It's all in the mind

"England keeping tabs on Rooney's mind," many sports papers including the Daily Mail reported recently

One of the most ragged cliches in sports is the importance of "the mental game," that players who are psychologically prepared will have an edge on competitors who might be more physically gifted. Like most cliches, it's absolutely true.

And since sports is such an irresistible metaphor among business executives, "mental toughness" is also essential in the corporate world.