In an interview with Joe Rogan, David Goggins describes a time when he was invited to discuss the workings of the mind with a panel of experts at MIT.
During the panel, a professor went on and on about how the mind works. All David could think was "You read a bunch of books and think you know how the mind f* works."
Now, you've got to understand David and his choice of language.
He is a living example that we can overcome our limits and achieve much more than we ever imagined. Despite a history of child abuse and undergoing heart surgery, David is the only person to have gone through two consecutive "Hell Weeks" of Navy SEALs training. And is now an endurance athlete who runs an average of 20 miles per day!
This is the difference between theory and practice.
No matter how much we read, the lessons and breakthroughs come only through experience. David might not know much about the theory but he knows what has worked for himself. He knows there are no limits.
Every time I'm out running and feel like quitting early I think of this episode.
And every time I manage to push farther than—in theory—I thought I could!