Why It Ranks #45
The most intense personal development book ever published. Goggins does not teach theory — he teaches by example, and his example is so extreme that it resets your definition of what is possible. The 40% Rule alone is worth the price.
The Review
David Goggins grew up in an abusive household, was overweight and working as a pest exterminator, and then decided to become a Navy SEAL. He is the only person in history to complete SEAL training, Army Ranger School, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller training. He then became an ultramarathon runner, set the world record for most pull-ups in 24 hours (4,030), and ran 100 miles on broken legs.
Can't Hurt Me is not a normal self-help book. It is an assault on every excuse you have ever made. Goggins's central idea — the 40% Rule, which says that when your mind tells you that you are done, you are only at 40% of your actual capacity — is backed by his own absurd life story. The book is polarizing: some find it the most motivating thing they have ever read, while others find it exhausting. Either way, it will make you question whether you are actually trying as hard as you think you are.
Key Takeaways
- 1The 40% Rule: when you think you are done, you are only at 40% capacity
- 2Callous your mind by deliberately seeking discomfort — comfort is the enemy of growth
- 3An accountability mirror forces you to confront the truth about where you are
- 4The only way to overcome your past is to outwork it — there are no shortcuts
Fun Facts
- •Goggins self-published the book through Lioncrest Publishing — traditional publishers reportedly wanted to soften the message
- •He ran his first 100-mile race with no ultra-running training and broke all the small bones in his feet
- •The book includes 'challenges' at the end of each chapter for the reader to complete
- •Goggins still runs ultra-marathons and shares his brutal training regime on social media
Book Details
Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins
Pages
364
Goodreads Rating
4.36/5
Copies Sold
7M+
First Published
2018
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