Hardiness with Dr Paul Taylor A deep dive into Psychological and Physiological Hardiness , with Paul and Carly Taylor
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Jan 16, 2026 
In this insightful conversation, Paul Taylor—a psychophysiologist and author—discusses the fascinating concept of hardiness compared to resilience. He shares his personal history, including his experience with open heart surgery and how he reframed it as a challenge. Paul emphasizes the four C's: control, challenge, commitment, and connection, and presents evidence that hardiness can be developed. He also outlines practical steps to cultivate a hardiness mindset in both adults and children, while highlighting the role of connection in stress and recovery.
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Optimize Yourself Before Surgery
- Prepare scientifically for major medical procedures by optimizing fitness, sleep, and understanding risks and recovery strategies.
- Control what you can (fitness, nutrition, knowledge) to improve recovery odds and reduce anxiety.
Hardiness Versus Resilience
- Hardiness prepares you before stress and enables growth from it, while resilience describes bouncing back after events.
- Hardiness has clearer definitions and stronger predictive research in high-pressure fields than resilience.
The Four C's Of Hardiness
- Psychological hardiness comprises control, challenge and commitment, with connection added as a fourth C by Dr. Paul Taylor.
- Control means focusing on what you can influence and maintaining an internal locus of control during stress.
