
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

Obstacles Don't Stop You, You Do
Natluxmag is committed to you having the life of luxury as defined by you, by taking risk and pursuing your dreams and passions with no excuses. However we’ve noticed that some people expect this process to be easy. Achievable and easy aren’t the same thing. Most people will quickly abandon their dreams because they become overwhelmed by the process.
More often than not, the ability to reach your goals comes down to answering a few simple questions. How badly do you want your dream to come to fruition? Do you want it enough to face and overcome each obstacle? Are you willing to accept sacrifices you’ll have to make? We know the seemingly impossible can become a reality because when people want their dream so much they’d endure any hardship to get it.
Our purpose is to inspire you to reach your goals, not become paralyzed by obstacles, and to not give up when it gets difficult. If you find yourself tempted to give up because of obstacles don't. When you get stuck and aren’t sure what to do next ask yourself, “What is the next action step?” Until you reach your goal there is always “a next action step.” And leave room for adjustments.
Mental Toughness Exercises
By Isnation Author 07/01/25: In the standard psychological literature, the four pillars of mental toughness are motivation, self-confidence, attention focus, and managing pressure.
Motivation
In terms of motivation, an athlete with a strong desire to achieve and push past their limits is considered motivated. Such an athlete is self-confident, believes in themselves, and is willing to take risks. They can maintain attention to their surroundings and remain focused despite distractions. This attentional focus allows them to perform well under pressure.
Research indicates that a coach’s willingness to create an encouraging environment through positive reinforcement in a competitive environment and a parent’s role in influencing the correct attitude for sports participation play significant roles in developing the four pillars of mental toughness within athletes.
Exercises to Try
According to the latest research, athletes can improve their mental resilience and toughness through a diverse set of exercises.
Goalsetting: One such exercise is setting goals. Spending time and setting action-oriented, measurable goals that are precise but self-determined within a reasonable time frame are effective strategies for building motivation for sports. These goals should be specific and with a degree of difficulty to maximise achievement. Athletes can use SMART goals for this, here’s what the acronym stands for:
Athletes can use SMART goals for this; here’s what the acronym stands for:
Specific: Clear goals that lay out exactly what you want to accomplish, removing any level of vagueness.
Measurable: Metrics that provide quantifiable information on how close you are to achieving your goals
Attainable: Goals must be achievable with available resources
Relevant: Goals should apply to your surroundings and objectives; for example, setting specific goals to achieve a certain personal best will align with overall sporting ambitions.
Time-bound: Realistic deadlines should be put in place to achieve goals.
Dedicate time to write these goals down, using SMART as a guideline to guide effective goal setting in improving mental resilience and toughness.
Visualizing Success: Secondly, imagery has been observed to build self-confidence through the reinforcement of positive performance. This is often done by closing your eyes and imagining a successful game or performance in your competition. Athletes incorporating imagery for mental preparation before a competition can benefit from raising self-confidence.
Quieting Negative Thoughts: Finally, training to deal with pressure derived from competition by employing cognitive restructuring techniques has proven beneficial. Practicing identifying negative thoughts, establishing containment cues, and replacing them with positive alternatives can help dismiss thoughts that may hinder performance.
Positive Self-Talk: In terms of attentive control, using positive self-talk statements such as ‘I am strong’ through motivational and instructional cues can help sustain the focus needed to maintain mental resilience during competition. Former professional athletes have learned to utilize this mental skill in producing positive sporting outcomes. Retired NFL quarterback Danny Wuerffel nurtured his inner voice from a young age through positive self-talk messages to improve his performance at the highest level.
To learn more about the role self-talk can play in sports, check out the course ‘The Voice Inside Your Head’ on the ISNation app by former NFL Quarter Back Danny Wuerffel. Article source: https://articlebiz.com