How David Goggins Turned Me Into a Vegan and an Ironman

In August 2022, my life was unraveling. Juggling two jobs simultaneously, I was teetering on the edge of burnout and rapidly approaching rock bottom. Then, a three-day eviction notice landed in my hands.

SMACK — I hit rock bottom so hard, I bounced.

It was at this pivotal point that I started watching Andrew Huberman’s content on self-improvement, a journey that eventually led me to discover David Goggins.

While Huberman guided me on a positive path towards eliminating alcohol and avoiding dopamine traps, it was Goggins who provided the intense motivation that propelled me out of my personal hell.

I first encountered David Goggins on YouTube, particularly struck by his story about ‘the 81st mile,’ where he ran 100 miles without training. It was astounding; I hadn’t thought such physical feats were humanly possible.

Sure, one could argue about the realism of this feat, considering he ended up with multiple broken bones and kidney failure. Yet, the sheer extent of his endurance made all my challenges seemed easy by comparison.

So, how did this lead me to veganism?

I’d always been cognizant of the extreme suffering animals endure for the sake of my convenience.

I realized that my contribution to this cruelty stemmed from a lack of personal discipline in my diet. Goggins’ relentless pursuit of self-discipline, rejecting the ‘sweet momma’s voice’ of comfort and ease, resonated against my excuse to not be vegan.

Embracing his philosophy meant rejecting the easy path, which for me, translated into adopting a vegan lifestyle.

And why did it propel me towards becoming an Ironman?

Previously, I had always believed that discussing animal rights would be more effective if I shared in the collective guilt of animal consumption.

However, Goggins’ mindset shifted my perspective.

I realized that as a vegan, I could make an impactful statement by accomplishing something as demanding as the Ironman triathlon.

‘Protein deficient? Energy deficient? Mentally deficient? Watch this.’

It was a windy day on the bike. That year, a 12:44:15 put me into the TOP 50%!

In summary, embracing the ethos of self-discipline and confronting discomfort empowered me to withstand the societal skepticism often directed at vegans.

It helped me bear the burden of making a sacrifice for animals, even amidst the trolling and mockery.

David Goggins didn’t just make me tough enough to be a vegan; he inspired a purpose in me to complete the Ironman triathlon.

Here’s how Goggins’ philosophy can inspire veganism:

• Mental Toughness and Discipline: Essential for major lifestyle shifts like adopting a vegan diet.
• Overcoming Challenges: His example inspires perseverance through the difficulties of transitioning to veganism.
• Commitment to Personal Values: Goggins emphasizes staying true to one’s ethics, which resonates with the vegan philosophy.
• Transformation Through Adversity: Veganism, like Goggins’ journey, involves growth through adversity.
• Continuous Improvement: His approach encourages ongoing learning and improvement in the vegan lifestyle.”