Since my post in January about Mindset by Dr Carol Dweck, I have continued to read mindset, self-development and property related books. Although some have the same themes, even if one piece of information sinks in then that’s a positive. However, there is the occasional book that stands out, and the latest one to do so is ‘Can’t Hurt Me’ by David Goggins.
I had heard about the book from a few podcasts and wondered ‘how inspirational can this guy actually be?’ Well, it didn’t take long. David discusses his difficult upbringing as a child and the stresses of BUD/S training and Hell Week. If you think it can’t get any tougher than this, he then transitions to ultra marathons, ironman events and becomes a world record holder in pull-ups.
It’s unlikely I will run an ultra marathon and probably don’t want to. But what I have taken away is the mindset and resilience. The battle or competition is not with another person, colleague, or athlete. The battle is with your own mindset and thoughts, and it’s amazing what your mind can do when it’s pushed and ‘calloused’.
3 Lessons from Can’t Hurt Me – David Goggins
1. “Our culture has become hooked on the quick-fix, the life hack, efficiency. Everyone is on the hunt for that simple action algorithm that nets maximum profit with the least amount of effort. There’s no denying this attitude may get you some of the trappings of success, if you’re lucky, but it will not lead to a calloused mind or self-mastery. If you want to master the mind and remove your governor, 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.” – Yes, you may find some shortcut or life hack that saves a bit of time, but to make the most of your mind and talent, you have to work hard at it.
2. “We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training” – if you train yourself and become ‘obsessed’ and an expert in that activity, then you’ll be in good shape and prepared for whatever eventuates. This applied to sports, education or work.
3. “You are in danger of living a life so comfortable and soft, that you will die without ever realising your true potential.” – I am guilty of this. When I am tired, I tend to get comfortable and do the least as possible. However, since reading the book, I keep thinking ‘what would Goggins do?’ and ‘am I making the most out of my life?’.
I do think some of the lessons has sunk in and impacted me. I’m not completing over 4,000 pull ups (yet) at the gym. But I do think of the pain and try to push one or two more reps. When networking (which I do not really like), I try to be more conversational and get out of the comfort zone. Hopefully, the more training I do, the easier it will become.
When Cara is old enough to understand the contents, then I will be introducing her to this book. Be warned, there are a lot of swearwords in it. This is expected given the amount of pain described and shown in the book. But until Cara is able to read it, please do grab a copy and read it yourself! Then hit the gym…
Have you read Can’t Hurt Me? If so, how did it affect you? Let me know in the comments section below.