Never Finished (This Will Improve Your Life)
To investors, I have been reading one book per week this year. This past week’s book was Never Finished by David Goggins. Highly recommend reading it. If you are interested in the individual highlights that I made in the physical book, you can read those here. Hope you enjoy these notes every Monday morning. Book’s main argument:David Goggins is a former Navy SEAL who has a personal goal to become the hardest motherf***er in the world. That may seem like an ambitious, nearly unattainable, goal, but Goggins is a special human being. From 200 mile runs to setting the pull up world record, Goggins is a man on a mission. This book stitches together his personal experience and various insights, along with an entertaining style, that gives you something to apply to your daily life. The book is part motivation, part self-reflection, and part reality check. There is graphic language used throughout so consider this fair warning. 5 Big Ideas:💡 Idea #1 — Your mind is a powerful force. You may have heard that you need to believe in yourself, but Goggins believes that you need to truly do the work to be able to put that idea to work. He writes:
Goggins is quick to call out that his potential was only obvious after years of hard work. That is an idea that successful people usually realize later in life, but those who are merely dreaming fail to understand.
💡 Idea #2 — Born losers is a phrase that Goggins uses to highlight how many people are born with the deck stacked against them. You can’t change your starting point, but you have the power to change your direction and trajectory. He writes:
Goggins likes to think of himself as a cockroach — an animal that won’t give up and is hard to kill. He uses that mentality to constantly seek improvement, regardless of his circumstances.
💡 Idea #3 — You can achieve your goals once you become comfortable knowing that it is okay to be different, or it is the right move to change what you’re doing on a daily basis. Many of your friends or family will try to hold you back — don’t let them. Goggins writes:
Remember that no one will care about your problems as much as you.
Know who is in your foxhole and be sure that you want them there. They can be a great help…or cause incredible pain. Goggins writes:
💡 Idea #4 — David Goggins thinks of himself as a savage and uses the term to bestow praise on people he thinks deserve it. This can be counter-intuitive to people, so it is important to realize that becoming a savage is a badge of honor in Goggins’ circle. He explains:
You can become a savage by intentionally changing your mindset. Use a Mental Lab to make the changes before your physical actions start to express the change. The use of alter-ego, whether in public or private, can be a helpful framework to turn the savage on or off.
💡 Idea #5 — There is an intensity that is needed to be great at something. This level of obsession will make many people uncomfortable and it is unnecessary for most things…unless you want to be great at what you do. Then, and usually only then, the intensity is necessary. Goggins writes:
The true savage doesn’t let praise distract them from their goal. They also understand that society must have savages focused on being great at their craft, but we also need many other roles that do not require the savage’s focus, intensity, or obsession.
If you choose the savage life, you will become an inspiration to others. Goggins writes:
Memorable quotes:
Pomp’s Takeaways:David Goggins is a special individual. If you have ever heard him on a podcast, read his first book, or seen social media clips of him running, you already know this. For those that have never encountered Goggins, you’ll just have to trust me that he is the real deal. My first big takeaway from the book was how open and honest it was. Goggins talks at length about his horrible childhood, including breaking down the pros and cons of his mother, father, grandparents, and siblings. This level of authenticity can only come from someone who is very comfortable being themselves. It also serves as a good reminder that your problems could always be worse. My second big takeaway was how frequently Goggins would subject himself to physical pain in the form of ultra-marathons, long bike rides, or other ridiculous tasks, but with an express purpose of hardening his mind. Our society has become complacent with a lack of mental toughness. It is hard to train that level of resilience and fortitude. Physical pain through competition is one time-tested path that continues to work today. My third big takeaway was the idea of David Goggins’ alter-ego. He highlights the difference between David Goggins and Goggins. Similarly, Kobe Bryant used to talk about his alter-ego Black Mamba. This mental trick can help someone transform their actions by making them comfortable with attempting things that may otherwise scare them, or seem insane. My fourth big takeaway was “they don’t make many of them like Goggins anymore.” I consider myself a fairly tough guy who has been through different difficulties in life. But I, like so many of you, find comfort in the easy life from time-to-time. A simple comparison from my life would be 21-year-old me deployed in Iraq vs 34-year-old me who spends most his time behind a computer. You don’t have to seek out the most difficult life every day, all day long, but this book is a great reminder that we could all benefit from doing hard things every once in awhile. My final takeaway is that David Goggins is not attempting the impossible and documenting it on social media because it makes him feel good or he needs the likes. Instead, he is using the documentation process to inspire others to become the best versions of themselves. Goggins ends the book with the following:
That is a powerful view of the world. We can each improve our lives. We can do extraordinary things. Sometimes it starts with us simply believing it is possible. David Goggins changed his life — what would it take you to change yours? As I mentioned, this past week’s book was Never Finished by David Goggins. Highly recommend reading it. If you are interested in the individual highlights that I made in the physical book, you can read those here. Hope you enjoy these notes every Monday. Feel free to leave a comment - I read all of them. -Pomp Note: Make sure you are subscribed to receive these personal notes each Monday morning. Announcement: I am hosting a conference at the Miami Beach Convention Center on March 4, 2023. Anyone can attend for free. The goal is to bring together people from different walks of life to debate important ideas that impact our society on a daily basis. The speakers are many of the most popular guests from the podcast over the last few years, along with a few surprises. If you’re interested in attending, you can read about the event details here: FREE TICKETS: https://www.lyceummiami.com/ You are receiving The Pomp Letter because you either signed up or you attended one of the events that I spoke at. Feel free to unsubscribe if you aren’t finding this valuable. Nothing in this email is intended to serve as financial advice. Do your own research. You're currently a free subscriber to The Pomp Letter. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription. |
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