Tough

A skill is a thought process or movement that may be developed through repetition and practice, such a taekwondo side kick or being tough. You may develop a skill up to the limit of your talent. For example, all martial artists may develop their jumping skills but the one with a talent for jumping will develop quicker and will usually always jump higher when performing a jump-spin kick. 

Even though a martial artist may have a talent for jumping, he or she may not have the toughness required to develop that talent. Whereas, a tough untalented martial artist will persist until he or she can jump as high as physically possible.

Being tough does not mean one always has to be cold, insensitive, calloused, or ruthless. Being tough also means being able to perform consistently at or near the limit of your talent and skill regardless of the circumstances. Even though toughness has the genetic talent aspect that cannot be changed, it also has the skill aspect that may be developed. Therefore, toughness is not so much something you are born with; as it is something you have learned, either through training or through life experiences.

Some people face adversity with a fierce determination to conquer it, while others just give up. When facing adversity, a tough person is relaxed, calm, confident, focused, alert, and ready to react instinctively. Tough people will usually defeat adversity, but, when they cannot defeat it, they will not let it get them down. They will just get tougher so they are more prepared when the next adversity comes.