One of the biggest limiters of our mental strength is our very common (usually unintentional) struggle with self-sabotaging behaviors. Since we all feel too busy to do more, maybe the answer is to actually do less? For some behaviors, that is absolutely the case. To help us better understand how we can do less, and be better for it, our expert guest for this episode is bestselling author, Amy Morin.

 

The three big questions she is going to answer for us today are:

1. What exactly is “mental strength?”

2. What are the things we are doing that commonly sabotage our mental strength

3. How can we remove these things from our lives in order to maximize our mental strength?

 

 

How to start a Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project “Pod-Club”:

Step 1: Find 2-30 friends who want to get better

Step 2: Choose your episodes (can be focused on specific themes or random)

Step 3: Listen to/watch the episodes

Step 4: Meet with your group to work through the provided discussion questions for each episode, and feel free to add your own!

Step 5: Celebrate the fact that you are turning passive knowledge into action!

 

Discussion Questions for this Episode:

1. Amy Morin defines mental strength as finding the courage to live the life you want according to your values. How does this definition resonate with your personal understanding of mental strength?

2. Morin breaks mental strength into three components: thinking, feeling, and behaving. Which of these areas do you find most challenging to manage?

3. The podcast highlights that venting can sometimes reinforce negative thought patterns rather than alleviate them. How do you typically process frustrating experiences?

4. Morin suggests that giving away our power, often through language like "I have to," can be self-sabotaging. What is one instance where you've used this language? How could you rephrase it to reclaim your power?

5. The concept of focusing energy on what we can control, rather than what we can't, is discussed. What is one area of your life where you tend to focus on the uncontrollable?

6. Morin identifies making the same mistakes repeatedly as a common self-sabotaging behavior. What is one recurring mistake you've made, and what strategy could help you break that cycle?

7. The pressure for immediate results is identified as a common societal challenge. How does this expectation impact your approach to personal growth or habit formation?

8. Amy emphasizes that mental strength is a spectrum and requires ongoing effort, not just a destination. What is one small, proactive step you can take this week to build your mental strength?

 

Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize

X: @MayoHumanOpProj

Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj

YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube

Email: [email protected]