Meet David Goggins – The Man Who Sought Strength Through Suffering
Finding salvation in suffering is a feat few are able to accomplish. Suffering strips you of your ego and leaves you with nothing but either your instinct to survive or a desire to perish. Perishing is final. But surviving is the beginning of a new version of yourself – stronger and more resilient. And with life being full of ups and downs, surely, the only way to navigate and enjoy it is to grow resilient to the downs. To become immune to pain.
David Goggins set out to do just that. Growing up in an abusive household and being one of very few black children attending a predominantly white high school, 20 miles from where the KKK were founded, David Goggins’ came of age as a man completely drained of his self-esteem. He had no goals set out ahead of him because he didn’t believe he could accomplish anything. He was weak. But one day he grew tired of his weakness, and in doing so, resolved to enlist in the US military, where he would put himself through the worst pain he could imagine. Ultimately finding strength. He went on to become the only soldier to complete SEAL training (including two hell weeks), Ranger School (graduating as Enlisted Honor Man) and Air Force Tactical air controller training. In an interview with Tom Bilyeu of Impact Theory (below), David Goggins talks about his journey towards holistic strength and the salvation he found in his suffering.
Many of us look for ways to live a pain free existence, as it is one that makes the most sense to us. However, in doing so, some of us forget the virtues of pain and that it is, in fact, inevitable. The inevitable is immovable but what isn’t is your mind, body and spirit. They’re forever malleable. And like water to a brick wall, your approach to the inevitable is to either be stopped and contained or to build until you overflow.
“Your brain and your body, once connected, can do anything” — David Goggins
Written by: Fattima Mahdi
Fattima Mahdi is a author, mentor, lyricist and professional roller-skater. She uses both her love for writing and music to address socio-political issues prevalent in society today. She is also the proud author of Love Don’t Come Easy. Read More stories by Fattima Mahdi
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