Kevin Hart’s 15 Weapons of Mental Strength Training

In Kevin Hart’s follow-up to his best-selling memoir, “I Can’t Make This Up” he reveals the skills that have allowed him to rise up in his profession as a standup comedian and actor.

It’s a set of rules that look like a mental strength training program. He even calls it the Kevin Hart Mental Fitness Bootcamp.

Although Hart is a professional at the top of his field, he is easy to dismiss, quite frankly, because of his demeanor and outward appearance. Part of his persona is in direct opposition to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who simply demands attention because of his overwhelming physical appearance and matching personality.

Despite this and other potentially career-shattering events, Hart is among the world’s highest-paid entertainers with a reported net worth of $200 million.

According to Hart, his secret is his mental game. The mental tools that have allowed him to overcome his shortcomings, mistakes, and “sweaty hands,” to rise to the occasion every time (some puns intended).

Start with a Pep Talk and Ask Yourself the Following Questions

What am I building?

What’s the end game?

What path am I on now?

What decisions am I making out of fear? Out of joy?

What is the path that leads to the ultimate you?

From this starting point, you can direct any mental training towards what really matters to you. The ability to be successful requires a guiding light, similar to what author Robert Greene calls your Life’s Task.

“The world is a never-ending series of tests.” — Kevin Hart

Mental Strength Training

People train their bodies physically but often forget to train their mental strength. Mental training involves knowing what to let go of, recognizing the mental barriers that you hold back, and arming yourself with mental weapons and daily practices that will lead you to the success you desire.

First, Let Go of the Following

1. Jealousy

External judgments are just you feeling bad about yourself. The amount of time and energy it takes to hate is not worth it. Free up that time and energy by not wasting it on what other people have. The life that works for you will look different from anyone else.

2. Perfectionism

Learning and failure are a part of the process.

3. Comparison

The biggest distraction in the digital age. All that matters is your best, your path, and your skill level. Don’t get caught up in where other people are at.

4. Unhealthy Fear

Most things don’t matter, act accordingly.

6. Resistance

Stop convincing yourself that it is ok to break your commitments to yourself — that is resistance.

8. Anger

The frustration you keep within yourself only hurts you.

9. Blame

Playing the role of victim is an enabler of most everything else on this list.

10. Judgement of Others

Those that judge can’t do.

11. Self-Judgement

Grading something, sitting around thinking about the things you can’t get right will beat you down and hold you back.

Then, Arm Yourself with the 15 Weapons of Mental Strength

Hart calls this section weapons training because these skills are used to fight internal daily battles. The more you use a tool the better you’ll get at it.

Repetition breeds confidence. The more you practice and remind yourself to use them, the more they will become part of you.

1. Positive Mindset

Regardless of what you do or who you are, you will face negativity. Especially in the digital age, negativity is everywhere. All we talk about online is hate. Your mindset is the most important thing to protect. You must decide to be positive rather than negative. It takes practice to avoid negativity, to risk being different from the crowd. It is possible to always find something positive from the negative.

2. What-Is-Ness

Whatever it is, deal with it. Accept what you cannot change and keep on moving.

3. Consistency

Consistency is what separates the pros from the amateurs. The more you do it, and see results, the more you do it.

4. Reliability

Know your schedule and commitments, say no when you have to, stand up for yourself and stick to your plan.

5. Determination

Live your life for yourself and appreciate your individual journey.

6. Cowboying Up

Take ownership with action, not just words.

7. Teddy Bearing

Provide comfort, safety, and affection — being likable is a skill that you can use to your advantage.

8. Dissatisfaction

A healthy desire to continuously grow and improve is important to have. Satisfaction is a capacity killer.

9. Non-Reactivity

If you don’t react to negativity, it becomes null.

10. Self-Generating Power

Pull energy out of yourself when necessary. Keep putting in the work, regardless of what you already accomplished.

11. Sponginess

Literally, soak up all the knowledge from people around you and those that are better at what you are trying to do. The smartest people are the sponginess.

12. Relatability

As you learn and grow, you must also be more socially adept; be able to seamlessly integrate into any room, conversation, and range of ideas.

13. Eye-on-the-Prizeness

Stay focused and don’t settle for less because those lesser opportunities will come.

14. Put-Up-With-Ness

The best in the world are able to put up with more discomfort than other people.

15. Humility

Stay rooted and always be in touch with what really matters.

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