“It won’t always go your way, so you can’t get trapped in this idea that just because you’ve imagined a possibility for yourself that you somehow deserve it. Your entitled mind is dead weight. Cut it loose. Don’t focus on what you think you deserve. Take aim on what you are willing to earn.”
– David Goggins (Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds)
I will warn you before considering this book. If foul language and stories surrounding a harsh upbringing concern you, this might not be a book for you. Can’t Hurt Me is the story of a man who went through a difficult childhood, and a not-much-better early adulthood, and ended up transforming himself into something that any reasonable person could and should admire.
Can’t Hurt Me is a severe wake-up call to unreasonably entitled individuals that life is not just a privilege and that few things in life that are worthwhile come free or easy. Even those born with a silver spoon in their mouth will eventually get a reality check from life and your reaction to it will determine who and what you are, and the kind of life you will lead.
There were a few personal quarks in this book that I found frustrating. I swear a lot, but the swearing that took place in this book was borderline impressive. By impressive I mean excessive. Second quark. By the time I was halfway through the audiobook, I was sick and tired of the word “literally.” He uses it like a crutch at times and it’s a bit much. Aside from those, Can’t Hurt Me is one of the better books I have ever listened to.
I also enjoyed the format. It was my first experience with an audiobook that also had a short podcast session between the narrator and David. It made Can’t Hurt Me a little more personal and real. He talked about each chapter and it made for a deeper dive into each part of his life that he chose to write about and it made the experience a little more real.
I definitely recommend this book but have to reiterate the warning. There is a lot of swearing, even for a military book written by a military veteran. I am a veteran and I am telling you now that it is a bit excessive. Still, if you can get past that, it is a fantastic and fascinating story.
Journeyman's Legacy 