David Goggins Is Talking Nonsense (Lessons from WW2)
Stop Focusing on Willpower and Think About the Bigger Picture
Imagine running 100 miles on shattered feet, bones grinding with every step, driven only by the refusal to quit. That’s David Goggins—a man who’s turned self-inflicted suffering into motivation. He’s the poster child for willpower, preaching that sheer mental grit can bulldoze any obstacle. “When you think you’re done, you’re only 40% in,” he says. Or, “The mind can override the body’s desire to quit.” It’s heady stuff. Who doesn’t want to believe they can push past pain and exhaustion to do the impossible?
But here’s the problem: this willpower-first mindset is broken. It’s simplistic, outdated, and often reckless. History shows it, and so does everyday life.
Just ask Japan’s WWII generals, who bet their empire on grit and lost. Or look at the overworked professional grinding toward burnout, the student cramming in panic, or the entrepreneur who won’t let go of a bad idea. Willpower doesn’t win wars or build careers—it just makes the crash worse.
This isn’t a takedown of Goggins or what he’s achieved. The guy’s done remarkable things, and his story lights a fire under millions. But his philosophy, when swallowed whole, can hurt the people who take it too far. It’s time to stop worshipping willpower and start thinking smarter.
Japanese Army’s Strategic Failures in WWII
Japan’s WWII military was built on Bushido, a warrior code that glorified loyalty, sacrifice, and raw determination. It was grit turned up to eleven—until it stopped working.
Field Marshal William Slim, who fought the Japanese in Burma, said it best: “If 500 Japanese held a position, we killed 495; the last five took their own lives before we could advance.” Willpower without strategy? That’s suicide.
Look at three moments that prove it:
French Indochina (1940): Japan invaded, hoping spirit would outweigh strategy. The U.S. responded with an oil embargo that crippled their war machine. You can’t power tanks with grit.
Battle of Midway (1942): Riding high from earlier wins, Japan overreached and underestimated U.S. codebreakers. They lost four carriers in one day. Grit doesn’t beat data.
Kamikaze Attacks (1944 - 45): When things got desperate, Japan threw pilots into suicide missions, hoping sacrifice would rattle Allied resolve. It didn’t. Reality doesn’t bend to effort alone.
Their mistake? Believing resolve could replace a plan. We still make the same mistake today. We muscle through life, refusing to reassess, and the fallout is just as harsh.
Willpower Is an Ineffective Strategy in Everyday Life Too
Why do we cling to willpower? Blame our evolutionary programming.
Our ancestors needed short bursts of intensity—to outrun predators or catch dinner. But today’s problems are complex and slow-burning. Grit alone doesn’t cut it. It’s like bringing a sledgehammer to play chess.
Still, we default to it because pushing hard feels noble. It earns quick praise. But long term, it burns us out and breaks things.
Struggling doesn’t mean you’re weak—it probably means you’re using the wrong tool.
Here’s what it looks like in daily life:
The Overworked Professional: They clock 80-hour weeks, convinced that more hustle means more results. But without prioritizing or delegating, deadlines get missed and health goes sideways. It’s Indochina all over again—ignoring the embargo ahead.
The Cramming Student: They sacrifice sleep to study, thinking time spent equals knowledge gained. By exam day, they’re too fried to recall anything. That’s a kamikaze move on a test.
The Stubborn Entrepreneur: They burn through savings on a product no one wants and ignore feedback. When failure hits, they double down. It’s Midway with a pitch deck.
The Overzealous Athlete: They train through injuries, convinced pain means progress. Then a torn tendon puts them out for months. Biology doesn’t care about mindset.
And here’s the wild part—willpower kills creativity.
Your best ideas don’t show up when you’re forcing focus. They pop up in the shower, on a walk, or when you’re half-asleep. Grit tires you out when you need space to think.
Machines can grind forever. Our edge is creativity and strategy—not raw effort.
What Can We Do About It?
Here’s the upside: there’s a better way to work and win.
Start by recognizing how your mind actually works. Willpower is like a battery—it runs out fast. But your subconscious handles 95% of what you do on autopilot. If you align your systems with your goals, focus becomes easy.
Here’s what that looks like:
Build Sustainable Habits: Small, repeatable actions—like a short morning routine or batching tasks—remove the need for daily grit. Top performers don’t just push harder. They rest smart.
Manage Energy, Not Just Time: Find your sharpest hours and do hard work then. When you’re drained, don’t force it. That’s not laziness. It’s your body asking for help.
Reflect and Adjust: Every week, ask: What’s working? What’s not? Then make a change. Japan’s generals didn’t pivot. You can.
Some simple fixes:
Work/Study: Use time blocks. Focus in short bursts. Then break.
Business: Test ideas cheap and fast. If nobody bites, change direction.
Fitness: Follow a plan that includes rest. Recovery isn’t quitting—it’s part of the plan.
Strategy works with your brain, not against it. It conserves energy and gets better results than willpower ever will.
Conclusion
Japan’s WWII collapse and your daily grind have the same hidden trap: believing willpower is a strategy.
In an AI-heavy world, effort alone won’t get you ahead. But imagination, creativity, and good thinking will.
Try this: pick one thing you’re muscling through this week. Ask yourself, “Where can I replace effort with strategy?” Maybe it’s organizing your day better. Or pausing a failing project. Or doing less—but smarter.
Willpower’s just a spark. Strategy keeps the fire going in long-term.