Breakthrough Psychological Solutions

Mastering the Art of Mental Push-Ups in the Corporate Trenches

To my fellow Medium warriors, battle-tested veterans of the corporate grind, and caffeine-fueled survivors of yet another “quick” team sync — this one’s for you.

As a psychologist with nearly two decades of experience (yes, including working with military personnel, federal inmates, and folks navigating the minefield of private life), I’ve seen resilience play out in all its gritty, glorious, and sometimes downright absurd forms. And let me tell you — whether you’re in combat boots, a prison uniform, or a business suit — mental toughness is the secret sauce that keeps us all from spontaneously combusting when the Wi-Fi cuts out during a Zoom presentation.

But here’s the kicker: most of us treat our mental health like it’s a breakroom vending machine. We only notice it when it’s malfunctioning, and even then, we just give it a swift kick and hope for the best. Spoiler alert: this approach doesn’t work.

The Corporate Trenches: A Battlefield of Brain Burnout

The corporate world, much like the military or a maximum-security prison, has its own trenches. Sure, your enemies may not be wielding weapons, but they are armed with passive-aggressive emails, endless PowerPoint decks, and the dreaded phrase, “Let’s circle back.” Your battles aren’t fought over territory, but over deadlines, competing priorities, and (let’s be honest) figuring out how to mute yourself on Teams before the dog starts barking.

So, how do you survive? How do you thrive when the corporate equivalent of trench warfare is your day-to-day? You do what any seasoned fighter does: you train.

Mental Push-Ups: The Workout You Didn’t Know You Needed

Physical push-ups build upper body strength. Mental push-ups? They build resilience, focus, and the ability to keep a straight face when your boss says, “We’re pivoting…again.” Think of mental push-ups as small, daily exercises to flex your psychological muscles. They don’t involve sweating (unless you count sweating out your next performance review), but they do require discipline, a dash of self-awareness, and the willingness to occasionally laugh at how ridiculous life can be.

Here are a few “mental push-ups” to get you started:

1. The Inbox Drill: Start each day by prioritizing three emails that actually matter. The rest? File them under “Let’s Pretend I Didn’t See That.”
2. The Mindful Meeting Maneuver: During your next meeting, resist the urge to scroll Twitter while someone discusses Q4 metrics. Instead, focus on deep breathing and actually listening (I know — it’s radical).
3. The Gratitude Rep: At the end of the day, write down one thing that went well. Even if it’s just “I didn’t throw my laptop out the window.”

Why This Matters

In my experience, whether you’re navigating the rigid structure of the military, the chaos of a prison system, or the subtle (and not-so-subtle) politics of a corporate hierarchy, mental fitness is what separates those who thrive from those who merely survive. The good news? Resilience is a skill. And like any skill, it can be sharpened — one mental push-up at a time.

If you’re nodding along, smirking (or maybe crying silently into your coffee), I’ve got more where this came from. Head over to my company blog at Breakthrough Psychological Solutions for deeper dives into resilience, leadership, and maybe even more strategies for surviving your next all-hands meeting.