Is there such a thing as mental toughness?

I was watching one of those endless yelling shows on ESPN today--you know, the ones where ex-athletes/coaches are pontificating on this team or that team, or this play or that player, and the term "mental toughness" was used.

Now, the world of sports is well-known for its catch phrases and lingo, but the term "mental toughness" is used over and over with seldom an explanation as to what exactly "it" is.  I've often discussed the topic with sports buddies and often got caught in the web of passing judgment on teams and/or players who I/we thought were "mentally tough."

But, again, is there even such a thing?  Well, if you trust Google, there is as the searching of this phrase turned up 2.7 million entries.  I'll use one to try to provide some definition around this term given that the yappiest of pundits will continue to discuss the unbeaten teams in college football and who will survive, Mark Sanchez versus Tim Tebow in New York, Oklahoma City's young team in the NBA and their mental fortitude, or whether pre-season number one Indiana has "it" to go with the obvious talent on the floor.

One definition I found of mental toughness is, "having the natural or developed psychological edge that enables you to:
- Generally cope better than your opponents with the many demands (e.g., competition, training, lifestyle) that are placed on you as a performer.
- Specifically, to be more consistent and better than your opponents in remaining determined, focused, confident, resilient, and in control under pressure."

This same definition cited self-belief, motivation, focus and composure as key characteristics for those considered to be mentally tough athletes.  The study (Jones et al, 2002) pointed out that the "key component of mental toughness is learning how to condition your mind to think confidently and be able to overcome frustration/self-critical negativity"--to not allow frustration to undermine your confidence or focus.

If we buy into this seemingly reasonable definition, then what athletes and/or teams do we think fit the categorization?  For me, Joe Montana comes to mind given his penchant for late-game heroics even if he or his team had not performed at a high level, up to that point, as well as his seeming calm in the huddle which helped his team stay calm and in control.  Michael Jordan is another who has to be placed in that mentally tough category given his ultra-competitiveness and the championship rings he brought home to Chicago.  And, a more recent pro athlete who has shown mental toughness is Eli Manning.

I buy into the notion of mental toughness and do believe that such a thing exists.  My hope, as a fan, is that the term is not used indiscriminately and that perhaps a more rationale explanation is given when those opining on the world of sports back up their opinions with a fact or two.  What a novel concept, huh?