Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds
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Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 96,297 ratings

New York Times best-seller. Over five million copies sold

For David Goggins, childhood was a nightmare--poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse colored 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 US Armed Forces icon and one of the world's top endurance athletes. The only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force tactical air controller, he went on to set records in numerous endurance events, inspiring Outside magazine to name him the Fittest (Real) Man in America.

In Can't Hurt Me, he shares his astonishing life story and reveals that most of us tap into only 40 percent of our capabilities. Goggins calls this The 40% Rule, and his story illuminates a path that anyone can follow to push past pain, demolish fear, and reach their full potential.

An annotated edition of Can't Hurt Me, offering over two hours of bonus content featuring deeper insights and never-before-told stories shared by David. Not available in other formats.

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Product details

Listening Length 13 hours and 37 minutes
Author David Goggins
Narrator David Goggins, Adam Skolnick
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date November 28, 2018
Publisher Lioncrest Publishing
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B07KKP62FW
Best Sellers Rank #55 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#3 in Motivational Self-Help (Books)
#5 in Personal Success
#5 in Success Self-Help

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
96,297 global ratings
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5 Stars
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The book arrived at my home in excellent condition. I thought maybe the book was going to come with some problem (for example, a little damage), because it came from United States to Colombia. However, as I said, all was perfect.No damage, no problems.
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Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2023
"Can't Hurt Me" by David Goggins is an absolute powerhouse of a book that transcends the boundaries of inspiration and dives deep into the realms of transformation and resilience.

Goggins' raw and unfiltered storytelling grips you from the very start. His journey from adversity to triumph is not just motivational but utterly transformative. What sets this book apart is its incredible honesty; Goggins doesn't sugarcoat his challenges but instead confronts them head-on, showcasing the power of the human spirit in overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

The book is a goldmine of strategies for mental toughness. Goggins doesn't just narrate his story; he breaks it down into actionable steps, offering a blueprint for readers to push beyond their perceived limits. His "cookie jar" technique, accountability mirror, and the 40% rule are just a few gems that redefine what it means to master one's mind.

What's truly compelling is Goggins' relentless pursuit of self-improvement. His story serves as a wake-up call, challenging readers to confront their excuses, embrace discomfort, and push through pain to discover their true potential. The emphasis on embracing discomfort as a catalyst for growth resonates deeply, urging readers to step out of their comfort zones and chase greatness.

Moreover, the audiobook format, intertwined with Goggins' candid commentary, provides an immersive experience that feels like a personal coaching session, igniting a fire within listeners.

"Can't Hurt Me" isn't just a book; it's a life-altering manual that instills a profound sense of empowerment. It's a testament to the unwavering human spirit and an invaluable guide for anyone seeking to shatter their limitations and rewrite their story.

In essence, David Goggins' "Can't Hurt Me" is a masterpiece that leaves an indelible mark, pushing boundaries, challenging the status quo, and empowering individuals to conquer their minds and defy the odds. It's a must-read for anyone on the path to self-discovery and personal mastery.
28 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2024
I’d heard of David Goggins many times and I’d always considered his life and endurance to be incredible. Yet that was only through snippets of podcasts or tweets of his physical accomplishments. Reading his book was the first time I’d ever delved deeply into his story. Let me just say that reading it for myself took my impressions of him to a new high.

His story is tremendous yet his message (based on his lives experience) is simple: We’re all capable of so much more than we think. We only need to push past our own boundaries and limiting factors to achieve or goals.

He doesn’t set any of this out as pie-in-the-sky fluff but offers real steps on a path. It’s not an easy path, but it is an achievable one. Goggins made me a believer in his outlook.

As far as its quality as a book, I’d rate it as top notch. I started reading it on a Thursday night and stayed up way past my bedtime because of the quality story and writing. I was completely finished reading it two days later. So, even if you don’t agree with the message, know that you’re at least getting a real page turner.
18 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2024
Engaging. Relatable. Helpful. Inspirational. Worth everyone’s time 🫶
Glad chose this book for my 4th book this year….

Thank you!
One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2024
He is a very Humble man, he sounds like deep down he is a really nice person, that just wants to dominante his mind. He doesnt sugarcoat anything, he knows when he f**** up
Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2020
I see no reason to write an overly detailed review of this book. Others have beaten me to the punch. So I'll give you a quick overview and then add my reasons for why I think many people need to read this, and why even those who don't might find it quite useful in their own lives.

David Goggins is a retired Navy SEAL who is legendary for his determination, will-power and ability to edure pain. Now, before you throw up your hands, adopt an English accent, and exclaim, "Och, not another bloody book by a bloody SEAL!" let me assure you that CAN'T HURT ME is most definitely n o t like all the others you may have read. The Chris Kyles and Marcus Lattrells and what-not were telling war stories and to some extent, making extended commercials for their own branch of the military. Goggins is not. In fact, when it comes to his deployed-in-a-war-zone days, he doesn't write enough to fill out a paragraph, much less a page. He talks about his military training extensively, but only with the larger focus of the book in mind. Which is as follows.

Goggins grew up in an abusive family. His dad was a physically and emotionally abusive hustler who treated him like a slave. He ended up living with his mom and taking comfort in food -- lots of food, so that he eventually became grossly and immensely fat. As one of the only blacks in an all-white school, he was also subjected to terrible racism. By the time he was in his late teens, early 20s, his life was a kind of morbid joke, with his job being to empty traps left in restaurants which were full of dead rats. He had no self-respect and no future. To compress a very complicated story into a few sentences, Goggins eventually came to the conclusion that he must stop seeking out the easy path in life, must "find comfort in being uncomfortable," and constantly seek to challenge himself in every aspect of life. This led him to the SEALs, whose training he had to go through several times due to injuries and illness -- a remarkable feat in itself given the mental and physical brutality of the training. Once a SEAL, however, Goggins continued to find ways to become uncomfortable by seeking out the toughest trainings he could sign up for, including the Rangers and the Delta Force, and by entering marathons and later, the masochistic enterprise known as the ultra-marathon. Eventually he competed in even more punishing activities such as trying to become the Guinness Book of World Records holder in the category of chin-ups (which sounds like my idea of hell.) But the thing which distinguishes him from everyone else is the fact that he did most of this with some severe congenital defects he didn't even know he had at the time. This discovery truly blew his mind and got him asking, "What if -- ?" He began to realize that we are largely prisoners of our own perceptions, and are capable of so much more than we think, but we habitually underestimate our potential and settle for what he calls "the 40%." His goal for himself, and his goal for you, is to reach 100%. The fact that this may not be possible is irrelevant to him. It's the striving, the discomfort, the pain that he seeks, not because it will get him to the goal but because it is the goal. Seeing what one can endure expands what one can achieve. As writers from Marcus Aurelius to Ernst Jünger have noted, "the obstacle is the way."

CAN'T HURT ME is important not for its recitation of all the blisters and sweat and torn ligaments Goggins has endured, or for his achievements as a sailor or an athlete, but for the way he approaches the central questions regarding the difficulties we all face in life. Goggins has plenty of reason to play the vicitim, but chose another path, the path of self-ownership. It really is very simple. For example, when he discusses his obesity, he does not blame his father, racism or society: he blames himself. His mantra in every aspect of his life is that we own our own skin and our own decisions and too often, we use our traumas to justify things like laziness, apathy, cowardice, drug abuse, and alcoholism. Overcoming this self-sabotage requires being brutally honest with oneself. "Don't call yourself overweight," he all but shouts at the reader. "Say what you really are -- a fat f***!"" Carl von Clausewitz called this, "The appreciation of the situation." Goggins calls it a self-audit. He audits himself regularly, especially when he fails at something, but also when he is successful, too. He encourages a mind-set of brutal honesty with an emphasis on the brutal. He is very frank that he "gets his strength from a very dark place," and his ethos illustrates that, as does this book. He isn't a shiny, happy person. He isn't interested in fame. He doesn't have many friends. Even when he writes about the SEALs, he offers criticism -- something you won't see much if any of in other books by former members. Some readers may be offput by this very darkness, especially in an era in which whining and entitlement (something he especially despises) are now rampant everywhere. But that is why I consider this book important. It comes at a time when many are beginning to suspect that the victim mentality they've been told to sharpen their entire lives is actually an albatross, weighing them down, stranding them in weakness, unhappiness, and failure.

CAN'T HURT ME is a fast and brutal read. It's inspiring, but it's not a feel-good memoir, and one can't help but wonder if Goggins takes any real pleasure out of life. He's sort of the Mace Windu of inspirational writers, a grim-faced warrior monk who is going to poke you in your love-handle and ask if you think that is the best you can do. But should you sweat it off, don't look to him for a pat on the back. Look to him to ask if you couldn't have done it more efficiently...and then to ask you what's next on your list of challenges. And why you aren't working on them yet.
475 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2024
I love this book I bought it digital and then I bought the physical book for my daughter, this book is amazing love the story and the advice to look at life in a different way. Can't wait to read his other book Never Finished.
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2024
Excellent story and invigorating motivation. Truly inspiring on a soul level. I wish everyone I know would read this book. I may even buy this book for some loved ones whether or not they read them… who know maybe they will someday.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Daniel Ramos de Oliveira Junior
5.0 out of 5 stars melhor livro sobre disciplina e mudança de vida!
Reviewed in Brazil on February 27, 2024
Deve ser a décima vez que leio este livro. Sempre que preciso me reerguer como pessoa eu leio ele. Ele me motiva a continuar fazendo o meu melhor para buscar os meus objetivos. E me mostra o quanto estou sendo bom comigo mesmo, confortável, que posso me cobrar mais e fazer acontecer.
Paul Brown
5.0 out of 5 stars A resolve that reflects my own experience.
Reviewed in Canada on February 13, 2022
Amazing story. David Goggins shares his story of a personal transformation that is very powerful ( providing you can get beyond the many cursings he has to offer.) This man stumbled upon the very powerful laws of success, and used it to change his life and destiny within this world. I was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia with delusions of grandeur, and for 7 years I was in and out hospitals: medicated, electroshocked and had no lasting improvement. The doctor later deemed me affected with "treatment resistant schizophrenia," and recommended my mom transfer me to a long-term care facility (she became my legal guardian as I was deemed a danger to myself.)

This took a turn for the worse and I almost offed myself after realizing the "reality" I believed and lived in for 7 years was a lie. The shock broke me, and my whole being called for death shortly after. But there in the process of committing my final act within this world, lighting struck and I came to myself. I saw this as the act of a coward, because I feared living in this world, hated and laughed at by everyone and everything. "Am I going to let them bully me to end myself? Not a chance. If they want me to go then let them do it with their own two hands. I will no longer run nor hide away in isolation." From that moment on I chose to take back my life from schizophrenia. I faced down every giant it sent to crush me with an unshakable resolve: the giant of extreme anxiety, the giants of fear, paranoia, delusion, the giant of intrusive and blasphemous thoughts, the giants of hallucinations (auditoy and visual,) the giants of insecurity, hate, resentment, persecutory delusions (the world was in me and every where I went people would reaď my mind commenting on my thoughts mostly laughing at the torment i was experiencing,) giant of distrust, the giant of loneliness (there was not a person in the world who i felt I could talk with and pain of that loneliness was unbearable.) I hid away in my room because it was "safe," but in this form of safety there was no freedom, there couldn't be any. But where the "pain" was, in the middle of that fire, the last place I wanted to be, was exactly where I needed to be: I had to willingly choose to make myself uncomfortable. Everyday from that moment of revelation, I left my room and talked with my mother and sisters, whom I thought were witches trying to kill me through witchcraft. I no longer waited for them to come into my room and greet me, instead when they got home, I went out and greeted them. I didn't do it because I felt like it, I did it because I didn't feel like it. I hated them for what I thought they did to me, and because I hated them I chose to embrace them. One inch at a time, one day at a time, I was able to move forward until today, I'm 100% free from all schizophrenia symptoms. I've been off meds for nearly 15 years now. I became an electrician and even passed my red seal and have been working full time in the trade. I just had my one year anniversary that I celebrated with a nurse that I married.

A co-worker loan me "Can't hurt me" because my story of recovering from schizophrenia, more specifically, how I did it reminded him of Goggins own mentality to get beyond his own insecurities, etc. I’ve never even heard the name Goggins until that point. But reading his story resonated with me because I too lived with that defeated self. I too held that "woe is me" victim mentality. I'd ask myself, "why me? What did I do to deserve this?" And I still suffered nonetheless. But when I shifted the question to, "WHY NOT ME?!" Again, the heavens opened up and a light came shining down touching my soul deep within (metaphorically speaking of course:) THAT'S THE QUESTION! It hit me so hard. For so long I couldn't see it. Why not me? Why do I deserve to be excluded from suffering? Babies are born into the world with all sorts of sickness and diseases and suffering, and here I'm crying, why me? I felt so ashamed I could barely lift my head. Nevertheless, this energized me to take on the entire world, and I did, and I won. I managed to accomplish what the doctors said to be impossible for someone who had schizophrenia as entrenched as i did: I overcame schizophrenia.

Reading this book made me realize why my co-worker asked me about Goggins. Many times it was as if I was hearing myself talk, word for word. It was incredible. It's a great book for the person who's tired to living defeated, whose back is against the wall and you've no way out. Within your darkest hour also lays your moment of opportunity to turn the tides of your struggle. Goggins tells us his story. I just shared a part of mine, and you've got your own to write with your life as you face down each obstacle trying to drag you under, and put them under your feet. It's our story, we determine the how it's told.
109 people found this helpful
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Jose Ignacio Almaraz Pina
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow muy bueno
Reviewed in Mexico on January 31, 2024
Interesante libro, motivador y retador
One person found this helpful
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utente99
5.0 out of 5 stars Motivazionale, appassionante
Reviewed in Italy on May 8, 2024
Se vi piacciono le storie tristi questa é quella che fa per voi, ma ha un lieto fine!
Consiglio la lettura, magari lenta in alcuni punti, molto incentrata sul periodo militare dell’autore.
Consiglio la lettura a chi ha bisogno di motivarsi nella vita.
Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST Read
Reviewed in Spain on April 29, 2024
Life changer! I'd recommend it to anyone regardless of your background, age, or if you are sporty or not. So many life lessons. I plan to buy more copies for family members.