Can't Hurt Me:
Master your Mind and Defy the Odds
| Author: David Goggins, 2018 |
What's it all About?
This is the story of David Goggins, from beginning to his present life, and he has lived a life worth sharing. Yes, he is a Navy Seal, however that is only a fraction of the crazy accomplishments and struggles this man has gone through. Through a sometimes difficult to hear about, painful childhood no one should have to go through, this man somehow continued to overcome his roadblocks and doubters by learning and wrestling with his own mind.
The story is told chronologically from that abusive childhood, through his 20 years as a Navy Seal, including having to go through ‘hell week’ three times to pass.
He breaks his journey down by adding 10 challenges along the way for you, because this is the reason, he shares his story, to help the reader. I highly suggest you actually do the work. Some journalling and being honest with yourself, followed up by some action. For me, that structure did highlight some areas I have been talking myself out of, in a time when we need to talk ourselves into action.
This is not a light read – there is cussing, and he has a no holds barred, no excuse approach. If you are looking for something to make you feel better for the situation you are in, this is not the book for you. This is not a quick fix technique game changer read, and it is not new. It is about hard work to defy the odds, and that never ends. It does lead you to a purposeful life worth living and getting closer to the greatness that is in all of us. I can almost feel his presence when I start to create my own excuses.
I really enjoyed the audio version, which included 2 hours of bonus material, as each chapter provided deeper insights within the informal discussions between Goggins and his narrator/ghost writer.
Favourite Quote
‘You are in danger of living a life so comfortable and soft, that you will die without ever realizing your true potential’
Biggest Takeaway
By far it is a deeper appreciation for how little we tap into our full potential. I would not call it motivational, more factual. Goggins truly believes, based on his personal experiments, when we first feel we are at our max, we actually have only utilized 40 percent of what our body is capable of. The guy ran a hundred-mile marathon with no training! Geez, and I do self talk to build myself up to 5 miles? If you think you have been working your hardest, you need to read this. It literally highlighted aspects of my life I really needed to approach with a different strategy. Nothing I didn’t know, the truth hurts when you write your own story, and have to look in that mirror knowing there is a lot more to give when you get out of your comfort zone and excuses. I will get the time back from reading this book, just by the extra reps I will push for at the gym, and extra hours I will put in working on my business, and the results I am already seeing. You can’t say that about every book you read. And it was entertaining as well!
Reviewed by: Trevor Blondeel, November 2019