What are you really capable of doing?

There is a terrific book well worth reading called ‘You can’t hurt me’ By David Goggins.

For David Goggins, childhood was a nightmare. 

Poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse coloured his days and haunted his nights. 

But through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man with no future into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world’s top endurance athletes. 

He is the only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller, and he went on to set records in numerous endurance events, inspiring Outside magazine to name him ‘The Fittest (Real) Man in America.’

When he joined the SEALs, he was more than a 100 pounds too heavy, he lost the weight in 30 days to be able to qualify.

Once in the training, he had to repeat it twice due to injury. The third time, even if he failed to injure them, they would throw him out. 

Can you imagine going through SEAL training, not once, but three times? And not quitting?

He had bone fractures in both legs and literally used duct tape to reinforce his legs, got up extra early each day (like SEALs don’t get up early enough already) and began walking on his two broken, duct taped legs.

Each step was agonizing in pain, but he pushed through it and within a few minutes he was able to walk, then lightly jog, setting aside the pain — pushing forward.

By the time they all got up and going, he was able to do the morning run, at SEAL pace and with a pack of weight on his back. 

Later in life he ran a 100-mile ultra-marathon, never having even ran a 26-mile marathon. By mile 58 he had numerous fractures in his feet, he pressed on.
At mile 72, he was urinating blood as his kidneys were beginning to go into renal failure. He didn’t stop.

He completed the race.

Later he was asked how he felt to push beyond what seemed like human possibility and truly give 100% and complete that race.

He said nah, it wasn’t close to 100% he gave, maybe only about 70% or so, had he given 100% he would have died one step after crossing the finish line.

He pushed himself beyond all human understanding of pain and yet, to him, he only gave 70% or so of his effort.

This book is a great reminder that you and I are capable of a lot more than we think we can do.

Take Action:

What hugely challenging goal would you like to achieve for yourself in 2021?  Write it down and write down 10 action steps you can take to get closer to this goal. Do one action step each week.

Today’s quote: “Nothing is impossible; the word itself says ‘I’m possible!” – Audrey Hepburn