Never Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War Within

David Goggins has a mountain-sized will. His capacity to push through & beyond discomfort is an inspiration. I found that reading his first book inspired me to challenge my own capacity for discomfort.

This book is more of the same; pretty much exactly the same but with extra dozes of macho. But whereas the first book chronicled some transformation in who he was, this book just reveals a man who seems disgusted by himself & this fuels an anger that manifests as mighty will.

I wouldn't want my kids turning out like David Goggins although I hope he might inspire them with challenging their own self-imposed boundaries of what they can endure as surely the capacity to forbear discomfort is an essential ability of growth. And there are several others that you won't find here. If you haven't read either of his books I would recommend the first, & this one has entertainment value but is not a healthy model to live by.

I listened to this audiobook while running, which David Goggins is perfect for. It is a sort of mix between audiobook and podcast, which as an avid podcast listener I really like.

Goggins follows the template established in Can't Hurt Me by giving us some more stories from his youth, some more training stories and then stories of him overcoming the odds and his own body to push himself to great feats of endurance. Definitely inspiring stuff to listen to while out running.

Goggins isn't going to be for everyone. But I really enjoyed this book. It does feel like it ends quite abruptly, but that's just what you get when the stories are real. They don't always tie up neatly at the end.

3.5/5 ⭐.

I don't know whether this book would be better than his last if I weren't listening to the audiobook instead. The audiobook is absolutely cracking—It's literally a fucking podcast, LMFAO. After each chapter, Goggins engages in genuine conversations with the narrator, which adds a distinctive element. I've never encountered such a unique audiobook before. There is one part of 30 min length where he invites his mother and talks over the past trauma they both experienced with his abusive father, which is very emotional and profound.

While Goggins may express some controversial and flawed opinions, his writing undeniably contains a wealth of truth, regardless of the delivery form.