There is an old saying that sports are 90% mental and 10% physical.  Athletes, entrepreneurs and many skilled people blame an emotional edge for their success.

It is as effective as ever in psychology, sports, business, or understanding consumer behavior.  



Further evidence of a link between physical and mental health comes from disease control and prevention centers.  Mental health, which it defines as our sensitive, psychological and social well-being, is an important part of overall health and wellness, the agency said.  Among other things, the CDC states that a person's mental state determines how we manage stress, communicate with others, and make healthy choices.

Still not sure about the importance of mental health?  Consider this.  More than 5% of male suicides in the United States and one person commits suicide every 20 minutes.  Combined with substance abuse and significantly lower mental health use than women, this combination of factors has led some to call men’s mental health status a silent crisis.

So there is a path to human health and happiness.  Mars, in whatever form it is cultivated through a healthy state of mind.  The challenge as a physical conditioner is of course mental management.

Men are not known for their healthy behavior.  Practicing good mental health is a much bigger endeavor, especially when you associate a person's disability with a doctor's appointment.

If cavemen never get sick, they certainly don’t get frustrated, don’t feel inadequate, take on new roles, don’t feel lonely, or just need to talk to someone.  Surprisingly, this culture, or indeed its remnants, is still an epidemic, in the context of the civil unrest that has gripped the nation, and the general rise of anxiety in our nation as social development is disrupted and economically disrupted.  As well.

If ever there was a time when it was necessary to stop suppressing a person's emotions, to embrace new roles and relationships, and to ease the pressure to portray the masculinity of the 1950s in general, this is the time.  Men like the athletes they follow and the business leaders they admire must recognize, whether uncomfortable or not, that their mental well-being is a big part of their success in the sport of life.

Fortunately, like physical fitness, there are strategies that men can employ to develop mental strength and increase resilience.  Think of these as rules of diet and exercise for your mind.

To identify specific strategies, I spoke with my colleague, Dr. Anthony Rostein, who is board-approved in psychiatry and is the head of psychiatry at Cooper University Health Care.  I can ask Dr. Rostein for three exercises to stay mentally fit during this difficult time.  Here is his advice:


  • Open

Men have a habit of suppressing their emotions, avoiding painful feelings and denying mental and physical fatigue.  Control yourself and acknowledge your emotions.  Allow yourself to burn and deal with painful feelings.

It's OK to move into this space and share these thoughts with others. Social media posts during the Open COVID-19 epidemic show a growing interest in men sharing their human side.  Videos of men playing with their children, expressing emotions and usually pulling their hair down are signs that men are truly capable of.

  • Grant control

Men are freaks of control.  Often these can be defined by the traditional thematic role centered on their financial responsibilities.  Not everything is under your control and happiness is certainly not a product of control.

Alternatively, Rostein suggested adding daily routines that could achieve some healthy possibilities that extend beyond old-school thinking.  At night, before going to bed, think about the good things of your day.  Just one, try to identify two positives.  When you wake up, reflect on the day ahead and the possibilities of a meaningful or purposeful experience, how you don’t define it.

Whether the result is a business, personal, or emotional experience, this results-oriented approach strikes a chord for control every day.