Twelve Life Lessons from "Can't Hurt Me" by David Goggins
Don't just get motivated. Get obsessed. Motivation fades, but obsession pulls you through difficult odds.
Be your own hero, and be uncommon in your own world. You can be "uncommon" in being a parent, a teacher, or someone working in a company.
Callous your Mind by Making Uncomfortable Choices. Chase pain in one domain, and learn to see through it, to be able to conquer pain elsewhere in life.
Earn your place every day. Never get complacent. You always have something to prove — to yourself.
Embrace being "The Other". Being uncommon means being different. Which can only mean good!
Conquer other people's minds (and "take their souls"). Leapfrog others' expectations of you, shocking them, so they are at a loss how to dominate you.
Run your own race, and don't let others dictate your reality. You're only competing against yourself.
Think about others, and lead from the front. Help others, and your own burden will become much lighter.
Accept your flaws and triple down on them. Stare at yourself in the mirror and think: how can I improve?
Dip into the Cookie Jar of Past Victories. Keep note of times you succeeded. Remember them as inspiration for how you'll succeed again.
Surround yourself with your champions. Be inspired constantly!
Remove the "Governor" within yourself, because it's holding you to 40% of your potential. When you think you're done and can go no longer... you're not even halfway at your full potential.
The Five Big Ideas
The Accountability Mirror
The Governor
The 40% Rule
The Cookie Jar
Taking Souls
“The Cookie Jar” is a concept he employs whenever he needs a reminder of who he is and what he’s capable of.
Goggins began changing his life by speaking to himself in the mirror every night.
Well after graduating from military training schools to become a SEAL or anything else, Goggins revelled in treating every day like it was day zero, like he was nobody, and that he had everything to prove.
Early in the book, he talks about the "accountability mirror". It's a mirror with post-it notes on it, with simple statements like "you're fat" or "you're not smart". If you're fat, he says, you should realise it because "it's very fucking unhealthy and you should do something about it". If you're not smart, you're going to have to work harder to keep up.
how focusing on your strengths is important if you're trying to master one particular skill. But becoming mentally hard means doing things that you're not good at and that will push you outside your comfort zone.
This is a huge lesson. Think of all the times you did something amazing, defying the odds. Go back to that memory and remember how you felt. You felt invincible!
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