Your ability to thrive under pressure is based in large part on your mindset and initial response to stressors. Being mentally strong means thinking about challenges, not threats. If you see a threat in something, your body reacts as it might to a predator in the wild: with a racing heart, sweaty palms, tense muscles, and an upset stomach.

Feeling anxious and imagining everything that could go wrong undermines your ability to perform. Mentally strong people think, “I’m ready for this challenge.” Such an approach helps them cope with stress, increase focus and control their emotions and thoughts, improving their ability to work. Ignore the “what if…” and think “what’s going to happen now is I’m going to…”