Psychology and Mental Toughness

Trustworthy content where every article is written by Grandmasters

  • GM Avetik Grigoryan

What Champions Search for (and Where)

Why do we keep searching where it’s bright, even when the keys are lost in the dark? Champions know better.

Psychology and Mental Toughness | 1 min read
  • GM Avetik Grigoryan

The Andon Spirit – The Courage to Stop

Inspired by Toyota’s Andon cord, this is a reflection on why sometimes the smartest move, in life and chess… is to stop.

Psychology and Mental Toughness | 2 min read

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  • GM Avetik Grigoryan

The Power of I Don’t Knows

What keeps you growing isn’t what you know. It’s the “I don’t knows” you carry. A lesson from Metallica, chess, and beyond.

Psychology and Mental Toughness | Be Amazing | 3 min read
  • GM Avetik Grigoryan

Why We Get Angry & How to Sweeten the Soul

What if your anger isn’t about the moment, but what’s already inside you? A story of soccer, wasabi, Rasgullas… and winning the hardest game of all.

Psychology and Mental Toughness | Be Amazing | 6 min read
  • GM Avetik Grigoryan

Why Pushing Harder Might Be Holding You Back

You’re working hard. Staying disciplined. But still stuck? This article explores why more effort isn’t always the answer, and what to do instead.

Psychology and Mental Toughness | 2 min read
  • GM Gabuzyan Hovhannes

The Rating Obsession: Why It’s Ruining Your Progress

Obsessing over rating is one of the biggest mistakes chess players make. In this article, GM Gabuzyan reveals why rating anxiety is silently killing your progress — and what to focus on instead to truly improve.

Improvement Hacks | Psychology and Mental Toughness | 5 min read