How to Raise Kids Who are Mentally Tough

Author Ivy Xu
October 20, 2023
Luckily, mental toughness is a skill that can be developed over time. 

Here’s how to teach it to your kids:

1. Manufacture hardship.

“Manufacturing hardship is key to developing lasting mental toughness,” says Polina. “It happens when you regularly stress-test yourself by intentionally introducing hardship into your everyday life.”

In other words, to get better at handling challenges, our kids must regularly challenge themselves — on purpose. 

David Goggins started by making a list of things he didn’t want to do…

And then he started doing the things on the list. 

Building mental toughness gave David a new identity, from which he found new self-esteem.

Try having them your kids:

• Pick up a new sport
• Learn to play an instrument
• Sign up for a challenging class at school

The key is to make sure they stay consistent, even when they don’t feel like practicing. They’ll grow from overcoming the challenge.

2. Track your growth over time.

Another term for mental toughness is what Angela Duckworth calls grit:

Sounds pretty great — but how can you help your kids become more gritty?

Multiple studies have shown that tracking your progress can help you achieve your goals.

But when your goal is something intangible, like building mental toughness, it can be difficult to determine whether you’ve been successful or not.

That’s why Angela created a numeric grit scale that can help your kids self-assess how gritty they are.

This allows them to measure their progress over time 👇️ 

• Have your kids self-assess now.
• In a few months, have them do it again.
• Let them see how much they’ve improved.

Seeing tangible improvements in their mindset will encourage them to keep going.

3. Cut out the self-sabotage.

When your kids face a challenge, they might end up self-sabotaging. 

How do you know when your kids are self-sabotaging? Here are the sneaky signs:

• They’re avoiding doing the things they know they should
• They’re blaming outside forces for why they can’t achieve their goals
• They suddenly stop wanting to do something they used to love doing, without any reasonable explanation

Brianna Wiest, author of The Mountain is You, says we self-sabotage in order to avoid discomfort.

Chances are, they’re just heading outside of their comfort zone. This is a good thing, but it doesn’t always feel like a good thing.

So if your kids are self-sabotaging, how can you help them get comfortable being uncomfortable?

Brianna says you must address the root of your kid’s discomfort.

❓Ask them: 

• What are you afraid of? 
• What discomfort are you avoiding?

Maybe your kid missed an easy pitch at their last game and they’re feeling afraid of it happening again. 

Run through that worst-case scenario. If their fear came true, what would they do? 

Help your kid realize that they have a choice about how they react to this fear. 

👉 Sure, they can let it make them quit softball so they never have that experience again.

👉 Or, they can practice harder and improve their skills, so that next time they step onto the field, they’re prepared to do better.

What kind of person does your kid want to be? The one that quits, or the one that keeps going?

We can raise kids who let adversity scare them, defeat them, or make them feel like the world is against them.

Or we can raise kids who take adversity in stride, use it as fuel, and grow stronger from it. 🌟

source: https://prequel.beehiiv.com/p/teach-kids-to-be-tough?utm_source=prequel.beehiiv.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=the-science-of-grit

I’ve studied tactics from superstar writers, college essay advisors, and award-winning storytellers, and developed a quick-start method that takes students from a blank page to a successful essay in half the time.

I tried it out on some super busy high school seniors, and they got into schools like UC Berkeley, Cornell, and Columbia. No biggie. 😉 

So I’m running a bootcamp starting Oct 28. If your student is struggling with crafting a winning college essay, join me, and we’ll solve that problem in a week!

Spaces are limited – learn more here 👇

Ivy
CEO Prequel, BETA Camp, Apollo
Follow my journey on LinkedIn

• CALFIRE SISKIYOU UNIT HAND CREW SELECTED FOR BLUE RIBBON AWARD
  Post Views: 21 YREKA – The Blue Ribbon Award was created by the Western Fairs Association, the premier organization dedicated to supporting and promoting the fair industry in the Western United States and Canada, to honor those that go above and beyond to support their annual fair.  The 10th District Agricultural Association Board of Directors,
• 10th DAA selects Kenny Elwood for 2026 Golden Pass
  Post Views: 15 YREKA- The 10th District Agricultural Association Board of Directors is happy to announce a Lifetime Pass will be presented to Kenny Elwood of Bella Vista. The pass will be given at the opening ceremonies of the Siskiyou Golden Fair on June 24th.  Opening ceremony begins at 5:00 PM at the fairground flagpole
• FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT: Carson’s Window Coverings & More
  Post Views: 20 Filing No.: 2026-47-0190FILED IN: Siskiyou CountyDATE: 06-03-2026Laura Bynam, ClerkBy: D.Brooks,Deputy ClerkFICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENTThe following person (persons) is (are) doing business as:Carson’s Window Coverings & More108 S. BroadwayYreka, CA 96097 in SiskiyouMailing Address:108 S. BroadwayYreka, CA 96097530 598-9247Registered Owner(s):Maridee CarsonThis Business is conducted by: An IndividualThe registrant commenced to transact business under
• Traffic Stop in Siskiyou County Leads to $1.9 Million Cocaine Seizure, Driver Arrested
  Post Views: 36 Source – Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office -$1.9 Million Cocaine Seizure Results in Arrest- On May 29, 2026 at approximately 1150 hours, a Siskiyou County Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2022 Mazda CX5 for a mechanical violation. During the traffic stop, the driver was found to be unlicensed and demonstrating multiple
• F-35A Lightning II Jets from Luke AFB Arrive for Two-Week Training at Kingsley Field
  Post Views: 22 Siskiyou County, California — Residents in Siskiyou County and surrounding areas may notice increased jet activity and noise in the skies over Shasta Valley and nearby regions as a squadron of advanced F-35A Lightning II fighters from Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, trains with the Oregon Air National Guard’s 173rd Fighter Wing.