Ex US Navy Seal David Goggins (also known as the ‘Toughest man alive’) has a penchant for pushing himself beyond human limits every single day. His most famous story is about how he ran his first ultramarathon (100 miles) with broken bones in his foot and a kidney failure. You can read more about his relentlessness and mental strength in his book “Can’t hurt me”.
He talks about a mindset-changing rule that can help you unlock performance that you never thought was possible. It is called the “40% rule” – a term used to explain that when your mind and body are starting to tire and you feel like giving up, you’re only at 40 percent of what you are truly capable of achieving.
Imagine that! When you are about to give up, what if you could unlock another 60%?
While I don’t know the scientific basis of this claim nor do I think there is any exact math behind this 40% number, just telling yourself you are only at 40% flicks a switch somewhere in the mind that unlocks incredible capacity. It is a reframing that definitely unlocks more (even if it isn’t 60% more) and this habit keeps compounding over time and is limitless in its power.
So the next time you hit a physical or a mental wall, remind yourself, you are only 40% done. Take breaks when you feel exhausted, and then return to the insurmountable task at hand to see yourself conquer it, time and time again.