Summary of Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins | Free Audiobook
Summary
TLDRDavid Goggins' story in 'Can't Hurt Me' is one of overcoming adversity. Born in 1975, Goggins faced childhood trauma, poverty, and racism, which led to toxic stress and academic struggles. Despite these challenges, he transformed himself from an overweight, depressed young man into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and top endurance athlete. Goggins completed elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller, setting records in extreme endurance events and earning the title 'Fittest Real Man in America'. His narrative illustrates the power of self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, offering a path for anyone to push past limits and live life to the fullest.
Takeaways
- 😔 David Goggins had a traumatic childhood marked by an abusive father and extreme poverty, which led to physical and psychological challenges.
- 💪 Despite the odds, Goggins transformed his life through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, ultimately becoming a US Armed Forces icon and top endurance athlete.
- 🎯 Goggins is the only man to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller, showcasing his commitment to excellence.
- 🏆 He set records in extreme endurance events and was named the 'Fittest Real Man in America', demonstrating what can be achieved through perseverance.
- 🤔 The concept of the 'Accountability Mirror' was pivotal for Goggins, helping him to confront his shortcomings and set achievable goals for personal development.
- 🏊♂️ Goggins had to overcome a fear of water and a predisposition to sickle cell anemia to achieve his military aspirations, highlighting the importance of overcoming physical limitations.
- 🚫 After leaving the military due to a medical condition, Goggins did not give up but instead turned his focus to becoming a Navy SEAL, illustrating resilience in the face of setbacks.
- 🏃♂️ Goggins' weight loss journey of over 100 pounds in less than three months to join the SEALs is a testament to his determination and ability to push physical boundaries.
- 🤯 The '40% Rule' introduced by Goggins suggests that most people give up at 40% of their capacity, underlining the potential for growth when pushing beyond perceived limits.
- 🏆 His success in ultra-running, including completing the Badwater 135, was a result of strategic training and mental fortitude, showing the power of preparation and mindset.
- 🧠 Goggins' story emphasizes the power of the mind in overcoming adversity and achieving goals, encouraging individuals to harness their potential through daily decisions and commitment.
Q & A
What challenges did David Goggins face during his childhood?
-David Goggins faced numerous challenges during his childhood, including an abusive father, extreme poverty, and racial prejudice in rural America. He also experienced the traumatic effects of his father's abuse, which led to a nervous stutter, hair loss, and skin pigmentation changes due to toxic stress.
How did Goggins' early life experiences impact his physical and mental health?
-Goggins' early life experiences had a profound impact on his physical and mental health. He developed a nervous stutter, hair started to fall out, and his skin lost pigment due to toxic stress. He was also placed in a special needs classroom by the fourth grade and struggled with reading.
What was the significance of the 'accountability mirror' in Goggins' life?
-The 'accountability mirror' was significant in Goggins' life as it helped him to turn his life around. He used it to remind himself of his mission and goals each day, starting with small achievable tasks and gradually progressing to more challenging ones, which eventually led him to pass the ASVAB and join the military.
How did Goggins overcome his fear of water and other challenges to join the military?
-Goggins overcame his fear of water and other challenges by committing himself to a strict fitness regime, which included waking up at 4:30 am for exercise, swimming, and circuit training. He also used mental toughness and determination to push past his limits and achieve his goal of joining the military.
What is the '40% rule' that Goggins refers to, and how did it help him in his ultra-running career?
-The '40% rule' is a concept Goggins developed, suggesting that humans tend to give up after exerting 40% of their maximum power. By believing that he had more to give, even when he felt exhausted, Goggins was able to push past his perceived limits and complete ultra-marathons, such as the Badwater 135.
How did Goggins' life change after discovering he had a hole in his heart?
-After discovering the hole in his heart, which posed a serious health risk, Goggins had to stop his ultra-running career. However, he turned this setback into an opportunity by becoming one of the Navy's top recruiters, focusing on developing his public speaking and promoting skills.
What is the concept of 'uncommon amongst uncommon' as described by Goggins?
-'Uncommon amongst uncommon' is a term Goggins uses to describe putting oneself in the top one percent of performers and becoming one of the few 'onlies' in a particular field. It represents the idea of striving to be exceptional even among those who are already exceptional.
How did Goggins' daily routine contribute to his success?
-Goggins' daily routine, which starts at 4 am with a run, followed by a bike to work, a gym session or another run during lunch, and cycling back home, contributed to his success by ensuring he consistently worked hard and committed to his goals. This routine exemplifies the discipline and dedication required to achieve success.
What advice does Goggins give for overcoming obstacles and achieving goals?
-Goggins advises that overcoming obstacles and achieving goals requires daily decisions, hard work, and commitment. He emphasizes the importance of not making excuses and winning the morning by starting the day with productive activities.
How did Goggins' mindset help him to break the world record for the most pull-ups in 24 hours?
-Goggins' mindset, which involves pushing past perceived limits and believing in his ability to achieve seemingly impossible feats, helped him to strategize and persist through failed attempts until he successfully broke the world record for pull-ups.
Outlines
😔 Overcoming a Traumatic Childhood
David Goggins' early life was marred by an abusive father and poverty, which led to severe trauma and health issues. Despite the odds, he transformed his life through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work. Goggins went from being an overweight and depressed young man to becoming a US Armed Forces icon and a top endurance athlete. His journey includes becoming the only person to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller, and setting records in extreme endurance events.
🔄 The Power of Self-Reflection and Change
Goggins' turning point came when he met an Air Force recruiter, sparking a dream to join the military. Realizing he lacked the necessary education and skills, he used an 'accountability mirror' to set and achieve small, incremental goals that led to significant life changes. This method helped him pass the ASVAB and join the military, but he faced challenges like a fear of water and a misdiagnosed sickle cell anemia that initially derailed his progress.
🏋️♂️ Transforming Life Through Extreme Determination
After leaving the military, Goggins, then weighing 300 pounds, found a new purpose in becoming a Navy SEAL. He embarked on an intense fitness regime, losing over 100 pounds in less than three months. His determination led him to endure 'Hell Week', a grueling part of SEAL training, where he developed the 'Armored Mind' to overcome mental and physical challenges. This mindset helped him to push through and ultimately join the SEALs.
🏃♂️ Ultra-Endurance and the 40% Rule
Goggins' quest for challenges led him to ultra-running, where he discovered his '40% rule', the idea that most people give up at 40% of their capacity. With this in mind, he completed a 100-mile race and qualified for the Badwater 135 ultra-marathon, finishing it in extreme heat. His success in these events showcased his ability to push beyond perceived limits and achieve extraordinary feats.
💔 Facing Adversity and Finding New Purpose
A heart condition threatened Goggins' running career, but he responded by becoming a top Navy recruiter and setting his sights on a new challenge: breaking the world record for pull-ups in 24 hours. After two failed attempts, he succeeded on his third try, demonstrating his resilience and commitment to excellence. His story emphasizes the importance of responding to life's 'curveballs' with determination and seeking continuous self-improvement.
🧠 Harnessing the Power of the Mind for Success
Despite a troubled background that statistically could have led to a life of depression and violence, Goggins defied the odds through daily decisions and hard work. His transformation from an illiterate, overweight exterminator to a SEAL and ultra-runner is a testament to the power of the human mind and the importance of not being satisfied with the status quo. His disciplined routine and pursuit of continuous achievement serve as an inspiration to overcome obstacles and realize one's full potential.
🚀 From Trauma to Triumph
Goggins' story is one of rising above a traumatic and challenging childhood to achieve greatness. His use of the accountability mirror, losing weight, joining the military, and developing an unbreakable mindset allowed him to shatter barriers and accomplish the impossible. His narrative encourages others to work hard, get up early, and pursue their goals with unwavering commitment, no matter the hardships faced.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Toxic Stress
💡Accountability Mirror
💡Hell Week
💡Armored Mind
💡40% Rule
💡Ultra-Running
💡Sickle Cell Trait
💡Uncommon Amongst Uncommon
💡World Record for Pull-Ups
💡Winning the Morning
Highlights
David Goggins' childhood was marked by trauma from an abusive father and extreme poverty in rural America.
Goggins defied statistical odds of a life of depression and poverty through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work.
He became a US Armed Forces icon and one of the world's top endurance athletes.
Goggins is the only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller.
He set records in extreme endurance events and was named the fittest real man in America.
Goggins' early life was filled with physical and emotional abuse, leading to toxic stress and its detrimental effects.
He moved to Indiana with his mother at age eight, where he faced racism and bullying as the only black child in town.
Goggins developed a nervous stutter, hair loss, and skin discoloration due to the toxic stress from his abusive childhood.
In high school, Goggins met an Air Force recruiter, sparking his dream to join the military.
Goggins created an 'accountability mirror' to track his progress and hold himself accountable for his goals.
He lost over 100 pounds in less than three months to join the Navy SEALs' BUD/S training program.
Goggins developed the concept of the 'armored mind' to push through the mental and physical challenges of SEAL training.
The '40% rule' suggests that we tend to give up after exerting 40% of our maximum power, leaving significant untapped potential.
Goggins completed the Badwater 135 ultra-marathon, showcasing his ability to push past perceived limits.
Despite a hole in his heart diagnosed later in life, Goggins continued to push himself in new ways.
He broke the world record for the most pull-ups in 24 hours, demonstrating relentless determination.
Goggins emphasizes the power of our minds to overcome obstacles and achieve success, regardless of our circumstances.
His daily routine of early mornings, rigorous exercise, and commitment to work exemplifies the discipline required for success.
Goggins' story inspires continuous improvement and the pursuit of new achievements after reaching initial goals.
Transcripts
summary of can't hurt me by david
goggins
written by lee shuleri and quick read
narrated by alex smith
introduction for goggins childhood was
far from innocently playing outside
without a care in the world
instead he experienced trauma from an
abusive father
and extreme prejudice and poverty in
rural america
statistically goggins was going nowhere
and he was destined for a life of
depression and poverty
however he defied all odds through
self-discipline
mental toughness and hard work no longer
was he a depressed
overweight young man with no future by
committing himself to losing weight and
improving his test scores
goggins became a us armed forces icon
and one of the world's
top endurance athletes he has become the
only man
in history to complete elite training as
a navy seal
army ranger and air force tactical air
controller
he didn't stop there however and he went
on to set records in extreme endurance
events
and has been named the fittest real man
in america
in can't hurt me goggins shares his
incredible story
and reveals a path that anyone can
follow to push past limits
eliminate fear and to live life to its
fullest
chapter one the early life of goggins
born in new york in 1975 goggins didn't
have the typical carefree childhood
that many people experience instead of
playing outside with friends and
living innocently among his peers
goggins was a slave to his abusive
father
his father trueness was a self-made
businessman who owned a roller disco
ring
however to make his business run
smoothly
trunus forced his family to work almost
every night of the week at the skating
rink
at the young age of six goggin's job was
to look after the skating shoes
meanwhile his mother would cook dinner
over a hot plate in the office
and once the children finally finished
working at around midnight
his mother would put goggins and his
brother to bed in the office too
of course the dance floor played loud
thumping music into the early hours of
the morning
so goggins hardly slept at night and
would frequently fall asleep in class
instead
as if working each night at the skating
rink wasn't enough goggins also became a
punching bag for his abusive father
both he and his mother fell victim to
countless violent beatings
sometimes for even the smallest things
for instance goggins once contracted a
bad ear infection
so as a responsible parent his mother
took him to the hospital
trunus being the businessman that he is
hated when the family spent money
even when his children's health was at
risk
upon returning goggins witnessed his
father beat his mother senseless with a
belt
when he intervened his father would beat
him too
he went to school too often hiding the
bruises and red welts from his father's
belt
at the age of eight goggin's mother had
had enough
and she took him and escaped to indiana
where they started their new lives
together
however as he would soon find out he and
his mother had walked into the center of
a racist
rural america he was the only black kid
in town
and he quickly became the target of
hatred often hearing the n-word spat at
him by neighbors
who waved guns in his face now dealing
with bullying and poverty
his life didn't seem to be getting any
better
to make matters worse goggins began
experiencing the traumatic effects of
his early years
because of the suffering he experienced
from his father he developed a nervous
stutter
his hair started to fall out and patches
of his skin lost pigment
and turned a different color at the time
goggins didn't know why this was
happening but as an adult
he realized that he was suffering from
toxic stress
this is a condition in which young
children who have undergone severe abuse
experience changes to their brain
chemistry resulting in a permanent state
of fight or flight simply put goggins
had suffered so much trauma
that his brain and body were on
permanent high alert for danger
children who suffer from toxic stress
also exhibit memory loss
and even the most gifted children will
struggle to learn and remember what
they've learned in school
by fourth grade goggins was placed in a
special needs classroom
and started cheating his way through
school while his grades improved
his education suffered and by the time
he was heading into his teenage years
goggins could still barely read
chapter 2 the accountability mirror
one day during his high school career
goggins met up with an air force
recruiter
this recruiter was a pararescue jumper
and goggins thought he was a badass who
could jump after downed pilots
and bring them home he now had a dream
of joining the air force
but it was simply that a dream joining
the air force would require talents and
education that goggins didn't think he
possessed
to simply pass the asvab the armed
services vocational aptitude battery
he would have to relearn everything he's
learned in the past decade
this realization made goggins hate
himself
he took a long look in the mirror and
felt disgusted by who he had become
so he grabbed a razor and shaved his
head
refashioned his wardrobe and grabbed
some post-it notes
on each post-it goggins wrote down the
things he needed to do
if he ever wanted to pass the asvab
he began his notes with small easily
achievable items like
clean your room every day and gradually
progressed to harder tasks like
run x miles this week this is what
goggins calls an accountability mirror
the accountability mirror helped turn
his life around
he began a ritual of standing in front
of the mirror and reminding himself
each day of his mission every day he
studied
and began training and didn't allow a
spare moment to go by
without working towards his goals while
goggins had
several limiting factors in his life he
believed that he had the power to change
his future
in the end goggins passed the asvab
and was on his way to joining the
military
however to complete his training goggins
would have to face
one of his toughest tests swimming
growing up goggins didn't even see a
pool until the age of 12
and he was deathly afraid of water so
when he began his military training
he became paralyzed by fear and failed
to overcome his swimming challenges
soon after a routine medical test
revealed that goggins was predisposed to
a blood disease called sickle cell
anemia
using this as an excuse goggins walked
away from the military
on medical grounds
chapter 3 turning his life around
after leaving the military goggins was
now working as an overnight exterminator
in indianapolis
where he weighed an astounding 300
pounds
at 4 am goggins recalls entering a dirty
restaurant
to spray for cockroaches after
approaching a nest of cockroaches
he aimed his cockroach spray in the
center of their nest
and struck suddenly thousands of
cockroaches
swarmed out of the woodwork pouring over
him in the room
sprinting out of the building swatting
at cockroaches and cursing
goggins started to question how he wound
up here
300 pounds and spraying cockroaches for
a living
where was he headed that same morning
goggins got home and stumbled upon a tv
documentary
about the navy seals the most lethal
fighting force
with the toughest training in the world
to become a seal you had to be among the
best
he watched as they struggled through mud
sweat and tears
and was amazed at their mental toughness
and determination to keep going
before the show even ended goggins was
making calls to recruiters
around the country to become admitted to
seal's training
called bud s buds
basic underwater demolition seal
soon goggins would learn that he was too
heavy to join the navy
and that the buds program was shutting
down in just three months
weighing in at 297 pounds goggin would
need to lose 107 pounds in less than
three months if he wanted a fighting
chance at becoming
a navy seal that's more than a pound a
day
for 90 days over the next three months
goggins implemented a strict fitness
regime
every day goggins would wake up at 4 30
am
and hit the exercise bike for two hours
after that he would drive to the nearest
pool and swim
for another two hours then he would head
to the gym
for some intense circuit training that
included at least five
sets of 200 reps for all major muscle
groups
his day was still not over however and
he'd spend the rest of his day
on the exercise bike both before and
after dinner
additionally he created a new
accountability mirror
and fought through the depression and
negativity that told him that he
couldn't do it
believe it or not goggins lost the
weight and joined the bud's six-month
program aimed at choosing 30 of the
toughest 120 candidates
most of the dropouts occur during the
third week referred to
as hell week throughout the week
candidates are exposed to extreme
life-threatening conditions at sea and
are incredibly sleep-deprived
in fact it is so hard that people often
die during
this week it was during this week that
goggins developed the concept
of the armored mind he had failed hell
week twice already
and his third attempt would be his last
he realized that if he wanted to reach
his goal he would have to penetrate the
minds of the instructors
standing in his way when tasked with one
of their toughest challenges of lifting
a boat above their heads
and marching across the beach with it
goggins encouraged his team he shouted
at them to keep going
and they began to chant and show their
instructors that they were relentless
they would never give up goggins
referred to this as
taking souls which refers to the act of
demoralizing your competition
and showing them that their attacks are
ineffective
chapter four the forty percent rule
goggins achieved his ultimate goal and
became a navy seal
but soon he found himself craving the
challenge that training in hell week
once gave him
how could he push himself further in
2005
goggins discovered the answer he was
seeking through extreme
long-distance running also known as
ultra running
for goggins he simply woke up one
morning and began
running and continued running for 100
miles
if you were to wake up tomorrow and
decide to run a hundred miles
do you think you could do it we would
immediately say
no that's impossible but goggins was
determined
and he knew that his mind was the only
thing stopping him
he became interested in ultra running
when several of his fellow navy seals
were killed in a military operation in
afghanistan
to raise money for their families
goggins chose to combine charity with
running the toughest foot race in the
world
the bad water 135. of course
you can't just simply enter the bad
water 135
you have to qualify so he set out to run
the san diego one day
a 100 mile race in the heart of the city
his only training 20 minutes a week on a
cross trainer in the gym
before this he had never run farther
than 26 miles of a marathon
and at his 70 mile mark goggins was not
looking good
at this point he had lost control of his
bladder and bowel movements
due to sheer exhaustion he was
experiencing double vision
and was running on broken bones in his
feet
the average person would have stopped
long before getting to this point
bagoggins is no average person
to explain how goggins pushed through
and completed the 100 mile race
simply imagine that feeling that you get
at the end of a long workout
when you feel like you just can't do any
more
well according to goggins you still have
60
left to give he calls this the 40
rule according to this rule we as humans
tend to give up after exerting 40
percent of our maximum power
for instance if you think the maximum
number of miles you can run right now is
four
it's actually closer to about ten that's
why
even though goggins had only ever run 26
miles
he believed 100 miles was possible
because he'd only ever given 40 percent
of his effort
once you feel as if you've given all
you've got keep going
it's when you push past this point that
you grow and
break down those limitations and
barriers that are holding you back
in the end goggins completed his race in
just 19 hours
he even ran an extra mile to make sure
he had truly finished
this qualified him for the 2006 bad
water 135
ultra marathon this time he would be
running through california's death
valley
and finishing the race at an elevation
of 8
374 feet even worse
the race is in july when death valley is
at its hottest
this time goggins trained by carefully
studying the terrain
and running in the extreme conditions
that he would experience on race day
when he finished goggins completed bad
water 135
in just 30 hours and finished in fifth
place
because of the 40 rule he was able to
push his limits
and accomplish something incredible
chapter 5 uncommon against uncommon
after completing the bad water 135
goggins was thriving
entering himself into multiple races a
month for months on end
however as life does he was thrown a
curveball that changed his love for
running forever
during one of his races goggins noticed
an irregular heart rate and a trip to
the hospital revealed a lifelong
condition a hole in his heart
the condition is a serious one and
deprives the body of oxygen
and can lead to sudden death the risks
increase if you are a regular diver for
the past decade goggins had been
training as a navy seal
putting his body through the impossible
and of course
diving miraculously his condition hadn't
killed him
life will inevitably throw us curveballs
and things will fall
apart but it's your response to these
situations
that are important goggins had achieved
being just one of 36
african americans to become a navy seal
and was the united states
only african-american prolific
ultrarunner
as he puts it he became uncommon amongst
uncommon
in other words he had put himself in the
top one percent of performers
and had become one of few onlies
but now that his running career was over
how would he continue to push himself
once the navy found out about his
success in marathoning they quickly
turned to goggins into one of their top
recruiters
his job was to make becoming a navy seal
more appealing to young
black men of course goggins took on the
role with pride
and focused on developing his recruiting
public speaking
and promoting skills but he needed more
how could he continue to push himself
and become another top performer
he certainly couldn't continue running
with a heart made of swiss cheese
goggins took to the internet to find
that the world record for the most
pull-ups in 24 hours was only 4021.
he discovered that he would need to
complete five pull-ups a minute for more
than 12 hours to break this record
after two failed attempts one of which
was nationally broadcast
he went back to the drawing board he
came up with a new strategy
and on january 20th 2013 goggins broke
the world record for pull-ups
so how can you be uncommon amongst
uncommon
what is your goal and what sets you
apart from the rest
perhaps you're the first person in your
family to go to college or
the first female at your school to be
valedictorian or the first immigrant
from your country
to hold public office in the u.s get
specific
and become amongst the top performers
chapter 6 the power of our minds
goggins defied all odds statistically
goggins was doomed for a life of
depression violence and
unfulfilled potential those raised in
abusive households like goggins have
higher rates of depression chronic pain
ptsd and
more additionally many turn to smoking
drinking drugs and other unsafe
behaviors that lead to addiction
legal trouble and even death
so how did he do it goggins will tell
you
it was his daily decisions that allowed
him to overcome his obstacles
and to live a successful life despite
being dealt a bad deal in life
so how can you harness your true
potential
there's no secret to success you simply
need to work hard
and commit yourself to achieve your
goals at one point
goggins could hardly read and he was
working as a cockroach exterminator
and he weighed 300 pounds he lost the
weight
and studied hard to get into the buds
training program simply by waking up in
the morning
and getting it done many of us have our
excuses
you have a family that you need to spend
time with and a job that you need to pay
the bills
and put food on the table that's a part
of life but not an excuse
if you want to accomplish something you
need to win the morning
a typical day for goggins begins at 4am
when he wakes up
and goes for a 6 to 10 mile run
he can then be home by 5 15 where he
showers
eats breakfast and gets ready for work
he then bikes
25 miles to work and arrives at his desk
by 7 30. during his lunch break he will
either complete a gym
session or go for another six mile run
on the beach
he then cycles the 25 miles back home
after work
by 7 pm goggins has cycled at least 50
miles
run at least 10 miles and worked his
nine-to-five job
everyone has 24 hours in a day so it's
up to you to use them wisely
you'll find once you own your mornings
you'll be more likely to achieve your
goals
but it shouldn't stop after you've
achieved it let's say your goal is to
run a marathon
once you've accomplished that don't stop
you should always be looking forward to
the next achievement
perhaps look to improve your time or run
a few more marathons a month
when you become satisfied with something
you stay in the moment and never move
forward
by pushing your limits and looking for
your next achievement you'll not only
crush your goals
but find peace and happiness knowing
that you've lived life
to its fullest
final summary despite growing up in an
abusive home
goggins overcame his traumatic
improvised childhood
by simply working hard and committing
himself to his goals
he started with his accountability
mirror when he placed his goals in plain
sight on post-it notes
from there he was able to pass the asvab
and joined the military
however goggins didn't stop there after
failing to overcome his fears of
swimming
and then gaining weight he realized his
life was heading nowhere
and committed himself to join the navy
seals
in just three months he lost over 100
pounds
and was accepted into the training
program
there goggins learned the power of his
mind
even when his body was shutting down he
could keep going if he blocked the pain
and told himself anything was possible
this mindset allowed goggins to
accomplish the seemingly impossible
and become a successful ultra-marathon
runner
of course you don't need to run a
hundred miles instead
you can crush your goals through simple
hard work
and getting up early
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