Can’t Hurt Me

If you can push through when you feel like stopping, you can tap into an untapped 60 percent of your potential.

1. A Brutal Start Creates Early Struggles

David Goggins' childhood was far from idyllic. Growing up in the shadow of a violent and controlling father, David's earliest years were defined by forced labor and physical abuse. His father owned a roller-disco rink and made his wife and children work there until midnight most nights. Despite being just a young boy, David was treated not as a child but as his father’s employee.

The emotional pain of constant abuse left lasting scars on David and his mom. His father's punishments were not just physical; they instilled deep emotional fear and self-doubt. David often witnessed and endured violence himself, such as when he attempted to stand between his father and mother during brutal beatings. This cycle of trauma created a foundation of suffering that he struggled to escape for years.

The turning point was when his mother managed to escape with him to Indiana. Yet, even this represented only a partial reprieve. Poverty became their new reality as they lived on welfare and in cheap housing. Stripped of stability, David had to confront not only his external challenges but also significant internal ones such as shame, insecurities, and a poor sense of self-worth.

Examples

• Witnessing his mother being beaten for taking him to the hospital.
• Working in his father’s skating rink until midnight at the age of six.
• Moving to Indiana and coping with abject poverty after escaping his father's grip.

2. Trauma Leaves Deep Scars

The abuse David faced as a child left him with more than just emotional wounds. Years of toxic stress manifested physically and mentally, severely impacting his ability to function as he grew up. His hair fell out, his skin lost pigment, and his speech became impaired by a stutter. He also suffered from chronic anxiety well into his adolescence.

The constant state of stress degraded David’s ability to focus and learn. He struggled in school, where he was labeled as unintelligent because he couldn’t keep up academically. This further compounded his low self-esteem and alienation. Being the only black student in a predominantly white school didn’t help; racism added another layer of difficulty to his already challenging young life.

As a survival mechanism, David turned to cheating just to get by in school. This allowed him to stay in class but didn’t address his underlying issues. His difficulties compounded, and by the time he reached his teenage years, he could barely read, leaving much of his future hanging in the balance of his unresolved traumas.

Examples

• Developing a stutter and experiencing hair loss as a young child due to stress.
• Being ridiculed by teachers and peers at school for his learning struggles.
• Resorting to cheating on exams and homework to avoid being sent to a special-needs facility.

3. Fear Stalls His Progress

As a young man, Goggins found himself craving structure and purpose. Joining the Air Force seemed like an ideal solution. He trained hard and gained admission, narrowing his focus on becoming a pararescue soldier. However, his inability to swim became his greatest obstacle.

Lacking formal swimming training, David faced relentless challenges in pararescue tryouts. Each new test in the water brought fresh waves of self-doubt and fear. Rather than pushing through these struggles, he found an excuse: a diagnosis of a blood condition offered him a way out. Unsure of himself, David left the military training, even though he regretted it almost immediately.

This wasn’t his only battle with avoidance. Disheartened after leaving the Air Force, David fell into a cycle of overeating and dead-end jobs. At one point, he weighed nearly 300 pounds, having buried his ambitions under a mountain of self-pity and junk food.

Examples

• Leaving the Air Force due to fear of swimming challenges.
• Using a medical diagnosis of sickle cell anemia as an excuse to quit.
• Working as a pest exterminator and gaining over 100 pounds post-Air Force.

4. A Life-Changing Revelation Sparks a Transformation

The turning point for Goggins came unexpectedly while he was watching television. A documentary about Navy SEALs riveted him, featuring their unmatched grit, discipline, and suffering. Something clicked, and he realized that he wanted to embody their resilience and toughness.

From that day on, Goggins resolved to transform his life. But the odds were stacked against him: to qualify for SEAL training, he needed to lose over 100 pounds in just three months. He devised an intense daily workout schedule, forcing himself to push past his physical and emotional limits.

Through sheer determination, Goggins not only hit the weight limit but also managed to pass SEAL training, earning a spot among the world’s most elite fighters. This marked his rebirth, showing him that he was capable of achieving more than he ever thought possible.

Examples

• Being inspired by Navy SEALs in a television documentary.
• Losing 106 pounds in three months through extreme dieting and exercise.
• Completing SEAL training after enduring weeks of relentless physical tests.

5. Ultra Running Unlocks a New Chapter

Although Goggins was thriving as a Navy SEAL, he began seeking new challenges to test his resilience. This quest led him to ultra running, a form of extreme long-distance racing. His journey into this sport was borne from tragedy; he wanted to raise money for families of SEALs who had died in combat.

Signing up for a 100-mile qualifying race with zero preparation, David pushed his body to its limits. Despite losing bowel control and enduring excruciating pain, he finished the race in under 19 hours, a feat that astonished even himself. He now had the qualification to compete in one of the hardest foot races in the world: Badwater 135.

Training tirelessly, Goggins prepared his mind and body for the grueling 135-mile journey through Death Valley's scorching heat. He finished the race in just 30 hours and placed fifth, cementing his reputation as an elite endurance athlete.

Examples

• Completing his first 100 miles in 19 hours despite severe physical impairment.
• Raising funds for the families of fallen SEALs through ultra racing events.
• Placing fifth in Badwater 135 after months of intense preparation.

6. The Power of a Strong Work Ethic

Goggins believes that hard work is the key to reaching any goal. He rejects society’s reliance on quick fixes and shortcuts, emphasizing that true transformation requires persistent effort and sacrifice. His achievements, from becoming a SEAL to excelling at ultramarathons, are all rooted in his ability to commit wholeheartedly to a disciplined routine.

While others often claim that life gets in the way, Goggins argues that everyone has time to work on self-improvement if they prioritize it. One of his tools for success is waking up at 4 am, giving him an early start to stack victories throughout the day. For Goggins, discipline is non-negotiable.

Through discipline, consistency, and perseverance, Goggins achieved what once seemed impossible. His message is clear: success is available to anyone willing to avoid excuses and put in the work.

Examples

• Starting his day with a six-mile run at 4 am to gain extra time.
• Balancing a 9-to-5 desk job with over six hours of physical training daily.
• Telling doubters that hard work beats talent when talent refuses to work hard.

7. The 40 Percent Rule: Pushing Beyond Limits

Goggins developed what he calls the “40 Percent Rule” to describe humanity’s untapped reserve of effort. He argues that when most people feel they’ve given their all, they’ve only hit 40 percent of their actual potential. The remaining 60 percent is accessible only through rigorous mental discipline and a willingness to suffer.

Mastering this rule means quieting the voice in your head that tells you to stop when things get hard. While the mind acts as a protective mechanism to shield us from pain, Goggins believes this voice is also what limits our growth. By ignoring it, we can endure more than we think.

This mental shift is something Goggins practiced in every area of his life, from brutal military training to ultra marathons. Pushing through when his body and mind wanted to quit unlocked levels of resilience he never knew existed.

Examples

• Running an extra mile after a 100-mile race to prove limits are mental.
• Overcoming extreme heat and exhaustion during the Badwater 135 race.
• Continuing SEAL training while soaked, shivering, and covered in sand.

8. Defining Success on Your Terms

For Goggins, success doesn’t mean competing against others—it’s about beating your own personal limits. Striving for self-improvement becomes the ultimate goal, one rooted in achieving things you once deemed impossible.

This philosophy is what kept him returning to ultra races after punishing failures or injuries. It also inspired his relentless pursuit of Navy SEAL training even after initially failing to achieve his goals.

By staying focused on personal growth rather than external validation, Goggins teaches us to measure success against our potential, not societal expectations.

Examples

• Completing multiple ultramarathons despite injuries.
• Returning to SEAL training after an initial lack of preparation.
• Measuring progress through personal records rather than competition rankings.

9. The Transformative Power of Morning Routines

One of Goggins’ core beliefs is that winning the morning sets the tone for conquering the rest of the day. For him, this means waking up as early as 4 am and dedicating the hours before sunrise to mental and physical training.

By tackling the hardest tasks first thing in the morning, you build confidence and momentum. For Goggins, this routine includes long runs, cycling, and rigorous gym workouts, all before the typical workday begins.

By maximizing his mornings, Goggins reclaimed control over his schedule, proving to himself and others that life doesn’t have to derail personal goals.

Examples

• Running six miles before most people wake up.
• Cycling a total of 50 miles to work and back as part of his training.
• Training during lunch breaks to maximize time and output.

Takeaways

1. Wake up early and "win" the morning by completing major tasks, whether exercising or planning.
2. Implement the 40 Percent Rule: push past the point where you feel like you’ve given all you can.
3. Shift your focus from comparing yourself to others to achieving your personal best every day.