Goggins' early life was marked by hardship and adversity. Raised by his grandfather, Sergeant Jack, a former military man, Goggins was subjected to severe physical punishment and racial slurs on a daily basis. At the tender age of eight, he was made to perform grueling physical labor throughout the day. His learning disabilities and speech impediment, which were the subject of ridicule by Sergeant Jack, brought him immense shame. This harsh upbringing filled Goggins with anger, low self-esteem, and a sense of victimhood.

As he transitioned into adulthood and found himself stuck in dead-end jobs, Goggins came to a realization. He could no longer blame his abusive childhood or make excuses for his circumstances. He decided to take control of his life, practicing ruthless accountability. He recognized that he was the only one who could bring about change in his life. Instead of suppressing his anger, Goggins began to channel it into a positive force during his workouts.

To confront his past, Goggins purchased a tape recorder. He spent countless hours recording detailed accounts of his childhood traumas and instances of abuse. He then forced himself to listen to these recordings during his intense training runs and workouts, fully immersing himself in the pain. After hundreds of hours of this exposure, the traumatic memories began to lose their power over him.

Goggins chose to face his demons head-on, turning his painful past into mental toughness. He recycled the pain into mental calluses, building an incredible resilience. His trauma was no longer a source of shame, but a powerful motivator, fueling his mental toughness. He came to understand that his difficult past had bestowed upon him a remarkable gift - the ability to push himself beyond ordinary human limits by harnessing his pain as power.