India, Oct. 20 -- Physical skill can get you to the starting line. What determines how you handle what comes next is often mental. It is easy to stay composed when everything is going as planned. The real test begins when the weather changes, a schedule falls apart, or oxygen starts getting scarce. You need to think clearly, manage the pressure, and work out what needs to happen next. Mental fitness is built much like physical fitness. It comes from practice, repetition, and learning to stay with discomfort instead of immediately trying to escape it.

Not all stress is harmful. Prolonged, overwhelming pressure can take a toll, but everyday discomfort has a different role. It is often part of learning something difficult or doing something...