Can’t Hurt Me summary

David Goggins may have escaped his abusive father, but that didn’t mean the rest of his childhood was any easier. In small-town Indiana, he would spend the rest of his formative years grappling with poverty and the demons of his past.

As soon as the initial euphoria of fleeing from Trunnis wore off, David and his mother had a new and harsh reality to face: they were suddenly dirt poor. Trunnis refused to give his wife and child more than a pittance to support themselves in their new life. David and his mother lived in a public housing block where they paid seven dollars a month in rent and eked out an existence on her part-time job and a $123 monthly welfare check.

As a teenager, David still struggled with school and literacy. But in his late teens, he finally locked on to something concrete to do with his life: join the United States Air Force. Buoyed by hopes of becoming a military man, he buckled down, learned to read and was accepted into Air Force training. Unfortunately, his path to success wouldn’t be a smooth one.

David’s dream was to become an Air Force pararescue, a special type of soldier who specializes in parachuting into war zones and rescuing injured pilots. To complete his training, David would have to face his toughest test yet: swimming.

One morning, after binging on another massive breakfast, Goggins saw something on television that would change his life forever: a documentary about Navy SEALS in training. SEALS are widely regarded as the most elite fighting force in the world, and SEAL training is the toughest in the world – only the best make it through.

Watching SEAL recruits struggling through mud, sweat and tears, Goggins was transfixed by their mental toughness, their determination to fight through suffering and their peak physical conditioning.

Goggins had achieved his ambition to become a Navy SEAL, but after a few years, he found himself hungry for new challenges. What would test his physical capabilities to the limit, the way SEAL training once had? In 2005 he found the answer: extreme long-distance running, or ultra running.

Goggins began ultra running to contribute to a good cause. When several of his fellow Navy SEALS were killed in a military operation in Afghanistan, Goggins decided to raise money for the families they left behind. This way he could combine charity with his quest to complete the toughest foot race on earth.

Because Goggins is one of the United States’ only African-American SEALS and a prolific ultra runner, people often ask him how they can become as successful as him. His first piece of advice comes down to one thing: work ethic.

It’s a sad fact that our society has become addicted to quick fixes. But Goggins believes that if you want to master yourself and harness your true potential, there’s no quick fix – only hard work. You may have tons of talent and passion, but without a work ethic to match, you’re a bird without wings – you’ll never fly.