I just finished reading Living with a Seal, and it was SO GOOD. Potentially life changing.
I’ve already sent a few copies to friends, and I’ve recommended it to more than ten people (this is very rare for me).
I’ve drifted away from reading books recently. I’m just so bored with them. I read half as many in 2019, then I did in 2018.
I feel most books should be an essay. In fact, I’m convinced most books become books, because someone wanted to write a book. Either a core idea expanded (usually through repetition) to fit the size of a book. Or too many ideas, and they never really get round to making a succinct point.
Living with a Seal has been sitting on my kindle for a while. And I figured I would give it a shot. I’m glad I did.
Jesse Itzler is a former rapper and highly successful entrepreneur. David Goggins is an accomplished Navy SEAL, world class ultra athlete and overall badass. Jesse hired Goggins to live and train with him for a month.
The only condition? Jesse had to do anything Goggins told him to do.
They ran through snow storms. They ran 4 miles every 4 hours for 48 hours. They did 1,000 burpees in a day (well, Goggins did over 2,000). They jumped into a frozen lake (more than once).
It’s one of those books that doesn’t feel like it’s trying hard to teach you something. But, it’s actually teaching you a ton.
It’s a story about the power of mindset and discipline. The scope of human potential. The importance of learning to live with, and lean into discomfort. How to notice what’s bullshit, and focus on what’s important. And it’s hilarious.
I finished the book yesterday. This morning I got up and I felt different. I felt more capable and in control. My first instinct was definitely not to run 2 miles and do 50 push ups and 50 burpees. But, it sort of crept up on me, so I did exactly that.
It’s also a reminder for me that mindset trumps everything else. A shitty mindset will work directly against you. I struggle with this at times, and it’s a fresh reminder for me to double down in this area.
We can’t all be David Goggins (and we may not want to be). But I have a feeling this book will strike a nerve with you, and push your life into a better direction. It has mine.
Let me know what you think.
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