Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds

This chapter opens in 2002, years before Goggins became a recruiter and had heart surgery. He had recently completed SEAL training and was now in the jungles of Malaysia engaged in jungle warfare exercises with his team. They were waiting to join the war in Afghanistan. Goggins writes, September 11th was still a fresh, gaping wound in the American collective consciousness, and its ripple effects changed everything for guys like us” (221). Goggins was the largest person on his team and was required to carry the M60, a machine gun of significant bulk.

Goggins decided he would like to go to Ranger School, an elite division of the Army. During one exercise, the trainees were in a mountain top weather emergency due to extremely frigid temperatures. He decided to lead while everyone else was in survival mode. While keeping a lone watch, Goggins screamed and inspired others to join the watch as they ought to have been doing. Goggins was learning to be a leader. Later, still in Ranger training, Goggins and his crew were in icy swamp waters in the Florida panhandle. He notes that several recruits had died during this exercise before, and hypothermia was a real possibility. His focus changed from his BUD/S training days.