7 Secrets
of Strength

Mirjam Stoffels

C urrent times are challenging. We need to overcome lots of obstacles on our way. In order to do that we’re going to need a strong mind. We will need to rely upon our mental toughness.

Toughness we normally look for in our sheroes, not in ourselves. We admire women like Oprah Winfrey, Arianne Huffington or Michelle Obama. They embody the characteristics that we value. Sheroes show us what it’s like to have the mental toughness to break out of our boring little existence and enter into a much bigger world. A world full of possibilities.

A strong mind is having the capacity to face challenges. Having the mental skills to confront difficulties of all kinds.

When you are strong-minded, you have the energy and stamina to face a challenge without being robbed of your inner strength.

Mental toughness gives us the courage to grow from the stress we experience in life. It is a mindset and it consists several qualities and attitudes. We give you seven secrets!

 
#1
Confidence
I have worked as an aerobics trainer for 12 years. I still remember the very first lesson I had to give entirely on my own. Me and the participants for a whole hour.

After that hour it rained complaints. The music was too slow. The music wasn’t loud enough or my voice was too loud. The intensity was too low. You name it.

I could have stopped right then and there, if I had listened to that critical inner voice that told me that I was too stupid, not good enough, too loud, too… But I didn’t. I changed that inner voice into a true sense of confidence in myself. I made my inner voice a supportive partner who recognized my talents and gifts, knowing that I would become the best aerobicstrainer the gym had ever seen. And I did.

Confidence is a belief in yourself and your ability to meet your goals.

 
#2
Courage
I was scared. I needed courage to face the reality and the obstacles in front of me. My courage came from facing inward and developing a strong mind. I told myself not to run and not to panic. To face the situation and to give it a full 100% [and more] to gain the trust of the participants. I developed a strong believe I could do that and that I was the best person to do that.

Courage is the tendency to see life’s obstacles as challenges to be met.

 
#3
Commitment
In the deepest part of me I knew that I would become the best aerobics trainer the gym had ever seen. And I became determined to become the best aerobics trainer the gym had ever seen. I became a disciple of my own deep believe. I worked hard and concentrated on bringing about that desired result.

People are often unsuccessful because they lack commitment. Competence is the result of hard work. No one succeeds overnight. Failures do not happen overnight, either. If you are fully committed you can find a creative solution to almost any task.

Commitment comes from passion for what you do and an unwavering desire for excellence.

 
#4
Control
To be in control means that you can find ways to empower yourself. That you can influence both the direction and outcome of your own life. A strong mind shuts out feelings of fear and inadequacy and focuses on reaching the goal.

I learned a great deal about being in control and focus on reaching my goal in the preparation of my aerobics lessons. Preparation became everything to me. I left no room for coincidences. I knew my lessons by head and by heart. And I challenged myself every week to raise the bar. For myself and for my participants.

I acted like an athlete [and was one]. Athletes will never improve their performance unless they reach for a goal that is beyond their grasp. If you settle for mediocrity in yourself, that’s what you’re going to get. And I was determined not to settle for mediocrity.

Control is having a certainty that you are able to shape your destiny rather than passively accepting events as they come along.

 
#5
Perseverance
By taking tiny steps, you can conquer obstacles that you never thought you could defeat. Success builds upon itself, and slowly, it lays down a permanent route to change.

Small steps. Mountains are climbed one step at a time, not by giant leaps. You are less likely to feel out of control if you can locate the smaller problems within the larger situation.

Every week, every training I learned from my mistakes. I analyzed what worked well and what I could have done better. Lesson by lesson, step by step I worked on, perfected and tweeked my skills as an aerobics trainer. Gaining the trust of my participants along the way.

Perseverance is being able to bear difficulties calmly and without complaints.

 
#6
Passion
When you love what you do it is much easier to face a challenge. When you love what you do, you won’t give up so easy. Better yet, you become even more determined to make it work in the face of a challenge.

I loved my work as an aerobics instructor. The music, the movement, the training. That love and that passion showed in my dedication to make it work. It showed in my enthousiasm. I went above and beyond what was expected of me and by going that extra step I gained the respect of the participants in the class room.

Passion is that intense compelling feeling, enthusiasm, or desire for something.

 
#7
Purpose
‘As an aerobics instructor it was my mission to deliver an unforgettable sporting experience to the participants in my class room. Each and every lesson!’, says my LinkedIn profile nowadays.

If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time… My first goal was to become the best aerobics instructor in the gym. At that point it was all about me. Along the way I gained the trust of my participants and my classes got fuller and fuller. At one point I realized that it was no longer about me and all about them and their sporting experience. Realizing that was a the best feeling ever [and it made my lessons even better]!

Live your life with a purpose. No matter how many changes and transitions you go through in your life, if you rely upon some guiding principles and values that are important to you, they will always give your life meaning.

Strong-minded people have a dedication that comes from a purpose that’s in alignment with their deepest values.

 
These seven elements of strength are not only for sheroes. They are for people like you and me. People who struggle through the tough times, so we can savor the good ones. Toughness is in the spirit and soul, not the muscles. Building a strong mind is a lifelong task. It will not only pay off when obstacles are in your way, it will become habit, and eventually a part of your identity. Be Strong!

 
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Thank you!

Mirjam Stoffels

Founder of seven2success, guest blogger at TEDx, Project Eve and 365 dagen succesvol. In my mission to make seven2success the biggest platform of knowledge and inspiration for women, by women, I want to inspire you with our content! Check us out on Facebook and Twitter! I’d love to connect!
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