Remembering what you've been through and how that has

The words of David Goggins — "Remembering what you've been through and how that has strengthened your mindset can lift you out of a negative brain loop and help you bypass those weak, one-second impulses to give in. Even if you're feeling low and beat down by life right now, I guarantee you can think of a time or two when you overcame odds and tasted success." — are both a battle cry and a lifeline. In them, he speaks to the ancient truth that strength is not born in ease, but in struggle. He calls upon us to remember our victories over hardship, for memory itself becomes a weapon against despair. By recalling the fires we have already passed through, we find the courage to withstand the flames we face today.

The origin of this wisdom lies in Goggins’s own life, a man forged in difficulty and relentless discipline. From enduring a brutal childhood, to transforming himself from an overweight, broken soul into a Navy SEAL and ultramarathon runner, he became living proof of his own words. He discovered that in moments when weakness whispered surrender, the key was to look backward, not in regret, but in triumph. To say: “I have conquered before. I will conquer again.” His insight echoes the eternal rhythm of human endurance — that by drawing upon our past strength, we forge new strength for the present.

History offers us luminous examples of this principle. Consider Winston Churchill, standing before a weary Britain as bombs rained down during World War II. When despair threatened to consume the nation, Churchill reminded his people of their long history of defiance, resilience, and victory. By recalling what they had overcome before, he gave them the courage to resist in their darkest hour. His words and leadership kept them from surrendering to the fleeting impulse of fear, instead anchoring them in the memory of their strength.

Or recall the life of Harriet Tubman, who risked everything to lead enslaved men and women to freedom. In the wilderness, with dogs on their trail and fear in every heart, she drew courage not from comfort but from memory — memory of her own escape, memory of each step she had already conquered. By remembering what she had endured and survived, she lifted herself and others beyond the impulse to give in. In her, we see the living embodiment of Goggins’s truth: victory in the present is secured by remembrance of past triumphs.

The meaning of this quote is also psychological and deeply spiritual. The negative brain loop — the endless cycle of self-doubt, despair, and fear — is the prison of many souls. Yet Goggins reveals the key: memory. Memory of hardship endured becomes proof that despair is lying. Memory of strength shown becomes fuel for perseverance. And the weak, one-second impulse to give in — that fleeting temptation to quit — can be defeated by calling upon the living archive of your own courage.

The lesson for us is clear: each of us has already survived storms. Each of us has already fought battles, large or small, and emerged scarred but standing. We must remember those moments when we overcame, for they are treasures more precious than gold. To forget them is to weaken ourselves; to recall them is to wield them as weapons. This is how one lifts the head in times of despair and keeps moving when the world cries out for surrender.

What, then, should you do in practice? Build a record of your victories. Write down the times you endured pain and prevailed, so that in moments of weakness you may revisit them. Train your mind to pause before surrendering, and in that pause, call forth the memory of your strength. Speak to yourself as a warrior, reminding your soul that you have already tasted success against the odds, and that you will taste it again.

Thus let this wisdom endure: life will beat you down, and impulses to quit will strike like arrows. But remembering what you’ve been through is your shield, and recalling the victories of the past is your sword. Carry them with you always, for they will cut through despair and guide you to triumph, again and again.