Sisu: How to Develop Mental Toughness in the Face of Adversity

The Winter war took place in Helsinki, Finland, when Soviet Union planes came roaring over the city on November 30, 1939. Soviets dropped more than 350 bombs during the raid. Innocent civilians died. Entire buildings were turned to dust. And it was just the beginning. Three hours before the air strike, more than 450,000 Soviet soldiers began marchi... See more

The Finish showed what Sisu is during this Winter War.

Sisu is a word that has no direct translation, but it refers to the idea of continuing to act even in the face of repeated failures and extreme odds. It is a way of living life by displaying perseverance even when you have reached the end of your mental and physical capacities. During the Winter War, the extreme mental toughness of Sisu was all the... See more

Sisu runs even deeper than grit. It is a type of mental toughness that allows you to bear the burden of your responsibilities, whatever they happen to be, with a will and perseverance that is unbreakable. It is the ability to sustain your action and fight against extreme odds. Sisu extends beyond perseverance. It is what you rely on when you feel l... See more

When you are running on fumes and bleary-eyed from caring for your young children, but still need to find the strength to nail your presentation at work. SISU

When you start a business even though you have nobody to look to for guidance. SISU

When you're in the middle of a season slump that never seems to end. SISU

When you feel as if you have tried everything you can to achieve your goal, and you still haven't made it. SISU

The Finns would suffer more than 70,000 casualties during the Winter War. But that number would pale in comparison to the 323,000 Soviet casualties during that same time. By the end of winter, the Soviets had seen enough. The Moscow Peace Treaty was signed in March 1940. In total, the Soviets had attacked with over 900,000 soldiers during the Winte... See more

When you are two miles from finishing your race, and it feels as if you can't make it another step. SISU