The Time You Didn't Know You Had: Lessons from David Goggins' You Can’t Hurt Me
I’ve just finished reading You Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins, and wow—this book is intense. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it offers some valuable insights, especially for those who often find themselves saying, “I just don’t have enough time.”
Goggins doesn’t mince words when it comes to tackling excuses. He breaks down the math of how we spend our time, and the results might surprise you. Let’s take a closer look:
The Breakdown of 168 Hours
Work: Let’s say you work 45 hours a week.
Sleep: You allocate 56 hours a week to sleep (8 hours per night).
Family Commitments: Maybe you spend 3 hours a day on family commitments.
After accounting for these essential activities, you’re left with 46 hours a week. That’s 6.6 hours per day that you can devote to things that matter to you, such as:
Exercise
Lifelong learning
Pursuing a hobby
Enjoying time with friends
Playing a sport
Spending more time with family
Power naps 😊
Finding Time for What Matters
To make the most of your time, Goggins suggests limiting or eliminating activities that don’t serve your goals. This might include:
Scrolling through social media: How many hours did you spend on your phone last week?
Watching mindless TV: How much of that time could have been used more productively?
The reality is, you likely have more time than you think to accomplish the things that are important to you. The key is to:
Get up early
Plan well
Avoid spending time on mindless activities
Make the most of the 24 hours that each day offers you. As Goggins emphasizes, it’s all about mindset and priorities. By making a few adjustments, you might discover that you have all the time you need to achieve your goals.
