- Having a growth mindset means

enjoying opportunities for self-
improvement. Learn more about
how to fail well.
3. Try different learning tactics.

- There’s no one-size-fits-all model

for learning. What works for one
person may not work for you. Learn
about learning strategies.

4. Replace the word “failing” with the

word “learning.”

- When you make a mistake or fall

short of a goal, you haven’t failed;
you’ve learned.
5. Develop a sense of purpose.

- Keep the big picture in mind.

6. Place effort before talent.

- Hard work should always be

rewarded before inherent skill.
7. Use the word “yet.”

- Dweck says “not yet” has become one of

her favourite phrases. Whenever you find
yourself struggling with a task, just tell
them yourself haven’t mastered it yet.
8. Make a new goal for every goal
accomplished.

- You’ll never be done learning. Just

because your midterm exam is over
doesn’t mean you should stop being
interested in a subject. Growth-minded
people know how to constantly create
new goals to keep themselves
stimulated.
9. Think realistically about time and
effort.

- It takes time to learn. Don’t expect

to master every topic under the sun
in one sitting.

10. Develop grit.

- Students with that extra bit of

determination will be more likely to
seek approval from themselves
rather than others.
 Remember!

• Your traits aren’t fixed

• Have a growth mindset

• Find what motivates you

• Dedicate yourself to your goals.

 References

Dunn, B. (2015, June 01). The difference between

fixed and growth mindsets. Retrieved October
24, 2017, from http://dailygenius.com/the-
difference-between-fixed-and-growth-
mindsets/

Gerstein, J. (2015, December 17). Cultivate a Growth

Mindset With These 6 Strategies. Retrieved
October 24, 2017, from
https://www.noodle.com/articles/these-6-
strategies-will-promote-a-growth-mindset-in-
your-kid

Shakinar Mutulili,. [TED talks]. (2017, December). The

Value Of Mental Toughness [Video File].Retrieved
from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzwiZT797V4