Strengthen Your Mind Like a Navy SEAL | David Goggins | Big Think

Strengthen Your Mind Like a Navy SEAL
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What could almost destroy the body and mind of the only person to complete Navy SEAL training (including two Heck Weeks), Air Force tactical air controller training, and U.S. Army Ranger School? David Goggins is tough, but in an effort to raise money for the Lone Survivor Foundation, he took on a challenge that tested him more than any of his military experiences: the Badwater 135. This is an ultra-marathon event that requires participants to run 135 miles in 24 hours in the peak heat of De*th Valley. Goggins wasn't a runner at the time; he was a bulky power lifter, and he only had four days to prepare for the qualifying race. He needed to run 100 miles in under 24 hours. So how did he do? Here, he tells the story and in doing so shares a lesson on human potential, mental toughness, and why you won't grow as a person if you always choose the path of least resistance. You can follow David on Twitter and Instagram @davidgoggins and Facebook.
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DAVID GOGGINS:

David Goggins is the only member of the U.S. Armed Forces to complete SEAL training, Air Force tactical air controller training, and the U.S. Army Ranger School, where he graduated as 'Enlisted Honor Man'. Seeking an even greater challenge, Goggins set about conquering the hardest sporting events known to man. Today he is considered to be one of the greatest endurance athletes in the world.
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TRANSCRIPT:

David Goggins: I’m a big believer in doing things that make you uncomfortable. So, we live in a world where we want to be as comfortable as we can. And we wonder why we have no growth. We wonder why—when the smallest thing in our life gets difficult—we wonder why we cower and we run away.

I mean, our whole life is set up that way. Our whole life is set up in the path of least resistance. We don’t want to suffer. We don’t want to feel discomfort. So the whole time we’re living our lives in a very comfortable area. There’s no growth in that. So for me I realized that. The reason I became 297 pounds is because that was comfortable. What was very uncomfortable was running. What was very uncomfortable was being on a diet. What was very uncomfortable was trying to face things that I didn’t want to face. And I also realized when I was really big: I had no growth. Why? Because I was living comfortable. So I realized for me to find growth I had to face all these different things that made me very, very uncomfortable.

One thing I faced was running. I absolutely hated running. But I knew for me to grow I had to do this thing every single day. I wanted to start callus-ing my mind. I wanted to start becoming a better person. And how do you become a better person? How do you gain mental toughness? How do you become the person you want to be? It’s by constantly facing the things that you don’t want to face. If you constantly run away from things that you don’t want to face, how is there growth? How is there mental toughness? I can give you a class all day long about self-talk, visualization, “eat an elephant one bite at a time”, but if you’re never putting yourself in a situation to actually practice these things you’re never going to grow.

We’re all going through a battle in our mind. A warrior is not a person that carries a g*n. The biggest war you ever go through is right between your own ears. It’s in your mind. We’re all going through a war in our mind and we have to callus our mind to fight that war and to win that war. So one example I can give you about callus-ing your mind, about doing things that make you uncomfortable. There’s a book out there called 'Lone Survivor' and there’s a guy named Marcus Luttrell. He was on an operation where a bunch of guys died, and I knew all the guys that died. And I know Marcus Luttrell very well. This story touched my heart. And I basically went out there and found a foundation to raise money for it. It’s called the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. You give 100 percent tuition for—let’s say your dad died in the war. He was a special operator. If that guy had a kid, you get 100 percent tuition to go to college. A great foundation, great people working at the foundation. “I’m going to do this.” So I Googled the ten hardest races in the world. And at this time of my life I was not a runner. I maybe ran ten miles the whole year. I was into bodybuilding, I was into weight training, and that’s what I did.

So I Googled the ten hardest race...

[navneetabhuriya]

You become Strong by Constantly facing the things you don't want to face.

[Pippinm]

“Once the mind knows you are not going to quit something, it’s gonna try to find more, it’s gonna try to give you more”...Awesome!

[nexamax]

My Daily Motto: Life begins at the end of your comfort zone

[mrkerl]

One lesson people usually learn in Hell Week / Ranger School:  The brain always quits before the body does.

[dustinthomas]

I've always been an introvert throughout my life. I've always had problems talking to people being shy when the real problem was that I was always afraid of rejection. So I went out and became more social by talking to more and more strangers making myself as uncomfortable as possible. Now I feel like I can take on the world because I'm no longer afraid. I still get uncomfortable, but I know it doesn't matter anymore if I get rejected by someone in a social situation because in reality it cannot hurt me! Thanks for the inspiration David Goggins!

[rancorand]

The most amazing thing David Goggins ever did was this video without dropping the F bomb.

[Dani]

For the first time in my life, I ran 6.5 miles without stopping. I honestly wanted to stop after 2 miles but something weird happened. I just sorta accepted the pain and the fact that this was gonna suck. I also accepted the fact that I wasn’t stopping until I managed to hit 6.5 miles.


I know that’s not a lot compared to what many can easily do but it taught me something. Learn to accept the pain and keep going until you either reach your goal or your body fails you.

[xosihj]

Thanks for not putting any shitty wannabe deep Piano or violin string music under this

[oopswrongplanet]

I think many people (including myself) tend to always associate Goggin's lesson about pushing yourself into uncomfortable situations to grow, exclusively with physical activities. But its just as important to get outside your comfort zone in other aspects of your life as well, taking on new challenges for personal growth, for example, going back to school, accepting a new position at work, learning a new skill, etc. The beauty of what Goggins is teaching us is that its really applicable to any and all aspects of your life!

[embee.]

I went through basic training with Mr. Goggins and let me tell you, he is every bit as real as he seems. He did sit-ups in the common room during the night when we would all be asleep ... until his tail bone bled ...
He was inspiring then and he is inspiring now. Awesome to see.

[jamesfeeney]

At one point I thought this guy was gonna walk through my phones screen and kick my ass

[doublemeatjesus]

Yup, I started at 320 lbs, started running, dropped to 195, joined the marines, did war a couple times, got out, got fat again, got up to 310, dropped to 215, did my first half marathon at 245, always pushing

[thesuccessfulone]

"Comfort breeds weakness." - Rengar

[pacibaco]

THIS is what the internet should bring to Schools ! Positive reinforcement ! This Man’s Journey through the mind needs to be a mandatory video seen in High Schools . It could produce waves of greatness

[joshholgate]

This man has made me run everyday. And to understand the mind will give up way before the body will. Our bodies can undergo so much it’s scary! Life changing !

[gbot]

im 270 muscular and i hate have been running since last week. wish me luck.

[wadewilson]

David Goggins is one of hardest guys ever!

[sweetmelon]

"Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an action and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny".
(Ralph Waldon Emerson)

[peyotefinder]

What I really like about his speech is his insight to how we are capable of almost unhuman feats. Gave me shivers.

[ws.]

His book ‘Can’t Hurt Me’ has changed my life. The audiobook version is unbelievable. I don’t listen to anything else. I don’t listen to music anymore while I workout... I listen to his audiobook and motivation videos. He’s the 🐐