Strive to be Tough Not Mean

"Strive to be tough, not mean" is a guiding principle that can be applied to various aspects of life, be it personal relationships, leadership, sports, or any competitive field. Here's a breakdown of what this phrase signifies:
1. Toughness:

Inner Strength: Being tough means having the resilience, courage, and determination to face challenges, adversities, and setbacks head-on. It is about being persistent and bouncing back from failures.
Setting Boundaries: It means having the strength to set and maintain boundaries, both for yourself and others, without letting emotions or external pressures blur them.
Ethical: Toughness also involves standing by your values, even when it's not the easiest thing to do.
2. Mean-spiritedness:

Negative Intent: Being mean often comes from a place of insecurity, malice, or a desire to belittle and hurt others. It is the act of causing harm without any productive or positive outcome.
Short-term: While being mean might get results in the short term, it rarely benefits in the long run. People might comply out of fear, but not out of respect or loyalty.
Destroys Relationships: Mean behavior can lead to resentment, broken relationships,
3. Leadership and Teamwork:

A tough leader challenges their team, pushes them to be their best, and provides constructive feedback. However, they also show empathy, understanding, and support.
A mean leader, on the other hand, demotivates, uses fear as a tool, and does not truly value the individual worth of each team member.
4. Personal Relationships:

Being tough might mean confronting a loved one about their harmful behavior, setting boundaries, or having difficult conversations. It is done out of care and a desire for the best outcome.
Being mean in personal relationships can manifest as unnecessary criticisms, belittling, or emotional manipulation. It serves no purpose other than to hurt the other person.
5. Self-Reflection:

Being tough on oneself means setting high standards, pushing oneself to grow, and learning from mistakes. It's about personal growth.
Being mean to oneself is self-deprecation, unproductive guilt, or setting unrealistic standards that lead to feelings of worthlessness