In “Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds,” David Goggins shares his incredible life story and the mindset that allowed him to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges. Goggins is a former Navy SEAL and Special Forces operative who has gone on to become an ultra-endurance athlete, setting records in some of the most grueling events imaginable.
In Can’t Hurt Me, Goggins detailed how he was able to overcome a childhood marked by poverty and abuse to become one of the toughest men alive. He chronicles his time in the Navy SEALs, where he was constantly pushed to his limits and had to learn to push through pain. He also describes how he used this same mindset to become an ultra-endurance athlete, setting world records in events like the Badwater Ultramarathon and the 24-hour treadmill challenge.
Goggins’ book is an inspirational story of overcoming adversity through sheer force of will. It’s also a practical guide to developing the mental toughness needed to achieve success in any area of life. Here are 10 key takeaways from Can’t Hurt Me.
- You have to be willing to suffer
If you want to achieve anything worthwhile in life, you have to be willing to suffer. Goggins learned this lesson early on in his Navy SEAL training. The SEALs are notorious for their brutal training regimen, which is designed to push recruits to their absolute limits.
Goggins found that the only way to get through the suffering was to embrace it. He learned to see pain as a challenge to be overcome, not something to be avoided. This mindset has helped Goggins push through some of the most difficult challenges of his life, including his 100-mile ultra-marathons and 24-hour treadmill challenges.
- Your mind will give up long before your body does
One of the most important lessons Goggins learned is that your mind will give up long before your body does. This is why it’s so important to develop a strong mental toughness.
Goggins has found that the key to pushing through pain is to focus on your goal, not on the pain itself. When you’re in the midst of a difficult challenge, it’s easy to let your mind focus on the pain and suffering. But if you can keep your eye on the prize, so to speak, you’ll find that you have the strength to keep going.
- You need to have a “why”
In order to push through the tough times, you need to have a strong “why.” In other words, you need to be clear about your goals and why you’re pursuing them.
Goggins has found that it’s helpful to think about your goals in terms of how they will benefit your life and the lives of those around you. When you have a clear purpose, it’s much easier to push through the tough times.
- It’s not about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving
In order to be successful, you need to be able to take a punch and keep moving. Life is full of challenges and setbacks, and you need to be able to bounce back from them.
Goggins has found that the key to resilience is to have a growth mindset. That is, you need to believe that you can always improve and that you will eventually overcome whatever challenges you’re facing.
- You need to be willing to fail
If you’re not willing to fail, you’ll never reach your full potential. Goggins has failed countless times in his life, but he’s always used those failures as a springboard to further success.
In order to be successful, you need to be willing to take risks. And, more importantly, you need to be okay with the fact that you will sometimes fail.
- Pain is just a part of life
Goggins has come to accept pain as a part of life. He’s found that the best way to deal with pain is to simply acknowledge it and then move on.
Pain is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to control you. If you can learn to deal with pain in a healthy way, it will become much easier to push through the tough times.
- You need to focus on the process, not the outcome
When you’re pursuing a goal, it’s important to focus on the process, not the outcome. That is, you need to focus on the things you can control, like your effort and attitude.
If you focus on the outcome, you’ll likely become discouraged when things don’t go as planned. But if you focus on the process, you’ll be able to stay motivated and keep moving forward.
- You need to have grit
Grit is a combination of passion and perseverance. It’s what allows you to keep going even when things are tough.
Goggins has found that grit is essential for success. Without grit, it’s easy to give up when things get tough. But if you have grit, you’ll find the strength to keep going and eventually reach your goals.
- You need to surround yourself with positive people
In order to be successful, you need to surround yourself with positive people. negativity can be contagious, so it’s important to be around people who will support and encourage you.
Goggins has found that it’s helpful to have a “positivity buddy.” This is someone who you can check in with on a regular basis to make sure you’re staying positive and on track.
- You need to give back
Finally, Goggins has found that it’s important to give back. When you help others, you not only make the world a better place, but you also make yourself a better person.
Giving back doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as volunteering your time or donating to a worthy cause. But however you choose to give back, Goggins believes it’s an essential part of a successful life.