David Goggins, the ex-Navy SEAL, ultramarathon runner, and motivational icon, recently revealed a surprising side in his podcast with Dr. Andrew Huberman. This “hardest man alive,” often associated with the relentless pursuit of external goals, shed light on a different driving force: his internal dialogue.
Full podcast transcript can be found here.
Goggins, who has become a beacon of motivation for countless individuals, particularly men struggling with various challenges, has traditionally emphasized the “all stick, no carrot” approach. However, in this conversation, he acknowledges the limited role of external motivators like long-term goals or motivational speeches.
Full Podcast with David Goggins and Andrew Huberman – How to Build Immense Inner Strength.
Instead, Goggins reveals the true source of his relentless drive: the voices in his head. This internal dialogue, a constant struggle and self-challenge, fuels his daily grind and pushes him beyond perceived limitations.
‘I’m not like a great runner. I’m not injury-free. So my first 20 minutes of the run, I’m limping. I’m literally limping because I’ve had several knee surgeries and my body was twisted and so now it’s untwisting. People look at me, Oh, it looks like he’s limping when he runs. I am limping when I run. My body is jacked up, so I’m focusing on how to get the best out of a broken body. Everything I do is a total focus on what I’m doing at that point in my life.’
David Goggins on Running the Andrew Huberman Podcast
This revelation highlights a crucial aspect often overlooked in the pursuit of self-improvement: the power of inner dialogue. Goggins, while acknowledging the value of external tools like seminars and recovery techniques, emphasizes that true change stems from within.
This aligns with Dr. Huberman’s expertise in neuroscience. He emphasizes that external interventions, whether supplements or motivational tactics, have limited impact without a strong foundation of self-awareness and internal motivation.
Goggins’ story serves as a powerful reminder that external motivators can only take you so far. True greatness lies in cultivating your inner fire, harnessing your internal dialogue, and forging your own path to self-improvement.
‘When I speak about David Goggins, I can’t speak about David Goggins in a way that’s just calm and cool. Because when I wake up, I know the journey that it takes for me to find my greatness, and it’s hard. Nothing is easy. Nothing just like, Oh, I wake up and I just do this or I do that. I watch people every day go through life and it’s so easy. For me to be where I’m at today, it takes every bit of me. So when I speak about it and as I get going here, you’ll start seeing me. The temple will rise, the passion will come out because I’m back there. I’m doing what I do every day to become a human being. So nothing is easy. Running is running. It sucks, but you have a choice to make. Do you want to sit down and go back to that guy you once were? No. This is what it takes. It takes that misunderstanding of people, and they’ll never get it because they never David Goggins. That is what it takes for me to do what I do. It may take you something differently. For me, everything has to be in the studying.’
David Goggins on the Andrew Huberman Podcast
The interview itself was a somewhat refreshing step away from the bombardment of fake motivators, sprucing products and snake oil. Goggins has always been real and always just lead by example.
So is it time to ditch the search for the next motivational guru or quick-fix solution? It seems as though Goggins has grown tired of being used as a motivator and is encouraging people to get real with themselves. Listen to the voices within, confront your inner demons, and ignite the fire that burns uniquely within you. Essentially you are your own David Goggins. Without this inward review you won’t change – according to Goggins. That, as Goggins himself demonstrates, is the true path to lasting change and personal triumph.