Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins

I’ve heard David Goggings name from ultra running circles and watched some of his Youtube videos. He sounded like a stereotypical motivational speaker, but as these things usually go, there is usually so much more under the surface.

Sometimes David’s obsession goes way overboard - to the point where you start to question whether you’re reading about self destructive behavior. In theory, he seems to keep his health in high regard, but at some point he refused to go to ER after having a clear kidney failure to "own the pain". Towards the end of the book he seems to develop a bit more as an athlete, though, and even starts stretching. Glimpses of balance start to appear here and there, although he doesn’t talk much about e.g. balancing his family responsibilities and athletic endeavours. Or maybe the imbalance is what he’s after. With his own words: “Continue to put obstacles in front of yourself, because that’s where you’ll find the friction that will help you grow even stronger. Before you know it, you will stand alone.”

After each chapter David gives the reader a personal challenge, which usually boils down to thinking about an issue and journaling about it. Each challenge also encourages reader to post on social media with hashtags mentioning the book’s title, which feels a bit too much. Challenges themselves are quite useful tools to analyze one’s mindset, though.

Nevertheless, David's attitude towards life is something that everyone should take inspiration from. His childhood and youth was hell for the reasons he didn't have control of. He had every reason in the world to blame his family, neighborhood and society, to see himself as victim of circumstances and to accept the miserable life as the natural outcome. He could have turned bitter towards other people, become antisocial, start rebelling against the world or become a self-entitled prick demanding all the good things for himself just because other people have them. We see such people all the time around us.

Instead, he made himself a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, ultrarunner, Ironman triathlete, wildfire firefighter and accomplished public speaker.

Stay hard.