Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins is a book that takes you on one man’s journey from the depths of hell to the pinnacles of success and everything in between. It is an inspiring read that I would recommend to everyone, whether they apply any of the concepts or not.
The following are some life lessons taken from this great book:
1. The secret to lasting success is hidden in plain sight
David Goggins identifies a concept that is well known but poorly implemented. He calls it the “little goal.” It involves setting goals within goals. To achieve your main goals, you need to break them down into mini-goals and then work backward from there.
2. Nothing is as important as you think it is
To achieve greatness, you can’t be a perfectionist. However, in very competitive fields such as NASA and the military, people are given tremendous training and support to overcome their weaknesses. You need to understand that if you can do something 80% as good as someone who has spent their life focused on that thing, then you are likely in the top 10% of all people who have ever existed.
3. 95% is BS
The author blames society for perpetuating this false statistic, which has led to a culture of fear and intimidation of trying something new or different. He explains that failure no longer exists. It is merely feedback to help you achieve your goals. The author also explains that anything worth doing rarely comes easy, and the only way to achieve success is through hard work.
4. What you think about controls your life
This idea brings the concept of controlling your mind and thoughts full circle because it starts with what we feed our minds with. We need to surround ourselves with positive and encouraging people and messages to avoid negativity and fear from hijacking our lives.
5. You decide what your limits are
Imagine that a number somewhere between 0-100 represents your potential in any one thing, be it running, swimming or mathematics, for example. Generally, you will be quite close to zero (no ability) because of your lack of practice and experience. However, what separates the greats from us amateurs is that they consciously decided their limits and then practiced until they got as close to it as possible. Therefore, when you feel like you can’t do something anymore, this is usually when you are the closest to reaching your actual potential.
6. You have all you need inside you now
The human body is capable of much more than we give it credit for, and everything has a mental block that can be overcome with a change in mindset and focus. We all can challenge ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally if we are willing to try. It’s essential to embrace struggle and discomfort because it will make us stronger.
7. You are not in control of your life
It is a tough pill to swallow for many people, especially those who have always believed that they are the masters of their destiny. Unfortunately, however, this is rarely the case, and we tend to let outside forces control our lives more than we would like to admit. Acknowledging this fact puts you in the right direction, though, because it enables you to get out of your head and focus on the essential things.
8. You are one decision away from a different life
All it takes is one small change to change everything. But, of course, you can make that decision right now, and it might be the start of a completely new journey. But, if you can learn to embrace and enjoy the process, everything else is just icing on the cake.
9. Greatness comes in moments
A moment of greatness usually involves some form of adversity or struggle when the pressure is on the line, and this will often be an obstacle that takes a lot of time and effort to overcome. It may not always come when you want it to, but if you work for it and don’t let outside forces influence your feelings of self-worth, then it will happen.
10. You are not allowed to be mediocre
If you’re comfortable with where you are in life (your job, your relationships, etc.), then that’s great, but you have to remember that your potential is far beyond what it is right now. You are capable of so much more if you are willing to try, and the only thing holding you back is yourself.
11. Are you starting with a clean slate each day?
Life doesn’t work like Groundhog Day, where you wake up in the same place every day, and you only make slight changes to your life. Instead, it happens one day at a time, and this is where recognizing that you are not in control of much becomes very important because if your focus is on what could have been or what might be, you are missing out on being present to enjoy the moment and what you have.
12. Courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s doing what needs to be done anyway
It takes a lot of courage to face your fears and do something that scares you even though you know there is a good chance things will go wrong (this is another reason why training with David Goggins is an excellent idea). It’s about recognizing that fear exists and understanding it, so you can do what needs to be done anyway.
13. The only person who will always be there for you is yourself
This is especially true when things get tough, and nobody seems to care anymore. This is your chance to prove yourself, and it’s important to be there for yourself first. Every second of every day, you have a choice, and this is your chance to choose you first every time.
14. What do you practice?
If all we practice is negativity or making excuses, then that’s what will happen. If we practice being positive and taking action even when it’s difficult, then that will happen. It all comes down to what you practice every day and how much effort you put into it.
15. You can either be exceptional or do something exceptional
When David Goggins was in the military, he realized that there were two types of people: those who did their jobs and those who were exceptional. He was not satisfied with just doing his job, and instead of settling for mediocrity, he wanted to be the best of the best at what he did. So don’t accept mediocre from yourself, and do something exceptional every day, even if it’s just in some small way that no one will ever see except you.
16. Make your mental stronger than your physical
The author makes a great point: We all know exceptionally physically capable people but are mentally weak and unable to take on challenges or defeat their fears. The level of fitness that we are at is only one small piece of the puzzle. We can all learn to train our minds just like we train our bodies, and it takes practice just like anything else.
Conclusion
There are so many powerful life lessons in this book, and if you’re able to learn from them, you will have a much fuller and more rewarding life. David Goggins is a true inspiration, and he has something worth sharing with the rest of us.
