Comedian, actor, and recent NSLS Speaker Broadcast guest Kevin Hart first broke into the literary scene in 2017 with his memoir, I Can’t Make This Up: Life Lessons.
Since then, Hart has become a New York Times bestselling author, penning two children’s books, Marcus Makes a Movie and Marcus Makes It Big, and this month’s Leadership Library selection: The Decision: Overcoming Today’s BS for Tomorrow’s Success.
In The Decision, Hart shares how mental toughness and fitness are keys to his success. He also highlights the importance of taking control of your life, making your own decisions, and holding yourself accountable.
“You’re in control of the path that you wanna go down, nobody else. It’s easy to look for other people to blame or to make excuses and point the finger, but sometimes, that finger should just be pointed at you,” Hart told Forbes.
Throughout the book, Hart outlines key tips and tricks that anyone can use to help increase their mental fortitude in the same way that an athlete trains their body.
These tips are broken into sections and actionable lists that can be used as tools to help achieve success. However, Hart points out that initial success is easy to achieve but hard to maintain.
Worth ethic and motivation can wain, especially after a successful moment, but it doesn’t have to. Through hard work, determination, and self-reflection, success can stretch on and on.
The Weapons of Mental Toughness
In The Decision, one of the first sections talks about letting go of thoughts that can hold you back, including jealousy, perfectionism, comparison, and more.
Hart also digs into mindsets that you should cultivate and hold dear. He calls these his 15 mental weapons, which can be honed to keep one motivated and on a long-term path of success.
The 15 mental weapons include:
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A positive mindset - The conscious choice to remain positive in order to grow.
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What-is-ness - Understanding what you can change and what you cannot change.
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Consistency - Success requires constant follow-through.
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Reliability - Know your schedule and when to say no.
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Determination - The ability to self-reflect and appreciate your personal journey.
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Cowboying up - Own your actions, words, and ideas.
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Teddy bearing - Help others find their happiness.
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Dissatisfaction - Always strive for me instead of accepting what you already have.
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Non-reactivity - Negativity is fueled by reaction. Learn to let it go.
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Self-generating power - Rely on yourself to achieve your goals.
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Sponginess - Soaks up valuable knowledge from other people and keeps learning.
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Relatability - Making connections and networking is key.
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Eye on the prize - Make the conscious choice to decide what you want.
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Put up with things - Learn to live in discomfort and make hard sacrifices.
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Humility - No matter your success, stay humble. You’re not better than anyone else.
All of these mental weapons align with what it means to embrace a growth mindset, which empowers people to continuously develop their skills, achieve their goals, and inspire others to do the same.
Other sections of the book offer actionable steps that range from planning to executing. As a whole, the book showcases the hard work that goes into achieving initial success and continuing long-term success.
Key Takeaways: The Decision
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How mental toughness and self-determination are keys to success
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What types of thoughts can sabotage your journey
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Mindsets to embrace to constantly better yourself
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How to put your plans into action
Listen to Kevin Hart’s The Decision on Audible.
