Recently, the world witnessed one of the most epic grand slam finals of all time between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer: a five-hour marathon final that pushed both players to the brink of their physical and mental ability. What stood out for me in this match was the level of pressure both players experienced and how just a single point at various stages of the game could determine a player’s fate. An extra-ordinary experience to say the least!

What was even more incredible was Novak Djokovic’s ability to harness mental strength at a time when it seemed as if the entire crowd was chanting against him. After the game, he was reported as saying that he had to adjust his mind and draw strength and support from within himself. Whenever the crowd chanted, “Come on Roger” he convinced himself they were saying, “Come on Novak.” He attributed this mental approach to not only helping him through the grueling five hours but in helping him to overcome the odds and win the game.

I think there is a lesson to be learnt here which can be applied to our own working lives. There is always much talk of anxiety, depression, bullying and harassment and other issues that prohibit us from realising our true potential and even just simply “being happy” in our working life. There will always be external forces affecting us in different ways, but it really comes down to how WE allow ourselves to be affected internally by these forces that can make all the difference to our chances of success and happiness at work.

There are many strategies workers can try such as mindfulness for better perspective and confidence, yoga and/or deep breathing techniques for stress management or even networking groups and counselling for workers experiencing loneliness or bullying at work, or even outside of work, which can also impact our working lives.

Mental toughness is something that needs to be worked at. It certainly doesn’t come naturally to all of us. In this modern world of high expectations and competitiveness, it’s worth taking a leaf out of this great Wimbledon champion’s book to ensure our own success and happiness in our careers.