Book Notes: Never Finished
“The world needs all of us to evolve into the very best version of ourselves. It is a moving target, not a one-time task. It is a lifelong quest for more knowledge, courage, humility, and belief. Because when you summon the strength and discipline to live that way, the only thing that limits your horizon is you.”
Summary
I recently read the book Never Finished by David Goggins. Here are my key takeaways and reflections.
Each of us has an inner savage that yearns for challenges. “Savage” is used in the book Can’t Hurt Me and Never Finish to describe a mindset of extreme toughness, resilience, and unwavering determination. When I read the book Can’t Hurt Me, Goggins encouraged people to embrace the savage mindset to overcome obstacles, push past perceived limits, and reach their full potential. In the book Never Finished, Goggins describes how he soothes his inner savage, preventing him from feeling the need to grind.
At some point in your life, you’ve likely achieved significant milestones—earned a diploma, conquered a challenging certification exam, secured a well-paying job, or established a successful business. There are numerous excuses, such as a hectic schedule, family obligations, health issues, and other factors. At this point, you might believe you’ve accomplished enough. And this calms our inner savages, which may hinder our progress and sap our inner drive.
“Self-respect is earned every day by waking up early, challenging yourself with new dreams and embracing the suck like you have nothing and have never done a damn thing in your life”
If you find yourself in this phase, you may lose your self-respect. This book serves as a wake-up call, emphasizing that it is not your typical self-help guide but a powerful reminder to break free from complacency and reignite your passion.
Goggins suggests creating a Wake-Up Challenge with the following criteria:
- Choose something that scares you - much like Goggins’ own Wake-Up Challenge, the Leadville Trail 100, which haunted him.
- Demand daily effort and commitment.
Throughout the challenge, conduct a self-talk audit every morning, recording all of your excuses and complaints and listening to how weak they sound.
Goggins provides an example and a poignant reminder of Captain Connolly, his classmate in the Air Assault class. Captain Connolly attended not merely to meet the school’s requirements but with a unique personal goal – an invisible badge. He consistently surpassed the mandated expectations.
Whether in school with grade requirements, working towards KPI quotas in your professional setting, or meeting the expectations of your loved ones, it is crucial to establish your metrics. Go beyond what is strictly required, setting personal standards that exceed the minimum expectations.
“Always be exploring what more you can do and you will move far beyond the standards everyone else is living by.”
Throughout life’s journey, you encounter numerous failures. However, if you perceive those failures not as setbacks but as attempts, a fundamental shift occurs. Belief is what changes people into a different “animal”
In a particular podcast episode, he unveils one of his stress-handling methods, introducing the concept of heart zones ranging from 1 to 5. When we jog, our heart zone hovers around 2-3, while sprinting pushes it to 4-5. Life’s journey resembles a race, and much like a race, effective management of your heart zone is essential to prevent sudden stops and burnout.
Inspired by the deliberate pace of ultra-marathoners who cover vast distances over extended periods while staying within specific heart zones, this principle finds application in life’s challenges. Rather than sprinting through challenges, the analogy to jogging implies a deliberate and steady approach. It involves breaking down these seemingly overwhelming challenges into smaller, much slower, yet more manageable segments. This method becomes a guiding principle, enabling individuals to navigate significant challenges with resilience and endurance, avoiding burnout and exhaustion.
Closing thoughts
One of the takeaways from the book is the power of discipline. It is the only thing in the world that can change your DNA. It is a great equalizer. It removes all advantage. In a world currently grappling with persistent challenges, the absence of readiness in the face of adversity leads to inevitable setbacks. This is one of the life principles life must embrace to become disciples of discipline and evolve into the best version of ourselves.