MODERN WISDOM · EXTRACTED

Modern Wisdom ft. David Goggins

The one-second decision, capping success, and why most people fail the exact moments that decide their lives.

"It's so easy to be great nowadays my friend because most people are weak." — David Goggins
David Goggins, on the episode

This is a six-month-in-the-making conversation between Chris Williamson and Goggins, recorded around the release of Goggins' second book. The hype frame people remember is what they always remember about Goggins: the cussing, the 240 mile races, the hell week stories. The interesting part is the operating system underneath. For two and a half hours Goggins explains how he actually makes decisions when his body wants to quit, how he manages success without going soft, and how he builds people up rather than just shouting at them. The plays in this protocol are pulled from that operating system, not from the highlight reel.

Tactic 01

David Goggins, Modern Wisdom

Win The One Second Decision

The play

When your mind wants to quit, mentally shift to a calmer place and think logically before deciding.

David Goggins says

Hell week is 130 hours, and 130 hours is a lot of seconds. If you win every second but one, you still lost, because it only takes one second to lose the whole thing. In that moment you forget every reason why you wanted to be there and you stop caring about any of it. It is hard to process information during pain because the pain takes over and you start thinking about fight or flight instead of thinking rationally. He physically stays in the water, because getting out means quitting, but mentally he goes to the beach with the instructors who already have their parkas on and their coffee, warm because they already went through it. Once he is mentally back and warm, he starts thinking logically again. Then he asks himself where he would end up if he quit, where he would go, and what he would say to himself.

Try this

Identify the exact moment today your mind wants you to quit something, and pre-decide a mental action to shift back to logical thinking.

Tactic 02

David Goggins, Modern Wisdom

Cap Your Own Success

The play

Cut one success driven activity this week and replace it with the work that built your skill.

David Goggins says

He has to cap his own success because relying on his resume forever is not enough to help people. He does not like doing podcasts. That is one big reason he fights fires, because all his knowledge comes from that place, not from the place of success. You have to stop hearing yourself talk, get off the podcast, cut back on social media, cut out the noise, and get back to the mental lab, because that is where the knowledge came from.

Try this

Identify one success-driven activity on your calendar this week and cut it, replacing the time with the work that built your skill.

Tactic 03

David Goggins, Modern Wisdom

Build Belief, Don't Manufacture It

The play

Build confidence by stacking real accomplishments instead of repeating affirmations to yourself.

David Goggins says

You do not become confident by shouting affirmations in the mirror but by having a stack of undeniable proof that you are who you say you are, outworking your self doubt. Belief has to be built, unlike the after school special version where the mom just says believe in yourself. His built belief came from things like going through three hell weeks, going to ranger school, and trying out for delta selection, an undeniable stack of proof. Confidence comes from the thing you built, so you must build belief and build confidence.

Try this

List the hard things you have actually finished so far, and commit to completing one more difficult thing this quarter.

Tactic 04

David Goggins, Modern Wisdom

Organize The Garage Before Adding Discipline

The play

Clear out your mental clutter first so discipline has a place to settle in.

David Goggins says

The mind is like a crowded garage, you cannot put anything in it once your brain is crowded, even though discipline and motivation are great. If you cannot find a spot in your mind, there is nowhere to put discipline. If you cannot keep a routine going, it may be because your kids, your wife, your job, or other things are all stuffed in your brain. That is why he meditates two hours every single night, to refresh and reorganize the garage of his mind. Then discipline and everything else is in the right spot, so when he wakes up he is ready to go.

Try this

Before adding a new habit, spend time this week processing your open mental clutter so there is space for the habit to stick.

Tactic 05

David Goggins, Modern Wisdom

Perform Without A Purpose Pulling You

The play

Perform at your best today even with no goal or deadline pushing you.

David Goggins says

You need to get to a point where there is nothing on the docket, no race or goal, and still perform at the highest level. One day something will come up, and if you are not constantly performing without purpose, you will not be ready when the time comes. Purpose never leaves because the real purpose is always you. He gets up every day even with no race or school in front of him because he has pride in himself.

Try this

Today, do the work you would normally only do for a deadline, even though nothing is currently scheduled.

Tactic 06

David Goggins, Modern Wisdom

The Reverse Role Model

The play

Name one trait you do not want from someone else, then check yourself for it today.

David Goggins says

He had an idea called the reverse role model. Instead of lacking a hero, you can point to people whose relationships, alcohol use, lack of integrity, lying, or gossip you specifically do not want for yourself. Most success in life is actually avoiding failure. You need to not get out of the race before you can win. He had the ultimate blueprint by watching his own family, since being the youngest kid gave him the advantage of seeing it all first. He sat back and watched his dad, his mom, his brother, deciding he definitely did not want to live that way.

Try this

List one person whose life pattern you do not want, name the specific trait, and check your own behavior for that same pattern today.

Tactic 07

David Goggins, Modern Wisdom

Run A Live Autopsy On Yourself

The play

Write down what you have been avoiding today and name one thing you can still fix.

David Goggins says

Most people only figure out why they died in an autopsy after death, but he realized he needed to do a live autopsy to figure out why he was dying while still alive. He was living every day but was really dead inside. He was looking for an apology. He had to face that while his dad did a lot to him, he would have to make it on his own on a long journey ahead. Once he figured that out, he was able to be reborn.

Try this

Write an honest account today of what in your life you have been avoiding, and name one thing you can still fix.

Your action plan

the plays, one checklist.

01
Win The One Second Decision
When your mind wants to quit, mentally shift to a calmer place and think logically before deciding.
02
Cap Your Own Success
Cut one success driven activity this week and replace it with the work that built your skill.
03
Build Belief, Don't Manufacture It
Build confidence by stacking real accomplishments instead of repeating affirmations to yourself.
04
Organize The Garage Before Adding Discipline
Clear out your mental clutter first so discipline has a place to settle in.
05
Perform Without A Purpose Pulling You
Perform at your best today even with no goal or deadline pushing you.
06
The Reverse Role Model
Name one trait you do not want from someone else, then check yourself for it today.
07
Run A Live Autopsy On Yourself
Write down what you have been avoiding today and name one thing you can still fix.