Parents are the most significant people in a child's life. Every mother and father should care for their children and love and protect them.

Unfortunately, David Goggins didn't experience this. He grew up with his mother, brother, and an incredibly harsh father. Together, the family toiled and obeyed every command of the father, known as Trunnis. He owned a roller disco rink where six-year-old David spent most of his time taking care of visitors' shoes. He and his mother and brother even slept in a room next to the dance floor after midnight shifts. Due to sleepless nights, the boy struggled to stay awake at school.

Such a routine is unsustainable for any adult, let alone a child. Besides the irregular school and work schedule, family harmony was non-existent. The mother and boys often faced the father's belt. David was mostly beaten for trying to protect his mother from his father's aggression. When he turned eight, he and his mother managed to escape, leaving his brother behind.

However, life difficulties didn't disappear after their escape. Money was scarce, only enough for food and social housing. The intense and prolonged stress deteriorated David's memory, leading to psychosomatic disorders, hair thinning, and skin issues. All of this affected his school performance. He started cheating to avoid expulsion from education. That's why he could barely read at the age of 13.

Yet David never stopped dreaming. He had a goal to become a soldier in the United States Air Force Pararescue team. He aspired for change and the realization of his plans. Standing before the mirror, David began speaking to himself ruthlessly, acknowledging all his flaws, weaknesses, and failures. To solidify his path toward change, he wrote his goals on small pieces of paper and stuck them around the mirror's perimeter. He repeated this process every day and realized it was working.