![Quote](https://startingstrength.com/resources/forum/images/misc/quote_icon.png)
Originally Posted by
John Brothers
"How did you and I get trained to be mentally strong and they didn't?"
I've struggled to come to terms with this concept for a while. It seems some people have a spark, and others don't. Or, some people take the initiative to light their own spark later in life, having recognized an internal deficiency.
Why do some have it, and others don't? Why do some people spend their lives under the influence of nothing but their own emotions and cravings, and others actively assert a sovereignty over their own minds? How do you influence someone else to become mentally strong?
A year or so ago, I read The Carol Dweck book "Mindset". The crux of it is the idea of a "growth mindset", which is a belief that you can change yourself (e.g. become better at something, change your outlook on something, etc...). it's a pretty simple concept, but to someone that's never considered it before, it can be profound. Or, on the other hand, someone that's never considered it before might consider it all to be bullshit. I've seen both reactions.
Does anyone here have recommendations on other works (books, movies, poems, music, stand-up comedy routines.....anything) that address this? I feel like the human race has grappled with this for hundreds of years. Surely someone, at some point, has had something insightful to say about this.