Mental Strength

[dvcochran]

I like these chicks...LOL

Haha! I hear a lot of that stuff everyday. Normal southeast vernacular.

One of those girls is probably my cousin.

 

[dvcochran]

I completely understand where you're coming from. The idea of cognitive fusion/defusion comes from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and the founders of said system are so convinced that their therapeutic approach is so mind-blowingly complex that they recommend explaining just about everything using an analogy or metaphor. Personally, I think if you're just straightforward, and don't assume everybody is an idiot, that it's a pretty simple concept to grasp.

Spent a little time reading about ACT and cognitive fusion/defusion since I have never heard of them. Very interesting stuff.

 

[mograph]

The basic idea is that cognitive fusion occurs when you accept a given thought as a fact, where cognitive defusion occurs when you recognize a thought for what it is: a thought that may change with knowledge, experience, and emotion.

Sounds rather Buddhist.

 

[Oni_Kadaki]

Sounds rather Buddhist.

Third-wave behavioral therapy (e.g. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), as well as some variants of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, have come to integrate several Buddhist concepts. Mindfulness, in particular, has a large protective effect against depression.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

I completely understand where you're coming from. The idea of cognitive fusion/defusion comes from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and the founders of said system are so convinced that their therapeutic approach is so mind-blowingly complex that they recommend explaining just about everything using an analogy or metaphor. Personally, I think if you're just straightforward, and don't assume everybody is an idiot, that it's a pretty simple concept to grasp.

To be fair, they also write out their approach to sound way more complex and stuffy then it actually is. If you were to just regurgitate what they said it wouldn't make sense to most. But like you said yeah I don't think any client that I've actually gone through and explained it, couldn't grasp the ideas.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Sounds rather Buddhist.

Look up mindfulness based stress reduction if you want to see some psychological buddhism fusions.

 

[Oni_Kadaki]

To be fair, they also write out their approach to sound way more complex and stuffy then it actually is. If you were to just regurgitate what they said it wouldn't make sense to most. But like you said yeah I don't think any client that I've actually gone through and explained it, couldn't grasp the ideas.

Yeah, Hayes is pretty bad about that. If I read "Relational Frame Theory and ACT are far too complex to explain in this one book" one more time...

 

[mograph]

Look up mindfulness based stress reduction if you want to see some psychological buddhism fusions.

Thanks -- yeah, we looked at at few MBSR papers (I have a BSc in Psych, earned in 2017 as a mature student). Very useful.
I'm all in favour of Psych making use of Buddhist concepts, as I (along with others) see Buddhism through a Psych lens as a means of skillful living. I'm also glad when Psych types acknowledge the roots of a theory outside their field.
Buddhism and ACT
But yeah, I also get the need to drive a new stake in the ground to get people's attention.

Nice to see there's some Psych familiarity on the board.

 

[jobo]

Look up mindfulness based stress reduction if you want to see some psychological buddhism fusions.

studies have show it to be just about as effective as antidepressants/ anxiety pills

which means not very, but at least you can still drive

 

[john_newman]

I have been planning to write an article on mental strength, how to attain and what it consists of a little while now. I was wondering what your thoughts on this topic are?

• What do you think constitutes mental strength?
• How do you, personally, improve your mental strength?
• How important do you think it is in martial arts and street fights?
• Would you class yourself as mentally strong, by your own definition?

I have been reading this amazing book called Relentless that my father bought as a gift, and I am almost half-way through it, which is quite great for me as I haven't properly been enthralled by a specific book in years. Even important books to me, such as The Book of Five Rings, I found boring.

I think this book is helping me to take the way I train to the next level, and definitely helping my mentality grow. I highly recommend it. One of the ways it has helped me was by helping me understand that I should be driven by my own discipline, not motivation, for my sport.

If I were to answer my own questions, I would say mental strength, to me, means to make yourself do things when you don't want to do them. To not be phased by the progress of others and to concentrate on yourself - I've always had problems with this which is why I stopped using social media completely (except for a Facebook profile that runs my Martial Fury page and to look at memes). I found that a lot of the accounts on social media meant to motivate you for martial arts just made me feel like **** by showing off things I couldn't accomplish. Mental strength also means having the capacity to look past instant gratification of, say, stopping your workout early, treating yourself to extra cheat days, or cheat days in general, and to focus on the end goal.

I would also say mental strength is a driving factor in what separates those who win and those who don't. It's not just important for sport, but for everyday life. Although I would say I am mentally strong, especially when I compare myself to who I was years ago, I definitely find myself lacking. I've been having issues with the lockdown as it's stopped me from enjoying one of the things that define me as a person. Ever since I started dedicating myself to martial arts, it basically became my way of living. I felt as if the only thing that set me apart from every other person I knew, even my own family, was the passion and drive to achieve and to win, which is why it feels crushing to start questioning your own passion for your sport.

It felt and still feels like quite a lonely path, as I've not yet met anyone who has the same drive for something else. Sometimes I wake up as early as 0430 just to get my workout in, and go to sleep at 2000, and I know I couldn't explain to people who don't have the same instincts why I do this, or why I've had phases where I worked out 5 times daily. And when I question my drive it's even worse because it's a lot like questioning my own identity. I used to feel a very hot flame inside, and it's just not there anymore. The book I am reading, claims that I have everything I need inside me, I just have to look for it. Regardless of all of this, I still aim to be the best because there is no other choice for me. I can't really believe there is any other way for me to have my life fulfilled, and I don't do any of what I do because I want to be the best (I do) but it's because I have to be the best.

"How important do you think it is in martial arts and street fights?"
Martial art does not play only a truly pivotal role in mental strength but also it can boost heart health, increase overall body health, improve self-confidence, mental and health balance, enhance focus and manage anger.

 

[Kemposhot]

"How important do you think it is in martial arts and street fights?"
Martial art does not play only a truly pivotal role in mental strength but also it can boost heart health, increase overall body health, improve self-confidence, mental and health balance, enhance focus and manage anger.

I agree 100%. Over the years; all these additional benefits to Martial Arts has been what’s kept me steady with it for so long.