Best Scar Wins: How You Can Be More Than You Were Before

by Matt Cavanaugh

Award-winning Army Strategist and top West Point professor ML (Matt) Cavanaugh shares the lessons from his 25-year military career that enabled him to turn pain to power, scars to strength, and become great by doing good.

Inspired by a near-death combat experience, Cavanaugh transformed himself from failure to fit with an act of radical generosity. He donated a kidney to a stranger, an act that also helped save the lives of seven others dying of kidney failure. Then, just months after surgery, Cavanaugh became the only living kidney donor and fastest American ever to run the toughest self-supported ultramarathon series in the world.

Best Scar Wins follows Cavanaugh as he uses the lessons he picked up from his military career to navigate the trials of the world’s worst deserts across four continents—from scorpions to penguins—on a mission to save lives. The eleven lessons in this astonishing adventure story—including how to expand your “endurability”—illuminate a path that anyone can follow to become more than they were before.

In a call to live generously in support of others, Best Scar Wins shows you how to embrace your scars as triumphs—not as experiences that hold you back but as lessons that define how you move forward.

235 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 2, 2025

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the Best Scar Wins, ML Cavanaugh explored his journey to run the toughest ultramarathon series in the world, Racing the Planet’s 4 Deserts Grand Slam. It is a race that equals 620 miles. He chose to run this race 7 months after he donated one of his kidneys. He gave it to a complete stranger. It kicked up a chain of transplants that help 7 others. He explained how he told his wife years ago when he first started dating her that one day he wanted to donate. This led to his wife eventually not loving the idea and warned him of the risks. He had two daughters to think about. This donation put his marriage at risk. One of the doctors even warned him against running this race. He wanted to be the first to do this run so close to after his donation. He shared how he recognized that our scars give us an advantage and strength to continue. He gained experience and lessons from each scar. In the book, he discussed the entire journey and what he faced along the way in the deserts. He was a lieutenant colonel and US Army Strategist in the Army and he discussed some of the stories in this book. His military career helped him to prepare for his ultramarathon and run his race. He touched on 11 lesson he learned along the way and how we can apply them to our own lives.


I would recommend this inspiring book to anyone who is ready to embrace their own scars and chose to see the triumph in the story. I really enjoyed reading along in his story and how he overcame the challenges and a difference. I liked reading about how he wanted to donate his kidney to a stranger and it reminded me of my dad donating his kidney years ago to his brother. I appreciated his openness to the scars in our lives and how we can choose to find the good. The pictures included in this book was very high quality and you can see the bright colors and it helped to bring out the story even more.

[Karen Burghart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A single-minded look at the power of physical markers, sheer grit, and mental toughness. Cavanaugh doesn’t romanticize struggle; he examines it honestly, showing how scars, visible and invisible, shape who we become and what we’re capable of enduring.

Best Scar Wins made me reflect deeply on my own goals, motivations, and perseverance. Reading it while dealing with my own personal challenges, especially some new knee issues gave the message an added resonance. The emphasis on resilience and commitment felt less theoretical and more lived-in, a reminder that progress is often forged through discomfort and uncertainty.

As a person who has lost a parent to renal failure, this is an inspiring read for anyone reassessing their limits and what they’re willing to push through to reach what matters most.

[Neha · Rating 4 out of 5]

a solid 4.5. as an aspiree to namib race 2026, and four deserts slam myself, this book was an inspirational read, I teared up ever so often and with an autoimmune condition myself I felt that I not simply empathized but also understood those moments of self doubt and can I, can I not that Cavanaugh experienced himself.. I am of course no where as fast as the author and will likely not be as fast at the time of the race, but to me crossing the finish line would also be a win. thank you for being an inspiration and for showing the way and how this is possible. so happy also to see the reference to Shackleton one of all my all time favourite historical figures. Best scar wins.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!