For my first ever Podcast episode I will be reading an adapted version of my post “Role Models” please enjoy!
I fully realize that no matter what I say to Luca, what I do in front of him is most important. He will do as I do, not as I say. How do I treat his mother? How do I treat strangers? How do I react in uncomfortable situations? This is stressful because I am constantly growing and changing too. One of the ways I try to ensure that I am changing for the better is by following the example of high quality role models.
I am a firm believer in “you are what you eat," and for me this includes media. It stands to reason that if I spend the majority of my time watching people light their farts on TikTok, I won’t amount to much. This is why I make an effort to read about, and to listen to, high quality role models. I identify these role models by confirming that they live and embody values that align with own. There have been many men that have inspired me over the last few years, and I would like to acknowledge a man that is, in my opinion, the peak manifestation of human willpower.
I would not be surprised if you’ve come across videos of David Goggins running and cursing on your social media platform of choice. His persona and story lend themselves to small bite sized video clips, but these are a disservice to his message. His journey from a 300 pound man wracked with depression, to one of the most elite mental and physical athletes on the planet, cannot be summarized in an Instagram Reel. In order to do this you must read his book: Can’t Hurt Me. The audiobook in particular is a great listen because in between each chapter, Goggins and his ghost writer Adam Skolnik take a break to discuss in a very podcast-esque manner. You will learn about his childhood that offered him little chance to succeed, his seemingly insurmountable challenges during Navy Seal training, and how he became one of the most dominant ultra-marathon runners in the world.
Despite all this, he constantly reminds the reader that he is not special. He explains that we all have the ability to tap into our full potential, and in order to do so we must harness the power of the mind. He encourages us to shed the victim mentality first and foremost and to own our life narrative, the good and the bad. He acknowledges the existence of the internal dialogue, and how that dialogue can spiral in an undesirable direction, unless we harness it. He explains that rather than seeking out comfort and complacency, we must instead constantly seek out opportunities for stress, friction, and pain. Only through these types of opportunities will there be growth. He draws a stark contrast between failure and quitting, and encourages us to fail to often, because failure is the only sign that we are trying.
Throughout the book he tasks his reader to join him on this journey through various challenges, and they have recently lit a fire for me. When I have found myself slipping into laziness or complacency, I hear his voice. He recently inspired me to run while on vacation and even to run in below freezing temperatures. These are things that I would have never done before. For me, Goggins has drilled into my mind that my future is solely my own, and that I can control my actions through sheer willpower. I’ve taken heed to his lesson that this willpower is like a muscle, and it must be exercised each and every day through an unwavering practice of embracing friction, stress, and pain.
Episode 1: Role Models