Staying positive and determined when things don’t go as planned is a critical component of Justin Arth’s mental toughness philosophy. Justin accredits this philosophy to that of the common denominators found from the greats, such as Tom Brady and Drew Brees, who created a strong mental process from their mentor and trainer, Tom House, who also mentors Justin.
“The two things you can control are your attitude and your effort. Just like the Navy Seals say, mental toughness is a key component to your effort and training level. If I don't have the right mental toughness and a strong effort during the season, I am not going to play at my best and that's not good for me,” Justin says. “Mental toughness is centered on being the best you that you can in the moment while still having a belief that you can be even better in the future.”
This mindset is crucial when working to achieve peak performance — especially when facing a challenge or adversity, which Justin has faced numerous times.
“If things go my way, awesome; and if they don’t, that’s okay, too, even though it's easier said than done. I always have a chance to overcome them in the future,” he adds.
“I have learned from experience that focusing on negatives or making excuses gets me nowhere. I am never the victim. And I gain nothing by getting angry or frustrated. If I throw an interception or have a bad day, by staying in that place, I will just make things worse.”
5 KEYS TO Justin Arth'S MENTAL TOUGHNESS ON GAME DAY
Here are five keys to Justin Arth’s mental toughness that you can apply in your own life.
1. START EACH DAY WITH A POSITIVE OUTLOOK
"Every morning when I wake up, I tell myself, 'Justin you're going to have a great day and be the best you can be today. God have your perfect way.'" Justin says.
This simple, but meaningful saying resets Justin's mindset and attitude each and every morning to have a positive outlook for the day, but also commits the upcoming day to God and whatever He decides to do through Justin. Additionally, Justin says that he will look at sticky notes strategically placed in locations he frequently looks at in the morning, as well as the notes app on his phone, that have positive affirmations, goals and listens to a quote from his mentor, Tom House saying, "Don't do nothing; do something every day. Manage this moment with the most you've got for this moment.. Gitty up and Go."
How do you build this principle into your own life? You have to take immediate action at the beginning of your day. When you wake up, consciously choose a positive outlook for the day ahead. If you believe in yourself, it leads others to believe in you. It is contagious.
2. FOCUS ON GIVING YOUR BEST EFFORT
In addition to starting his day with a positive outlook, Justin likes to spend his day focusing on giving his best possible effort toward what he wants to achieve. revisiting the Tom House, quote, Justin is going to give him maximum effort and attention he has for that day into the specific chosen task. For example, Justin's proudest accomplishments, such as making it in professional football as a former scout team college player led Justin to believing that pursuing maximum effort leads to a lasting brand of satisfaction, regardless of the results, because he gave everything and became the best version of himself for that next moment.
“For me, it’s less about the outcome than it is about the process and whether I put in the best effort relative to my potential,” he says. “Sometimes we win big, others, we may be outscored and lose, but the ones I remember most are the ones where I feel like I and the team gave our best effort.”
One of Justin’s favorite quotes on this principle comes from legendary throwing and performance coach, Tom House: “Don't be the next Drew Brees or Tom Brady. Be the best Justin Arth you can be.”
Expect the best from your day, and then give your best effort.
3. WHEN SOMETHING DOESN'T GO YOUR WAY, CHOOSE TO STAY POSITIVE
As you go through your day, it’s essential to know the difference between the things you can control and the things you can’t. If an event that’s out of your control doesn’t go your way, try to avoid sliding into anger and frustration, which are emotions that are firmly within your control. Choose to remain positive.
Justin relates this principle to a game. “You walk onto the field with a gameplan, ideas of what your opponent will do based on film study and preparation and you feel like you know just about how the game will play out. But at the end of the day, you don’t know what’s going to happen.”
You may not have control over what happens. But, you can choose how you react.
“I have learned from experience that focusing on negatives or making excuses gets me nowhere. I am never the victim. And I gain nothing by getting angry or frustrated. If I throw an interception or have a bad day, by staying in that place, I will just make things worse.”
4. LEARN FROM The LOSSES
Rather than go into a dark place when things don’t work out, learn and grow from the negative experience.
"I always ask myself in the third person 'Why did this event take place? What can Justin do differently so this event does not happen again?'"
By asking why and what can be done differently in the third person, you are taking the negative blaming thoughts out of your mind and allowing yourself to view the root issue and allow yourself to learn something new in this opportunity.
5. Return to your Process
A proven process is not the reason why you lost. Return to your process and keep going. There are going to be speedbumps along the road because the journey is not easy. Make notes from your experiences and take these newly found lessons refine the process and give direction to the process.
"Greatness is not in where you stand, but in what direction you are moving." - Oliver Wendell Holmes
MENTAL TOUGHNESS OVER TIME
Building habits — starting your day with a positive attitude, focusing on effort, staying positive when things go wrong, learning from losses, and returning to your process — can turn mistakes into valuable lessons and failures into victories.
These are the foundations of Justin's approach to both game-day and life as a whole. It allows him to channel his emotional intensity into a positive direction, even when things get rough.
“I’m human,” Justin says. “I can be a very emotional person. I even wear my emotions on my sleeve. But I’ve learned to use losses as 'wake-up calls' to be better the next time for the next opportunity. Usually, what I learn afterward, through reviewing what happened, how I felt and what I remember seeing, is a greater positive than whatever benefits might have come from winning.”
Listen to Justin's talks with himself and others on the winning mindset, checkout The audible: An All-Things Quarterback Podcast.