Do you find it tough to move past personal pain? Do you wish to turn your life around by mastering your mind? It's time to get over the mental junk holding you back and start reshaping your mindset into something powerful. All that failure, regret, and self-pity? Toss it. Start making moves to master your mind. Become the person you're meant to be. Today, and now! Read David Goggins' incredible life journey to witness how an overweight and depressed man in his twenties turned his life around to become the world's fittest man! 

Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds (2018) chronicles the inspiring life journey of David Goggins, a US Armed Forces icon who overcame lifelong depression and overweight issues to become a world-class endurance athlete. Popularly titled "the fittest (real) man in America" by the Outside magazine, Goggins is the sole person in history to successfully finish elite training as an Army Ranger, a Navy SEAL, as well as an Air Force Tactical Air Controller.  

The book shows how self-discipline, mental fortitude, and hard work can transform your life. Let's explore the key events that shaped David's incredible journey.

Childhood is supposed to be full of play, laughter, and love - but life has a mean streak! Young David's childhood was instead defined by backbreaking labor and bruising abuse - ever evasive of the simple joys of childhood. David, his brother, and their mother suffered intense physical and verbal abuse from his tyrannical father. His father, the owner of a roller disco rink, forced his whole family to work exhaustively in the rink till midnight. The tireless work often left the poor child sleepless, leaving him too tired to focus on school.

To top it all off, David was denied basic care by his father. Once David fell sick and his mother took him to the hospital. This act of love was against the wishes of his father who hated spending money on his family. Consequently, his mother suffered a severe beating from his father. David himself suffered immense physical abuse and was often belted by his father. 

Such was his childhood until the age of 8. Life had turned too bleak to not do anything anymore. And finally, his mother decided to escape the torment. She planned an escape with the help of an acquaintance, successfully fooled her husband to get a credit card in her name, and drove off to freedom! They started a new life in Brazil, Indiana. Unfortunately, his elder brother chose to stay and the brothers were forever estranged. 

While the great escape turned over a new leaf in the life of the mother-son duo, David continued to suffer hardships for a long time. His next phase of life was spent in extreme poverty and suffering.

David's remaining childhood was spent dealing with poverty and traumas of the past.

The reality of being extremely poor hit them both hard. His father did not give adequate money to help them, forcing the family to live in a public housing block. They barely survived on a part-time job and $123 welfare money for the next few years. 

The problem with facing abuse early on is that it never really escapes you. David suffered from a number of physical conditions like nervous stutter, hair fall, and loss of skin ligament by the time he was in third grade. The physical manifestations were the result of suffering from years of 'toxic stress'. Toxic stress is a condition in children suffering from years of abuse. The long-term effects of toxic stress can even change the brain's chemistry. In layman's terms, it means that the mind and body are never relaxed and are in perpetual 'fight or flight mode'. In other words, David was so traumatized, that he just couldn't help but expect danger everywhere. 

The impact of long-term stress also manifests as loss of memory. Most children will struggle to remember facts and underperform in school. Unfortunately for David, this meant being labeled as stupid. The only black kid in the class, David suffered even more ridicule from his classmates. David soon realized he might be thrown out of his school and admitted to a "special needs" facility. That was not acceptable. So, he made it his mission to survive - the only way through was by cheating. 

David cheated on his homework and tests with such flawlessness, that he made it to his teenage years with a bare minimum reading ability. And no one around him was interested enough to notice. But this meant that he failed to gain any real education. 

How did that affect a poverty-stricken David?

Now in his late teens, David finally found something he actually wanted to do. He felt a passionate desire to join the United States Air Force. This new ambition encouraged him to make some significant changes. He learned to read and gained admission into Air Force training. 

David had really set his mind on pararescue. Pararescues are basically soldiers who specialize in combat medics - parachuting in, treating injuries, and getting survivors to safety. But, his traumatic past caught up with his dreams. The specialization required David to learn swimming. And David, coming from where he did, had never even seen a swimming pool. So, rather than risk further failure, he just walked away from the opportunity.

Rather unexpected, right? One minute he's charging full steam ahead towards his airforce dreams, which we now know he was destined for. The next? He's quitting! Just like that? Where was the resilience for which he's famous today? The thing is, he still carried so much unresolved trauma and pain from his childhood. The fear and negativity he had lived in his entire life stopped him from reaching his full potential.  

His low self-esteem and lower literacy skills led him to an unsavory job in his twenties. The 24-year-old David worked as a night-shift pest exterminator. So with his Air Force dreams shattered, David slid into a downward spiral. He resorted to overeating to cope with the stress and soon ballooned upwards of 300 pounds. 

But, just when he thought he was finished, destiny came knocking with a first-class ticket to a glow-up.

It was a morning that Goggins would remember for the rest of his life when he was introduced to his future calling. Goggins watched a documentary about Navy SEALs during their training period. The sight of soldiers displaying physical and mental courage to finish the toughest training moved him. He was impressed by the endurance and physical conditioning of the SEALS. 

And just like that, Goggins' life changed forever! His motivation to join the elite fighting force had consumed him. Luckily, the training program was available for former military recruits who wished to become active again by joining the Navy. 

But, his 297-pound weight was a huge obstacle - the weight limit to join the training program was 191 pounds. Also, the program was open only for three months. So, Goggins faced the near-impossible challenge of losing around 100 pounds within the next three months. 

And miraculously, he did! 

His new-found determination and passion instilled a drive in him. David followed a strict exercise regimen over the next three months to reach the ideal weight. An average day for David started at 4:30 a.m. After waking up, he hit the exercise bike for the next two hours. This was followed by a 2-hour swimming session. David headed to the gym and practiced an intense workout - circuit training and five sets of 200 reps to tone all major muscle groups. And his day did not end there. Goggins exercised on his bike for a few more hours after dinner. 

The result? 

He lost 25 pounds within just two weeks. And within a month, he added a four-mile run to the stringent exercise regimen. It took less than three months for David to turn his life around and become fit enough to become eligible for SEALs. 

He was admitted into the program. David did not quit this time. He fought, and he fought hard. The past no longer controlled him. With his determination, he did not once stumble through the training program. After minimal sleep for days, exhaustive drills through water and sand, and whatnot; David smashed it all. On August 10, 2001, David officially joined Navy SEALS.  

Nothing could stop David now! He was ready for new challenges.

Success can do wonders for you; for one it can give you the confidence to push your limits. That's what David was looking for, now. Something to test his endurance. Like running a 135-mile race in Death Valley. That's over 200 kilometers. Unreal! But, not for David! He decided to participate in this extreme long-distance running, aka, ultra-running. Goggins used the occasion to raise money for the families of men who lost their lives in military operations in Afghanistan.

Just to give you some context: Badwater 135 is one of the most challenging races in the world. It includes running through tricky terrains while enduring sweltering heat. This ultimate challenge begins in California's Death Valley and ends at an elevation of 8,374 feet. And all this happens in July when Death Valley is one of the hottest regions! No wonder it's called the ultramarathon of ultramarathons. 

Now, the ultramarathon is so out of this world, that it has its own mini-marathon entrance test. Participating in the race comes with a prerequisite of completing the San Diego Day One - a 100-mile race. Prepare to be blown away because Goggins completed it within 19 hours with ZERO additional training! 

For the final race, he prepared well in advance. He improved his stamina and trained for the challenges posed by the heat and terrain. Goggins finished the race successfully in 30 hours and stood 5th in the competition. 

Today, David is seen as one of the fittest men in the world! He showed that hard work and mastery over the mind can transform your life and bring success. 

If you had the chance to ask him, "What could I do to become more like you?", what do you think he'd say?

Goggins attributes all his success to one thing - his work ethic! He has always worked hard, no matter the job at hand. And he still gives it his all. Even as a star icon, his typical day starts at the crack of dawn with a 6 to 10-mile jog, back home by quarter past five. A quick shower and a bite to eat then he hops on the bike - we're talking a 25-mile pedal just to make it to work by 7:30! And he still squeezes in a noon workout between meetings. All said he logs about 50 miles on that bike between the daily nine to five. So, sorry to say but that's why he thinks most people give up too easily and are full of excuses. David suggests waking up early as the crucial step to maximize one’s potential. It also brings self-discipline to life. 

In times when most people are looking for quick fixes, David believes that nothing worth achieving can be achieved with a shortcut. Mastering your mind requires immense hard work. Just being talented or passionate about something can not guarantee success. Only a strong work ethic guarantees the chance of success and happiness. 

So, get up and get going! Your success story is waiting for you if you could just show up for the hard work!

“In the military, we always say we don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.” 

Success has two ingredients - sheer dedication, and a consistent morning routine

The incredible life story of David Goggins is awe-inspiring and shows that we all have the potential to overcome all the traumas and fulfill our dreams. David overcame most of his childhood pain after putting 100% effort into joining the defense services. And his story is not yet finished. Even today, he follows a disciplined work ethic and stays fighting fit by waking up early. His life is a testament to what you can achieve if you do not give up and follow a disciplined routine to achieve your dreams. 

The book is ideal for anyone who wishes to master his mind and is willing to put in the hard work required to transform life!