What techniques does Goggins use to build willpower?

Goggins builds willpower by repeatedly choosing uncomfortable, unwanted tasks and persisting through them rather than seeking comfort.

1. Embrace “the suck”: He deliberately returns to hard experiences he would rather avoid, and keeps doing difficult things even when they still feel unpleasant. 1 2
2. Repeat small challenging actions: He says willpower starts with small building blocks; repeated effort gradually becomes part of who you are. 3
3. Use suffering and friction for growth and self-knowledge: Goggins says he finds self-understanding by repeatedly facing discomfort and examining himself through it. 4
4. Build the anterior mid-cingulate cortex: Huberman explains that doing things you don’t want to do is associated with growth of this brain area, which he describes as linked to willpower; he emphasizes that continued practice matters. 5 6