CAN'T HURT ME by David Goggins | Core Message

Summary

In 'Can't Hurt Me,' David Goggins exemplifies extreme grit and mental toughness, achieving incredible physical feats despite immense pain and challenges. The book highlights Goggins' journey, from enduring multiple Navy SEAL Hell Weeks to running 135 miles through Death Valley, all while overcoming a hole in his heart. His core lessons include developing a 'calloused mind,' embracing discomfort, and using the '40% rule'—the idea that when you think you've reached your limit, you're only 40% done. Goggins encourages readers to seek pain and push beyond mental barriers to unlock their full potential.

Takeaways

• 🔥 David Goggins embodies extreme resilience and determination, achieving feats like becoming a Navy SEAL and an ultra-runner despite physical limitations.
• 💪 Goggins developed a 'calloused mind' by pushing through discomfort and pain, which increased his mental toughness and pain tolerance.
• 🏃‍♂️ He emphasizes the importance of seeking out and embracing discomfort daily to build mental strength and resilience.
• 🤔 Goggins suggests that pain perception is psychological; by confronting pain, one can reduce its impact and increase one's capacity to endure.
• 🚫 His early life was marked by avoidance of pain, leading to a dead-end job and poor health, illustrating the negative consequences of comfort-seeking.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Goggins lost 100 pounds in three months and qualified for Navy SEAL training, demonstrating the power of facing and overcoming pain.
• 🧠 The '40% rule' posits that when one feels exhausted, they are actually only 40% done, suggesting a large reserve of untapped potential.
• 🏃‍♂️ In ultra-running, Goggins used past victories as 'cookies' to draw emotional strength and push through pain, a strategy for leveraging past successes.
• 💡 The 'cookie jar' metaphor represents storing positive, challenging experiences to fuel future efforts and overcome obstacles.
• 💥 Goggins advocates for a mindset addicted to hard work, suggesting that passion, obsession, and talent are only useful with a strong work ethic.

Q & A

Who is David Goggins and what is he known for?

David Goggins is a former Navy SEAL, ultra-runner, and author, known for his incredible feats of endurance and mental toughness. He has completed three Hell Weeks to become a Navy SEAL, finished a 135-mile race at Death Valley, and broke the pull-up world record.

What is the concept of a 'calloused mind' as described by David Goggins?

A 'calloused mind' refers to a mental state where one has developed a high tolerance for discomfort and pain by consistently challenging oneself with intense physical and intellectual challenges, similar to how calluses on the hands protect from friction and pain.

How did David Goggins push his body to its limits despite having a hole in his heart?

Despite having a hole in his heart that reduced his aerobic capacity, Goggins pushed his body to its limits by developing a calloused mind, which allowed him to endure pain and discomfort through mental strength and determination.

What is the significance of the '40 percent rule' mentioned in the script?

The '40 percent rule' is a concept Goggins uses to explain that when one feels completely exhausted and thinks they've reached their limit, they are actually only 40 percent done. It suggests that there is a significant reserve of energy and capability that can be tapped into by ignoring the initial urge to quit.

How does David Goggins define the 'secret of pain'?

The 'secret of pain' as defined by Goggins is that when you fear the experience of pain, it grows, but when you accept and move towards it, it shrinks. This is a psychological approach to managing discomfort and pain.

What does Goggins suggest doing when faced with unbearable pain or the urge to quit?

When faced with unbearable pain or the urge to quit, Goggins suggests using the '40 percent rule' and reaching into one's 'mental cookie jar', which contains past experiences of overcoming challenges, to find the motivation and energy to push through.

What is the 'mental cookie jar' and how does it help in overcoming challenges?

The 'mental cookie jar' is a metaphor for storing memories of past struggles and victories that one can draw upon for motivation and strength during difficult times. It represents personal achievements that can fuel one's determination to push through pain and challenges.

How did David Goggins transform his life from a dead-end job to becoming a Navy SEAL?

Goggins transformed his life by pursuing pain and taking on challenges that caused him to suffer, such as losing 100 pounds in three months to qualify for Navy SEAL training, which reduced his internal pain and fear of pain, and put him back in control of his life.

What role does discomfort play in developing mental toughness according to the script?

Discomfort plays a crucial role in developing mental toughness as it is seen as an opportunity to create 'mental friction'. Seeking out and embracing discomfort helps to increase pain tolerance and reduces the fear of discomfort, leading to a calloused mind.

What is the importance of the 'cookie' metaphor in the context of the script?

The 'cookie' metaphor is used to represent small victories and moments of overcoming challenges, no matter how big or small. These 'cookies' serve as a source of emotional and mental energy that can be used to fuel one's determination during periods of intense pain or struggle.

How does the script suggest one can develop the level of grit exhibited by David Goggins?

The script suggests developing grit by doing something that causes discomfort every day to build a calloused mind, and when faced with unbearable pain, using the '40 percent rule' and tapping into one's 'mental cookie jar' to find the energy to push through mental barriers.

Outlines

00:00

💪 Goggins' Grit and Unbelievable Feats

David Goggins embodies perseverance and mental toughness. He completed three Navy SEAL hell weeks, ran a 135-mile race in Death Valley during summer, and did thousands of push-ups before breakfast while breaking the pull-up world record. All of these achievements were made despite him having an undiagnosed hole in his heart. Goggins credits his success to developing a 'calloused mind,' just like the physical calluses on his hands that protect him during pull-ups. He learned to embrace discomfort and pain, which strengthened his mental resilience.

05:01

🥊 The Power of Callusing Your Mind

Goggins explains how developing a calloused mind is similar to toughening your skin against pain. By continuously facing discomfort, you build a mental tolerance to adversity. Just like in boxing, the more you take punches, the less it affects you. He emphasizes the importance of seeking out discomfort daily—whether it’s running in the rain or studying after a long day. This practice allows you to gain mastery over pain and fear, transforming challenges into opportunities for growth. Avoiding pain leads to internal suffering, but embracing it reduces fear and builds strength.

🧠 The Secret of Pain and Goggins' 40% Rule

One of the most profound lessons from Goggins' experiences is the '40% rule,' which states that when your mind tells you to quit, you’ve only tapped into 40% of your potential. Studies support this, showing that athletes still have considerable energy reserves even when they feel completely exhausted. Fatigue is more of a mental barrier than a physical one, and by pushing through, you can access the untapped 60% of your energy. Goggins used this rule to run hundreds of miles, refusing to give in to the deceptive signals of exhaustion his brain sent him.

🍪 Digging into the Mental Cookie Jar

To push through extreme pain, Goggins relies on his 'mental cookie jar'—memories of past challenges and triumphs. When his body was failing during a race, he drew on memories of overcoming past struggles like losing weight or surviving hell week. These 'cookies' helped him tap into hidden reserves of energy and grit. We all have a cookie jar filled with victories, whether big or small, that can fuel us through pain. The key is to remember these moments and use them to shift your mindset when faced with tough situations, allowing you to keep going.

🔥 The Pursuit of Discomfort and Mental Mastery

Goggins encourages seeking discomfort daily to build grit and mental toughness. By doing something difficult every day, you can harden your mind against challenges. When pain becomes unbearable, remember the 40% rule and dip into your cookie jar for extra energy. Goggins’ ultimate message is that mastering your mind requires hard work, far beyond passion or talent. If you want to achieve exceptional results, you must become addicted to effort and pushing past your limits. This book, *Can't Hurt Me*, is a powerful reminder of the human potential to endure and grow.

Keywords

💡Grit

Grit is defined as perseverance and passion for long-term goals. In the video, David Goggins is described as the embodiment of grit, demonstrated by his ability to endure intense physical and mental challenges, such as completing Navy SEAL training and ultra-endurance races. His grit is highlighted through his relentless pursuit of self-improvement despite physical pain and personal limitations.

💡Calloused mind

A 'calloused mind' refers to the mental toughness developed through continuous exposure to discomfort and challenges. Goggins uses the analogy of calloused hands from physical labor to describe how facing difficult situations hardens the mind, reducing fear of discomfort and increasing pain tolerance. In the video, Goggins advocates for seeking discomfort to build this resilience.

💡40% rule

The 40% rule states that when you think you’ve reached your limit, you’re actually only 40% done. Goggins uses this concept to push beyond perceived limits, whether in ultra-endurance races or daily challenges. It’s central to his message about human potential, encouraging people to dig deeper when they feel exhausted or defeated.

💡Mental cookie jar

The mental cookie jar is a metaphor for past victories or accomplishments that one can 'pull from' in moments of extreme challenge. Goggins explains that recalling personal triumphs during difficult times can provide the emotional strength to keep going. This concept helps him endure physical pain during ultra-marathons by reminding himself of previous hardships he overcame.

💡Discomfort

Discomfort refers to situations that are mentally or physically challenging but lead to personal growth. Goggins promotes the idea of craving discomfort as a way to build mental fortitude. Examples from the video include running in the rain or pushing through a tough workout after a long day.

💡Pain

Pain, both physical and mental, is a recurring theme in Goggins' philosophy. He emphasizes the importance of embracing pain as a necessary part of growth. Rather than avoiding pain, he teaches that confronting it head-on reduces its power. This concept is linked to his ultra-endurance challenges and how he mentally overcomes physical suffering.

💡Overprotective brain

The 'overprotective brain' refers to the brain's tendency to signal exhaustion or danger well before the body’s actual limits are reached. This protective mechanism can prevent people from achieving their full potential. In the video, Goggins references studies showing that physical exhaustion often stems from mental limitations, not actual muscle failure.

💡Sympathetic nervous system

The sympathetic nervous system is part of the body’s response to stress, often described as the 'fight or flight' system. Goggins mentions tapping into this system by recalling past victories to trigger adrenaline, which helps him push through pain during extreme challenges. This physiological response allows him to continue despite physical exhaustion.

💡Endurance

Endurance in the video refers to the ability to withstand prolonged physical or mental effort. Goggins’ life is marked by extraordinary feats of endurance, such as running 135 miles through Death Valley and breaking the world pull-up record. His story illustrates that building endurance is not just physical but also mental.

💡Fear of discomfort

Fear of discomfort is a psychological barrier that prevents people from achieving their full potential. In the video, Goggins explains that avoiding discomfort leads to greater internal pain and dissatisfaction. He advocates for confronting this fear by intentionally seeking out difficult experiences to build resilience.

Highlights

David Goggins went through three Hell Weeks to become a Navy SEAL, showcasing his determination and resilience.

He became an ultra runner, completing a 135-mile race in Death Valley during summer, enduring extreme physical conditions.

Goggins performed a thousand push-ups before breakfast regularly, emphasizing his dedication to physical fitness.

He set a world record by doing 4,030 pull-ups in 17 hours, demonstrating his incredible endurance.

Despite achieving these feats, Goggins had a hole in his heart that reduced his aerobic capacity, but he continued pushing his limits.

He developed a 'calloused mind' by facing discomfort head-on, similar to how calluses on hands build from physical friction.

By seeking out intense physical and intellectual challenges, Goggins increased his tolerance for pain and discomfort.

He weighed 290 pounds and was stuck in a dead-end job before he started taking on life challenges like Navy SEAL training.

Goggins lost 100 pounds in three months to qualify for Navy SEAL training, showing his commitment to transforming his life.

He teaches that confronting pain makes it shrink, while avoiding it allows it to grow larger in one's mind.

The '40 percent rule' suggests that when you feel exhausted, you're only 40 percent done and have untapped reserves of energy.

Scientists support the 40 percent rule, showing that fatigue is often more psychological than physical.

Goggins uses his 'mental cookie jar' to draw strength from past accomplishments to push through extreme challenges.

During a 100-mile race, he reached into his cookie jar of past victories, like overcoming a learning disability and dropping weight for SEAL training, to push through intense pain.

To build mental grit, Goggins advocates doing something uncomfortable every day, embracing pain to grow stronger.

Transcripts

I recently read can't hurt me by author

David Goggins David Goggins is the

personification of grit not only did he

go through three hell weeks to become a

Navy SEAL he became an ultra runner and

finished a hundred and thirty-five mile

race at Death Valley in the middle of

summer not only did he push his body to

run 135 miles for 32 hours he routinely

did a thousand push-ups before breakfast

on route to breaking the pull-up world

record by doing four thousand and thirty

pull-ups in 17 hours and accomplished

all these amazing feats of endurance

without realizing he had a hole in his

heart that reduced his aerobic capacity

how did he do it

well Goggins will tell you he did it by

developing a calloused mind when Goggins

was training to break the pull-up world

record he created so much friction

between his hands and the pull-up bar

that his palms built up thick calluses

these calluses protected his palm is by

hardening the skin and blunting the pain

the same principle applies to your mind

when you create mental friction by going

against your minds constant need for

comfort and thrust yourself into intense

physical and intellectual challenges you

gradually callus over your fear of

discomfort and increase your pain

tolerance in a way life is like boxing

the first time you get punched in the

chin it hurts like hell but if you keep

putting yourself in the ring after a few

years you'll have developed the mental

tolerance to absorb a hundred punches

from stronger opponents Goggins says

after you calloused your mind you

learned that you can take a hell a lot

more than one punch to start callus in

your mind you need to start craving

discomfort every day look for

opportunities to make yourself

uncomfortable if it starts raining

outside go for a run if you've had a

long day at work go to the gym and do

the hardest workout you've done all

month if you don't feel like studying

lock yourself in a quiet room and don't

leave that room until you've written ten

pages of notes by craving discomfort and

seeking out painful but rewarding

experiences you're not trying to be a

masochist you're simply trying

master your fear of pain when Goggins

was in his early 20s his fear of pain

and pursuit of comfort led him to a

dead-end job sprang cockroaches and

rewarding himself with large chocolate

shakes in a box of hostess mini donuts

after every shift soon he weighed 290

pounds and felt too ashamed to look at

himself in the mirror by avoiding pain

his internal pain grew and grew

paradoxically when Goggins started

pursuing pain by taking on challenges

that would cause him to suffer like

losing a hundred pounds in three months

to qualify for Navy SEAL training he

reduced his internal pain and his fear

of pain and put himself back in the

driver's seat of his life when you see

got painful but rewarding experiences

it's helpful to remember the secret of

pain a secret that most people never

realize or simply forget the secret of

pain is that when you fear the

experience of pain it grows but when you

accept pain and move towards it it

shrinks as psychologist Phil Stutz and

Barry Michaels say in their book the

tools your experience of pain changes

relative to how you react to it

if you flee from it pain pursues you

like a monster in a dream if you

confront the monster it goes away if you

get in the habit of walking towards pain

you'll gradually callus your mind and

blunt your fear of discomfort but

regardless of how much you callus your

mind you're bound to experience moments

when pain seems unbearable and you think

you've reached your absolute limit you

might get this feeling after weeks of

working on a project for 12 hours a day

or at Mile 15 of a marathon in these

moments Duggan says it's critical to

remember the 40 percent rule and use

your cookie jar when Goggins would get

to the hundred mile mark in a 200-mile

race and feel completely exhausted he'd

remember the 40 percent rule and know

that he had the capacity to run another

hundred miles if he simply stopped

listening to the excuses his mind was

feeding him the 40 percent rule states

that when your mind first tells you

you're done you're only 40 percent done

if you look deep within yourself you'll

find that you haven't even tapped into

half of what you're capable of as crazy

as the forty percent rule sounds

scientists can actually back it up a

professor of exercise and sports science

at the universe

Capetown Timothy Noakes studied athletes

in his physiology lab and found that

when athletes claimed they had nothing

left to give and reach the point of

complete physical exhaustion muscle

tests revealed that their muscles had

the capacity to do significantly more

work it turned out that the urge to quit

wasn't due to muscle failure it was due

to an overprotective brain telling the

body to stop Noakes says fatigue should

no longer be considered a physical event

but rather a sensation or a motion so

the next time you feel completely

exhausted and your brain is convincing

you to quit remember that the first sign

of exhaustion is usually a false one

know that you have a large reserve of

energy that you haven't tapped into yet

dig deep find your 60% reserve and tap

into it 5% at a time when you're doing

push-ups and your brain starts

complaining

remember the 40% rule and squeeze out

one more set than another then another

then another when you think you're

completely exhausted after a long day of

work and don't have the energy to play

with your kids or work on your side

hustle

remember the 40% rule and tap into your

reserve tank oftentimes the best way to

tap into your reserve tank is to grab a

cookie out of your mantle cookie jar

when Goggins started ultrarunning he

started with a 24-hour race around a

one-mile track with zero training

googans also weighed 260 pounds which is

massive for any long-distance runner

let alone someone trying to complete a

hundred mile race in 24 hours when

Goggins reached the 70 mile mark his

kidneys started failing he had broken

all the small bones in his feet and he

lost every one of his toenails the pain

was unbearable at that moment he had to

dig deep to finish the race so he

reached into his mental cookie jar and

pulled out a cookie from his past he

recalled the time that he had to study

three times as hard to overcome a

learning disability and graduate from

high school he recalled the time he had

to drop a hundred pounds in three months

to qualify from Navy SEAL training and

he recalled the time he got through hell

week on two broken legs he says these

weren't mere flashbacks I wasn't just

floating through my memory files I

actually tapped into the emotional state

I felt during those victories and in

doing so I accessed my sympathetic

nervous system

my adrenaline took over the pain started

to fade just enough and my pace picked

up I began swinging my arms and

lengthening my stride I moved through

the pain and ran a hundred and one miles

we all have a mental cookie jar stocked

with cookies that will fuel us drink

periods of intense pain each cookie

represents a time in our life when we

faced intense struggle overcame the odds

and tasted success maybe it was

overcoming a speech impediment or

getting through college or dropping a

bad habit like smoking now a cookie

doesn't need to be large if you turned

off your phone this morning to study for

an exam for 30 minutes that's a cookie

if you did the dishes even though you

didn't feel like it that's a cookie as

Goggins made his way around the one-mile

track every step was a cookie in each

lap was a slightly bigger cookie filled

with chocolate chunks that fueled him to

the hunter mile mark Goggin says

remembering that you'd been through

difficulties before and I've always

survived to fight again shifts the

conversation in your head it allows you

to control and manage doubt and keep you

focused on taking each and every step

necessary to achieve the task at hand

just remember when the pain hits and

tries to stop you short of your goal

dump your fist in pull out a cookie and

let it fuel you so if you want to find

David Goggins level grit start by doing

something that sucks

every day to Cal us over your fear of

discomfort when the pain becomes

unbearable and you encounter your first

urge to quit remember the 40% rule and

dip into your cookie jar to find the

energy you need to push on and push

through your mental barriers as Goggin

says if you want to master your mind

you'll have to become addicted to hard

work because passion and obsession even

talent are only useful tools if you have

the work ethic to back them up that was

the core message that I gathered from

can't hurt me by David Goggins this is a

captivating book and probably the most

inspiring book I've read in months

I highly recommend it if you would like

a one-page PDF summary of insights that

I gathered from this book just click the

link below and I'd be happy to email it

to you if you already subscribe to the

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always thanks for watching

and

yourself a productive week