Summary
"Can't Hurt Me" is a memoir written by David Goggins, a former Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Ultramarathon runner. The book follows Goggins' journey from his difficult childhood, where he faced abuse and racism, to his transformation into a successful athlete and motivational speaker.
Goggins shares his struggles with obesity, a learning disability, and a lack of confidence. He overcomes these obstacles in a remarkable way, by pushing himself to his limits physically and mentally. He runs ultra-marathons, including a hundred-mile race without training. He completes the infamous SEAL Hell Week three times and becomes the only member of the US Armed Forces to complete Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller training. He also sets records for pull-ups and completes various endurance events.
The book also explores Goggins' mindset, where he emphasizes the importance of embracing pain and facing your fears. He stresses the value of perseverance, accountability, and discipline. Goggins believes that anyone can transform their life if they are willing to put in hard work and push through challenges.
Overall, "Can't Hurt Me" is a powerful and transformative book that encourages readers to push past their limits and become their best selves. It motivates readers to overcome obstacles and to never give up on themselves. The book serves as both inspiration and practical advice for anyone looking to achieve their goals and live a fulfilling life.
Goggins shares his struggles with obesity, a learning disability, and a lack of confidence. He overcomes these obstacles in a remarkable way, by pushing himself to his limits physically and mentally. He runs ultra-marathons, including a hundred-mile race without training. He completes the infamous SEAL Hell Week three times and becomes the only member of the US Armed Forces to complete Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller training. He also sets records for pull-ups and completes various endurance events.
The book also explores Goggins' mindset, where he emphasizes the importance of embracing pain and facing your fears. He stresses the value of perseverance, accountability, and discipline. Goggins believes that anyone can transform their life if they are willing to put in hard work and push through challenges.
Overall, "Can't Hurt Me" is a powerful and transformative book that encourages readers to push past their limits and become their best selves. It motivates readers to overcome obstacles and to never give up on themselves. The book serves as both inspiration and practical advice for anyone looking to achieve their goals and live a fulfilling life.
Key ideas
1. Embrace discomfort: David Goggins emphasizes the importance of facing discomfort head-on and using it to build mental toughness. He believes that pushing past one's own limits can lead to incredible personal growth and achievement.
Example: Throughout the book, Goggins shares stories of the extreme physical and mental challenges he has faced, such as running 100 miles in a single day or overcoming a debilitating fear of water to become a Navy SEAL. By pushing through these uncomfortable situations, Goggins was able to achieve remarkable feats and build a level of mental toughness that few people possess.
2. Take ownership of your life: Goggins stresses the importance of taking responsibility for one's own life and not allowing external circumstances to control one's actions. He believes that we all have the power to create our own reality through discipline, hard work, and self-mastery.
Example: In the book, Goggins talks about growing up in poverty and facing racism and abuse as a child. Despite these challenges, he chose to take ownership of his life by joining the military and later becoming an ultra-endurance athlete. He believes that anyone can achieve their goals if they are willing to take ownership of their situation and work hard to overcome obstacles.
3. Overcome adversity through mental toughness: Goggins believes that mental toughness is the key to overcoming adversity and achieving success. He encourages readers to develop a "calloused mind" through rigorous training and self-discipline, which will enable them to push through any obstacle that comes their way.
Example: Goggins' own story is a testament to the power of mental toughness. He overcame childhood abuse and poverty, multiple failed attempts to become a Navy SEAL, and significant physical injuries to achieve his goals. In the book, he describes the grueling training he put himself through, such as running ultra-marathons with broken bones and pushing through extreme exhaustion to complete a Navy SEAL Hell Week. These experiences helped him develop a level of mental toughness that allowed him to succeed where others had failed.
4. Create and follow a personal accountability system: Goggins advocates for creating a personal accountability system that helps individuals stay on track with their goals and commitments. He believes that this system should include written goals, daily affirmations, and regular self-reflection.
Example: Throughout the book, Goggins describes how he used his own personal accountability system to stay focused and motivated. He kept a journal to track his progress and set specific goals for himself, such as running a certain distance each day. He also used daily affirmations to remind himself of his goals and motivations. By holding himself accountable in this way, Goggins was able to overcome numerous challenges and achieve remarkable success.
Example: Throughout the book, Goggins shares stories of the extreme physical and mental challenges he has faced, such as running 100 miles in a single day or overcoming a debilitating fear of water to become a Navy SEAL. By pushing through these uncomfortable situations, Goggins was able to achieve remarkable feats and build a level of mental toughness that few people possess.
2. Take ownership of your life: Goggins stresses the importance of taking responsibility for one's own life and not allowing external circumstances to control one's actions. He believes that we all have the power to create our own reality through discipline, hard work, and self-mastery.
Example: In the book, Goggins talks about growing up in poverty and facing racism and abuse as a child. Despite these challenges, he chose to take ownership of his life by joining the military and later becoming an ultra-endurance athlete. He believes that anyone can achieve their goals if they are willing to take ownership of their situation and work hard to overcome obstacles.
3. Overcome adversity through mental toughness: Goggins believes that mental toughness is the key to overcoming adversity and achieving success. He encourages readers to develop a "calloused mind" through rigorous training and self-discipline, which will enable them to push through any obstacle that comes their way.
Example: Goggins' own story is a testament to the power of mental toughness. He overcame childhood abuse and poverty, multiple failed attempts to become a Navy SEAL, and significant physical injuries to achieve his goals. In the book, he describes the grueling training he put himself through, such as running ultra-marathons with broken bones and pushing through extreme exhaustion to complete a Navy SEAL Hell Week. These experiences helped him develop a level of mental toughness that allowed him to succeed where others had failed.
4. Create and follow a personal accountability system: Goggins advocates for creating a personal accountability system that helps individuals stay on track with their goals and commitments. He believes that this system should include written goals, daily affirmations, and regular self-reflection.
Example: Throughout the book, Goggins describes how he used his own personal accountability system to stay focused and motivated. He kept a journal to track his progress and set specific goals for himself, such as running a certain distance each day. He also used daily affirmations to remind himself of his goals and motivations. By holding himself accountable in this way, Goggins was able to overcome numerous challenges and achieve remarkable success.
Quotes
1. "The only way to become someone different, to achieve something you haven't achieved, is to do something different. You can't get there by doing what you've always done."
2. "We are all blessed with the same 24 hours in a day. It's not how much time you have. It's how effectively you use it."
3. "We like to live our lives on social media with lies about ourselves about how great we are. Get to the source! Fix the problem beneath the surface!"
4. "The most important conversation you'll ever have is the one you have with yourself."
5. "Your successes and failures aren't based on luck, but on your choices."
6. "Most of us can tap into only 40 percent of our potential on any given day. That's where we're comfortable. But when you can push yourself to 60 percent, 80 percent, then you will see results!"
7. "The mind is the most powerful weapon in the world. Once you've mastered your mind, everything else seems easy."
8. "If you're not willing to suffer, then you're going to suffer a lot more."
9. "You have to be willing to go to battle with yourself. You have to be willing to be uncomfortable, and to do the things that others aren't willing to do."
10. "The moment you think you've made it is the moment you begin to decline."
2. "We are all blessed with the same 24 hours in a day. It's not how much time you have. It's how effectively you use it."
3. "We like to live our lives on social media with lies about ourselves about how great we are. Get to the source! Fix the problem beneath the surface!"
4. "The most important conversation you'll ever have is the one you have with yourself."
5. "Your successes and failures aren't based on luck, but on your choices."
6. "Most of us can tap into only 40 percent of our potential on any given day. That's where we're comfortable. But when you can push yourself to 60 percent, 80 percent, then you will see results!"
7. "The mind is the most powerful weapon in the world. Once you've mastered your mind, everything else seems easy."
8. "If you're not willing to suffer, then you're going to suffer a lot more."
9. "You have to be willing to go to battle with yourself. You have to be willing to be uncomfortable, and to do the things that others aren't willing to do."
10. "The moment you think you've made it is the moment you begin to decline."
Action items
1. Identifying your limiting beliefs - According to Goggins, the first step towards personal growth is identifying and recognizing the beliefs that limit you. He advocates taking inventory of these limiting beliefs and writing them down so that you can confront them.
2. Making a plan and sticking to it - Once you have identified your limiting beliefs, the next step is to make a plan to overcome them. Goggins advises that this plan should be broken down into small, achievable steps that are customized to your personal goals.
3. Embrace hard work and challenges - One of the main themes of Goggins' book is embracing the pain and suffering that comes with working on self-improvement. He suggests that the more you challenge yourself, the more you will be able to accomplish.
4. Focus on the process, not the outcome - Goggins stresses the importance of focusing on the daily process of working towards your goals, rather than obsessing over the end result. He advocates for developing a positive mindset that values hard work and resilience.
5. Cultivate mental toughness - Goggins believes that mental toughness is a critical component of personal growth. He encourages readers to embrace discomfort and push through adversity, even when it is uncomfortable or painful.
6. Use self-talk to build confidence - Goggins emphasizes the importance of positive self-talk in developing confidence and self-belief. He suggests finding a mantra or set of affirmations that resonate with you, and repeating them often.
7. Continuously learn and adapt - Goggins believes that self-improvement is an ongoing process that requires continual learning and adaptation. He advises readers to embrace a growth mindset and always seek out opportunities for growth and development.
2. Making a plan and sticking to it - Once you have identified your limiting beliefs, the next step is to make a plan to overcome them. Goggins advises that this plan should be broken down into small, achievable steps that are customized to your personal goals.
3. Embrace hard work and challenges - One of the main themes of Goggins' book is embracing the pain and suffering that comes with working on self-improvement. He suggests that the more you challenge yourself, the more you will be able to accomplish.
4. Focus on the process, not the outcome - Goggins stresses the importance of focusing on the daily process of working towards your goals, rather than obsessing over the end result. He advocates for developing a positive mindset that values hard work and resilience.
5. Cultivate mental toughness - Goggins believes that mental toughness is a critical component of personal growth. He encourages readers to embrace discomfort and push through adversity, even when it is uncomfortable or painful.
6. Use self-talk to build confidence - Goggins emphasizes the importance of positive self-talk in developing confidence and self-belief. He suggests finding a mantra or set of affirmations that resonate with you, and repeating them often.
7. Continuously learn and adapt - Goggins believes that self-improvement is an ongoing process that requires continual learning and adaptation. He advises readers to embrace a growth mindset and always seek out opportunities for growth and development.