Do You Actually Find David Goggins Inspiring?

David Goggins does not promise you what your average motivational speaker does. He does not promise any of his followers that if they were to work hard enough, they can be successful at whatever they do or even that their life will get easier.

To him, there is no end goal, the ribbon at the end of the race does not exist, and there is no wall you climb to reach Paradise. He keeps running and pushing no matter what because it is all about mastering his ability to deal with the unpredictability and unfairness of life.

David does not hope for an easy and joyful life. It is a fantasy to him. In fact, he wishes for the contrary. '

I don’t live off that hope shit. I wish the water was cold. I wish the motherfucking instructors keep on running. I wish for fucking rain. When the ending is unknown and the distance is unknown, that’s when you know who the fuck you are.

Suffering and hardships, he believes, are not something a human must avoid or should even fight against, but it is something that one must look forward to, something that one must actively chase because in suffering and in the journey alone, he trusts, one can find oneself and what one is truly capable of.

The Pursuit of Truth

I began reading his autobiography expecting to read just another self-help book that shares ideas that most of us have already heard in various forms. But his autobiography is unlike any book I have ever read.

Most of the motivational memoirs and speeches I have read and heard from various successful individuals up until I fell upon David Goggins' Can't Hurt Me has almost always been about a man or a woman overcoming hurdles and external pressures to attain their dream career or life. His autobiography, however, is unique in that its predominant focus is on the journey itself, on the thoughts and existential questions he faced whenever he pushed himself to his extreme.

A lot of the suffering he underwent is because he willingly chose difficult paths. He opted to join the United States Army, undergo Navy SEAL training, run Ultramarathons, obtain pull-up records, and push his body to its extreme limits. Some of the decisions or choices he made in his life will be incomprehensible to many, including me.

Because to him, it is all about Truth.

He does not sugarcoat and is not afraid to showcase his dirty laundry. He says what he believes and does what he says. One just can not comprehend all his thoughts and opinions because it is entirely his, and was never meant for everyone to understand.

His dreams are not tangible or relatable to the majority. It does not involve money, women, respect, or power. His goal is to figure out, for himself, who he truly is and inspire people on his journey of self-realization and mastery.

Trauma Response and Preparation

By running, I'm toughening my mind. I'm not training for a race, I'm training for life. I'm training for the time when I get that two o'clock call that my mom is dead, or if something tragic happens in my life I don't fall apart. I'm training my mind, my body, and my spirit so it's all one, so I can handle what life is gonna throw at me because the life I've lived throws a whole bunch at you.

Training and preparing every day to prevent oneself from reacting violently or emotionally in the future might sound like a trauma response. It seems to be born out of a fear of repeating the mental disintegrations of the past.

David's childhood was far from happy. He grew up with an abusive father for a very long time. He grasped, very early on, the darkness of life, of how horrific it can get if one were to give up control of oneself.

He derives his strength from the horrors of his past but does not feel the need to let go.

He does not believe in ending the race.

Motivation?

David's muse and discipline come from a place of darkness and trauma. He does not believe in working to establish an easy and pleasant life. He, instead, believes in deliberately immersing himself into difficult situations every single day to callous his mind and body, to reach a state where he is ready to face anything that life throws at him.

He is almost fifty years old and still works every single day. He does not take vacations. He has pushed his body to the point where he is almost always in physical pain. He has inspired millions and has earned enough money to sustain himself for the rest of his life. Nobody would criticize or look down on him if he were to retire now. He has no uncomplicated reason to keep working hard.

Yet, he goes on.

Even as you read this piece, he is probably hard at work preparing himself for the upcoming days.

Now, close your eyes and think. Be honest. Recollect everything you read so far. How does it make you feel? Do you feel motivated? Are you scared? Does David Goggins' mentality sound depressing, or does it inspire you?