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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
I first heard about David Goggins on a podcast where he was, essentially, being made fun of. Who was this crazy guy yelling into a camera while running shirtless? And why was he telling everyone that you shouldn't wear sunscreen because it'll make you "soft"? I didn't really think much about it after that until I saw recommendations for his book popping up everywhere - and with stellar reviews nonetheless. So I had to give it a try.
This is a confusing book. Goggins flips between humility and narcissism, biography and self-help, and storytelling and preaching. Despite insisting that he is nothing special, he also constantly reminds the reader of how unique he is, and that not everyone is as dedicated or passionate as him. He'll casually brush off one incredible feat, but then dedicate multiple paragraphs to how incredible his mindset is and how it let him overcome incredible pain.
At its core, this is an incredible account about the life that Goggins has had. An absolutely crazy story that I would recommend everyone hear. If even half of the stories he told from ultramarathons or SEAL training are true, then he is an incredible badass. No way around it. However, he reminds the reader that this story isn't about him, it's about the potential within all of us. His life is only a glimpse of what can be achieved if you unlock your potential using the steps described in this book. That's where I disengaged.
I struggled to buy in to the main message of this book: You have to seek out painful/uncomfortable situations purposely in order to strengthen your mind. There's a saying that goes "Don't spend all your time setting the table - you have eat the meal eventually." This is basically the antithesis of Goggins, as he is constantly ranting about how one should never be satisfied, society today is "soft" because they are complacent once they're comfortable, etc. But I would argue that it's perfectly acceptable, and even healthy, to take time to appreciate your accomplishments and enjoy results of hard work.
Maybe some people need to hear his message, and this book will help them. I'm not saying that some won't find it powerful or be helped by it. But personally, the constant preaching of "society is lazy and dumb" really dampened what would have otherwise incredible biography, hence only 3 stars. If the philosophical preaching was trimmed (not even necessarily omitted) it would have really improved the book, in my opinion.
This is a confusing book. Goggins flips between humility and narcissism, biography and self-help, and storytelling and preaching. Despite insisting that he is nothing special, he also constantly reminds the reader of how unique he is, and that not everyone is as dedicated or passionate as him. He'll casually brush off one incredible feat, but then dedicate multiple paragraphs to how incredible his mindset is and how it let him overcome incredible pain.
At its core, this is an incredible account about the life that Goggins has had. An absolutely crazy story that I would recommend everyone hear. If even half of the stories he told from ultramarathons or SEAL training are true, then he is an incredible badass. No way around it. However, he reminds the reader that this story isn't about him, it's about the potential within all of us. His life is only a glimpse of what can be achieved if you unlock your potential using the steps described in this book. That's where I disengaged.
I struggled to buy in to the main message of this book: You have to seek out painful/uncomfortable situations purposely in order to strengthen your mind. There's a saying that goes "Don't spend all your time setting the table - you have eat the meal eventually." This is basically the antithesis of Goggins, as he is constantly ranting about how one should never be satisfied, society today is "soft" because they are complacent once they're comfortable, etc. But I would argue that it's perfectly acceptable, and even healthy, to take time to appreciate your accomplishments and enjoy results of hard work.
Maybe some people need to hear his message, and this book will help them. I'm not saying that some won't find it powerful or be helped by it. But personally, the constant preaching of "society is lazy and dumb" really dampened what would have otherwise incredible biography, hence only 3 stars. If the philosophical preaching was trimmed (not even necessarily omitted) it would have really improved the book, in my opinion.
This review is of the memoir of David Goggins by Adam Skolnick.
Adam Skolnick’s ability to capture David Goggins’ anthemic slogans, and his Kanye-esque ability with metaphor lights an inferno to Goggins' coming of age story. Skonick’s muscular prose employs vague pronouns with explosive, sometimes evocative verbs. He uses short, easily consumable sentences with a focus on sports psychology, perspective shaping, and an impressive understanding of biology.
Goggins, in reality, is a person, but Skolnick seems aware that in literature, he will be a character. Throughout the narrative, he craftily guides the reader to appreciate the massive accomplishments of the main character, while dodging revealing less admirable traits through avoidance or clever wordplay.
The character of David Goggins is portrayed by his older, more accomplished self, as a lazy misanthrope, a caricature that attempts to connect with the American masses and adds a complicated mask that slowly sheds throughout the novel until the shredded man appears. At his core, the adult David Goggins is revealed as the masochistic sloganeer.
Through event after event, Goggin's character is revealed, though to Goggins, it is perceived as carving out a name for himself. The theme of self-promotion through self-infliction continues to arise, urging the reader to marvel at the absurdity of running 100 miles on no training, running on broken legs, giving yourself pneumonia, and playing head games with the drill sergeants. This theme evolves until, predictably, the character writes to the reader to be like him through direct challenges, that are set aside like inter-chapter side-stories.
These challenges reveal a character who has become so invested as to become a teacher, an advocate, and a partner, and the voice of the book very much evokes this charging spirit. Admirably, Skolnik washes Goggins' of non-cathartic experiences. This, more than anything, carves a character from the man.
As a reader most invested with the craft of story, but also caught up in the storyline of the character, I did find myself admiring the fortitude of Goggins, but also felt kind of sad and angry that his childhood trauma wasn't given even one scene of minute-by-minute action. This small thread, perhaps combined by jealousy and self-indignation, fed on itself until I both admired and hated Goggins.
How is a reader supposed to feel about a mother who escaped an abusive husband and saved her child, acquired a college degree, became a professor, and then continues to be an active supporter in her sons' life, if the book only reveals these facts like an encyclopedia-like entry? What does that say about Goggins? That he's self-obsessed? Or merely that this book is about him, and not his mother? Maybe he's only protecting her. Protecting her from the vast sea of haters. After all, she didn't choose the public life.
This authorial problem occurs many times. For instance, he never portrays battle. He never talks about his divorces, his children (?) or many other topics, which leaves him as this culture-free culture-icon. While it does have the effect of sparing the people in his life from scrutiny, it also starves the story.
What few interpersonal human experiences Goggins shares allows for conjecture about derivation of the protagonist. Childhood trauma evolves into an adult obsession with inventing and overcoming trauma. Without a PhD in child abuse, and lacking any personal experience in this area, I'm left repeating the self-characterization of the protagonist: "masochistic."I think egotistical might also fit, though it's confronted by his attempts to be his biggest critic and his aggressive urgency to return to "zero".
These traits, I'm lead to believe through the narration and through the common evolution of characters, must have been learned in childhood. Since there's not much to go on, I pull at strings to form a grandiose explanation. It goes like this. His father was a master of delusion, abuse and disloyalty, a truly amoral person capable of whatever he put his mind to—and his son is very much the same. Goggins’ refers to himself in the third person almost as if divorcing his ego from his physical self. Yet, he refers to his ego, his pride, as both his greatest asset and vice. He notes that as an egomaniac, he can understand egomaniacs and how to hurt them. This is the crux of the book—this “accomplishment revenge”, wherein he attempts to hurt other people by facing invented demons—whether self invented or invented for him.
He escaped the physical and emotional abuse of his father, then escaped the hell of Brazil, Indiana, all of which he speaks of with a brash, nearly binary characterization of his past self. It seems impossible to trace the physical prowess, the invulnerable and impressively masculine 43 year old David Goggins who hates music, doesn’t drink, and hardly smiles or laughs, back to his flamboyant, braggadocios, hip-hop years.
Could it be that he had his own soul taken from him long ago? When did his vibrant personality fade and become this isolated, paradoxical culture-free culture icon?
The book doesn’t begin to allow us to hear his voice, feel his naivete, or his real emotions, merely stating events and then how he overcame. In trying to be nice, in trying to be fair, and liked, in seeking self-promotion and being too scared to allow the public to see his true demons, Goggins leaves out the sappy truths most paramount to his humanity, leaving him as a pure archetype, who’s dark eyes are indeed caves of torment.
He begins chapters by mentioning, “when my wife left me….” And then never mentions his wife again. When his second wife leaves him, he doesn’t mention her again, either. This also, deviously avoids mentioning what it took to date or marry these women, or what these women were put through. It negates what kind of husband he is, or what a fun time with him might be like. Instead, he’s this maniacally addicted physical specimen, escaping yet another hell. Here he is showing you how you can do it, too.
Skolnick’s craft shows poise and prowess, here, as he scrapes his name from the cover and from the book, and blasts the image and lettering of David Goggins onto the cover. It makes my heart happy to see an author so humble, kind, inventive, and smart, to grant an egomaniac what he little deserves: the right to call himself an author.
Adam Skolnick’s ability to capture David Goggins’ anthemic slogans, and his Kanye-esque ability with metaphor lights an inferno to Goggins' coming of age story. Skonick’s muscular prose employs vague pronouns with explosive, sometimes evocative verbs. He uses short, easily consumable sentences with a focus on sports psychology, perspective shaping, and an impressive understanding of biology.
Goggins, in reality, is a person, but Skolnick seems aware that in literature, he will be a character. Throughout the narrative, he craftily guides the reader to appreciate the massive accomplishments of the main character, while dodging revealing less admirable traits through avoidance or clever wordplay.
The character of David Goggins is portrayed by his older, more accomplished self, as a lazy misanthrope, a caricature that attempts to connect with the American masses and adds a complicated mask that slowly sheds throughout the novel until the shredded man appears. At his core, the adult David Goggins is revealed as the masochistic sloganeer.
Through event after event, Goggin's character is revealed, though to Goggins, it is perceived as carving out a name for himself. The theme of self-promotion through self-infliction continues to arise, urging the reader to marvel at the absurdity of running 100 miles on no training, running on broken legs, giving yourself pneumonia, and playing head games with the drill sergeants. This theme evolves until, predictably, the character writes to the reader to be like him through direct challenges, that are set aside like inter-chapter side-stories.
These challenges reveal a character who has become so invested as to become a teacher, an advocate, and a partner, and the voice of the book very much evokes this charging spirit. Admirably, Skolnik washes Goggins' of non-cathartic experiences. This, more than anything, carves a character from the man.
As a reader most invested with the craft of story, but also caught up in the storyline of the character, I did find myself admiring the fortitude of Goggins, but also felt kind of sad and angry that his childhood trauma wasn't given even one scene of minute-by-minute action. This small thread, perhaps combined by jealousy and self-indignation, fed on itself until I both admired and hated Goggins.
How is a reader supposed to feel about a mother who escaped an abusive husband and saved her child, acquired a college degree, became a professor, and then continues to be an active supporter in her sons' life, if the book only reveals these facts like an encyclopedia-like entry? What does that say about Goggins? That he's self-obsessed? Or merely that this book is about him, and not his mother? Maybe he's only protecting her. Protecting her from the vast sea of haters. After all, she didn't choose the public life.
This authorial problem occurs many times. For instance, he never portrays battle. He never talks about his divorces, his children (?) or many other topics, which leaves him as this culture-free culture-icon. While it does have the effect of sparing the people in his life from scrutiny, it also starves the story.
What few interpersonal human experiences Goggins shares allows for conjecture about derivation of the protagonist. Childhood trauma evolves into an adult obsession with inventing and overcoming trauma. Without a PhD in child abuse, and lacking any personal experience in this area, I'm left repeating the self-characterization of the protagonist: "masochistic."I think egotistical might also fit, though it's confronted by his attempts to be his biggest critic and his aggressive urgency to return to "zero".
These traits, I'm lead to believe through the narration and through the common evolution of characters, must have been learned in childhood. Since there's not much to go on, I pull at strings to form a grandiose explanation. It goes like this. His father was a master of delusion, abuse and disloyalty, a truly amoral person capable of whatever he put his mind to—and his son is very much the same. Goggins’ refers to himself in the third person almost as if divorcing his ego from his physical self. Yet, he refers to his ego, his pride, as both his greatest asset and vice. He notes that as an egomaniac, he can understand egomaniacs and how to hurt them. This is the crux of the book—this “accomplishment revenge”, wherein he attempts to hurt other people by facing invented demons—whether self invented or invented for him.
He escaped the physical and emotional abuse of his father, then escaped the hell of Brazil, Indiana, all of which he speaks of with a brash, nearly binary characterization of his past self. It seems impossible to trace the physical prowess, the invulnerable and impressively masculine 43 year old David Goggins who hates music, doesn’t drink, and hardly smiles or laughs, back to his flamboyant, braggadocios, hip-hop years.
Could it be that he had his own soul taken from him long ago? When did his vibrant personality fade and become this isolated, paradoxical culture-free culture icon?
The book doesn’t begin to allow us to hear his voice, feel his naivete, or his real emotions, merely stating events and then how he overcame. In trying to be nice, in trying to be fair, and liked, in seeking self-promotion and being too scared to allow the public to see his true demons, Goggins leaves out the sappy truths most paramount to his humanity, leaving him as a pure archetype, who’s dark eyes are indeed caves of torment.
He begins chapters by mentioning, “when my wife left me….” And then never mentions his wife again. When his second wife leaves him, he doesn’t mention her again, either. This also, deviously avoids mentioning what it took to date or marry these women, or what these women were put through. It negates what kind of husband he is, or what a fun time with him might be like. Instead, he’s this maniacally addicted physical specimen, escaping yet another hell. Here he is showing you how you can do it, too.
Skolnick’s craft shows poise and prowess, here, as he scrapes his name from the cover and from the book, and blasts the image and lettering of David Goggins onto the cover. It makes my heart happy to see an author so humble, kind, inventive, and smart, to grant an egomaniac what he little deserves: the right to call himself an author.
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Highly motivational, if someone out there who feels like quitting their life because of some setbacks, then this book is there for you.
Get over it! Whatever the shit life gives, overcome it with some hell of a positive attitude. Find our limits.
Powerful ! Rigid ! This book is a well-known example of how one can find his or her limits, and overcome all the challenges life gives us.
David Goggins is an ex- Navy SEAL, he wrote this book from the perspective of a soldier. Whoever you are, a soldier, doctor, software engineer, teacher or anything, if you put your heart out doing your job, you will reach heights. Goggins is a living example of that. If he didn't work insanely hard he wouldn't have become a SEAL or nothing.
We are surrounded with a heavy number of insecure people, they don't even know what to do with their own life. They will demotivate us when we try to do something impossible. Ignore those people and show them the light towards wisdom which can be achieved by Hard Work !!!
Get over it! Whatever the shit life gives, overcome it with some hell of a positive attitude. Find our limits.
Powerful ! Rigid ! This book is a well-known example of how one can find his or her limits, and overcome all the challenges life gives us.
David Goggins is an ex- Navy SEAL, he wrote this book from the perspective of a soldier. Whoever you are, a soldier, doctor, software engineer, teacher or anything, if you put your heart out doing your job, you will reach heights. Goggins is a living example of that. If he didn't work insanely hard he wouldn't have become a SEAL or nothing.
We are surrounded with a heavy number of insecure people, they don't even know what to do with their own life. They will demotivate us when we try to do something impossible. Ignore those people and show them the light towards wisdom which can be achieved by Hard Work !!!
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
challenging
medium-paced