Can’t Hurt Me, by David Goggins, is the BEST book I read in April 2020.
I had listened to a couple of podcasts that interviewed David Goggins and though that was enough to “get it”. Also, I’ve read many books from other Navy SEALS, which made me think that I had already heard that story about enduring hardships and discipline.
Discipline and pain tolerance are some of my strengths, and anyone who knows my well can confirm so. Yet, after reading the book I felt that I was actually weak. The book will help you understand that we are often our own worst enemies. That it is ourselves, and the stories we let run in our heads, that are preventing us from achieving our full potential.
In my humble opinion, this book is a MUST read for any person that wants to live a life of constant growth.
Flow: 5/5, it reads like fiction. Great stories.
Actionability: 5/5, at the end of every chapter there are questions, challenges, and many other suggestions on how to transform the knowledge into power by taking action.
Mindset: 5/5, you will understand that you are capable of so much more. Your mind and your spirit will be expanded.
Some Of My Highlights from Can’t Hurt Me:
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“Don’t stop when you are tired. Stop when you are done.”
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“What you said is true for most people, but not 100 percent. There will always be the 1 percent of us who are willing to put in the work to defy the odds.”
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“‘Out of every one hundred men’ he wrote, ‘then shouldn’t even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior…”
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“Because when you are driven, whatever is in front of you, whether it’s racism, sexism, injuries, divorce, depression, obesity, tragedy, or poverty, becomes fuel for your metamorphosis.”
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“I vividly recall one night we were so broke we drove home on a gas tank that was near empty, to a bare refrigerator and a past due electric bill, with no money in the bank. Then I remembered that we had two mason jars filled with pennies and other loose change.”
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“Fight or flight can be a great tool when you’re in danger because it amps you up to battle through or sprint from trouble, but it’s no way to live.”
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“I used to come home from school and watch the same video of one of his early speeches every damn day.”
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“I looked at the people who were making me feel uncomfortable and realized how uncomfortable they were in their own skin.”
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“It came from personal accountability which brought me self respect, and self-respect will always light a way forward.”
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“The man who finds a way to complete each and every task to the best of his ability. The man who will adapt and overcome any and all obstacles.”
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“That’s when I first realized that not all physical and mental limitations are real, and that I had a habit of giving up way too soon.”
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“That means digging down to the micro level and doing something that sucks every day.”
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“Because nobody has to become a SEAL. We weren’t fucking drafted. Becoming a SEAL is a choice.”
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“Hell Week was a mind game… not to find the fittest athletes. To find the strongest minds.”
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“…people who are secure with themselves don’t bully other people. They look out for other people, so if you’re getting bullied you know that you’re dealing with someone who has problem areas you can exploit or soothe.”
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“Again, know the terrain, know yourself, and you’d better know your adversary in detail.”
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“The reason it’s important to push hardest when you want to quit the most is because it helps you callous your mind.”