Fortitude: Resilience in the Age of Outrage

by Dan Crenshaw

Jordan Peterson's Twelve Rules for Life meets Jocko Willink and Leif Babin's Extreme Ownership in this tough-love leadership book from a Navy SEAL and rising star in Republican politics.

In 2012, on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan, a roadside bomb took Dan Crenshaw's right eye. When he learned how to see again, he didn't want anyone's pity. People shouldn't feel sorry for him, he decided, and they shouldn't feel sorry for themselves either. Most people's everyday challenges aren't as extreme as surviving combat or working to regain their sight, but that's just Crenshaw's point: If we can meet life's toughest challenges without resenting our luck or complaining, minor daily obstacles aren't worth our outrage. "Microaggressions" and "triggers" from mere words mean little to someone who's had bullets fly by their head.

That's Crenshaw's simple lesson in FORTITUDE: Lighten up, toughen up, and get to work on what's important (hint: it's not giving into a culture of outrage, playing the victim, and seeking an apology).

FORTITUDE is a no-nonsense advice book for a society desperately in need of tough love. With meditations on perseverance, failure, and finding much-needed heroes, the book is the antidote for a prevailing "safety culture" of trigger warnings and safe spaces. Interspersed with lessons and advice is Crenshaw's own story of how an average American kid from the Houston suburbs has faced all sorts of unexpected situations -- from war zones to the halls of Congress -- and managed to navigate them all with a few simple tricks: a sense of humor and an even greater sense that, no matter what anyone else around us says or does, we are in control of our own destiny.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Biography, Self Help, Leadership, Audiobook, Military Fiction

257 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 7, 2020

About the author

Originally from the Houston area, his father’s career moved his family all over the world, including Colombia, where he attended high school and became fluent in Spanish. He is a graduate of Tufts University and Harvard Kennedy School of Government. As a SEAL he was deployed five times. On Dan’s third deployment he was hit by an IED blast that destroyed his right eye. Dan was medically retired in September of 2016 as a Lieutenant Commander after serving ten years in the SEAL Teams. He left service with two Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, and others. In November 2018, Dan was elected to represent the people of Texas’s Second Congressional District. In Congress, he is focused on border security, disaster relief funding, port security, cutting frivolous spending and implementing fiscally responsible policies.
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Reviews

[Nico Alba · Rating 5 out of 5]

First things first: I have my disagreements with Dan. They primarily stem from my secularism and his attribution of Judeo-Christian values as the philosophical underpinning of all western morality and law. With that being said, I respect the hell out of him and the conclusions we reach are the same even if our reasons for reaching them don't exactly line up.

This book is both an exploration and an antidote for the weakening culture of America. Human qualities like grit, discipline, and self-reliance—once considered timeless and unequivocal in their production of success and value—are now being replaced by self-pity, indulgence, outrage, and resentment. A society existing in the most prosperous, free, and safe period of all history has been coddled to the point of producing a generation of individuals hellbent on finding grievances and flaws in our society instead of taking ownership and accountability for their actions. External factors are always to blame and individual responsibility is an afterthought, if a thought at all.

Drawing from lessons learned in losing his mother to cancer, becoming a Navy SEAL, getting blown up by an IED and almost going blind, and then becoming a congressman, Dan envisions not a return to the archaic past but a history lesson in perspective. He lays out the framework for gaining perspective and the mental fortitude to succeed in life, as well as improving our relations with those we disagree with politically. Spoiler: assuming the worst intentions from everyone we disagree with is not a good tactic.

There's so much to comment on, but I'll stick to one chapter. Chapter 8: Do Something Hard. He states that "In difficulty, in adversity, in meaningful suffering—there is transformation." Using his experiences and also referencing scientific studies, he reminds us that doing something hard and accomplishing that goal is incredibly powerful and can transform our minds and give us meaning in life. Whether that task is squatting 400 lbs, finishing your education, running a marathon, helping others—it doesn't matter. Make sure it's hard and go do it.

This is the kind of book you read again, you gift to others, and you give to your children. Dan is quickly becoming a bit of a role model for me. He's level-headed, rational, calm, stoic, polite, intelligent, and bases his policies and thought on evidence and outcomes rather than ideology and emotion. That's a character I'd like to replicate.

[The Book in my Carryon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan Crenshaw is a force to be reckoned with, and his first (first of many, I hope) book, Fortitude: Resilience in the Age of Outrage, is a call to action for America. I was just halfway through it when I started gifting copies to friends and family — it’s that good.

And potentially that life — and nation — changing.

A former Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander, decorated war veteran, elder millennial and current congressman from Texas, Crenshaw brings the full weight of research, mental toughness training, experience and insight to the problem of mental softness is America.

“We aren’t acting the way we are supposed to. We mock virtue, without considering how it’s abandonment accelerates our moral decay. We aren’t acting as a culture that is mature or enlightened or educated, we aren’t acting worthy of this beautiful country and the political system we inherited from our revolutionary ancestors. Rather, we don a mantle of fragility, of anger, of childishness, and are utterly shameless in doing so.”

Crenshaw calls it out - all of it. Then methodically and engagingly and unflinchingly lays down a path forward.

Fortitude: Resilience in the Age of Outrage draws deeply from Crenshaw’s military background, making visceral and real the need for mental stillness and heroes, for doing hard things and being 100% committed — for fortitude.

But this isn’t all SEAL bravado. Crenshaw pulls in solid research and scholarship, historical context and uniquely American proof to back up his claims that we can and should — we need to — denounce the softness of our current outrage culture and fully embrace the mental toughness which has always made America great.

Dan Crenshaw has a brilliant mind, and it’s fully on display as he demands, cajoles, shames and inspires us all to do better and be better.

Fortitude: Resilience in the Age of Outrage is more than a simple self help book, and more than a great story about overcoming hardship. It is a powerful manifesto for change in each of us, in our families and communities, in the way we act act and react in real life and online, and in our great nation.

Fortitude: Resilience in the Age of Outrage is a book for the times, and Dan Crenshaw is a voice for of reason and confidence and incredible hope - a powerful role model for a nation sorely in need of heroes.

I feel the need to thank him for caring enough about America to speak out. Does that make me a fan girl?

If I haven’t already gifted you a copy of this book, get one for yourself. You’ll want to thank the author, too.

[Antigone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Government does not exist to end your suffering; it exists in order to create the proper structure, based on equality and justice, so that you may pursue your own happiness.

I've been fretting a bit about where the heck I was going to shelve this. Dan Crenshaw is currently a congressman from Texas, and that would be my governance shelf. His theme, however, is personal improvement through perceptual change, and that would be my psychology shelf. Taken as a whole, though, there is much of his life and training as a Navy SEAL used to offer meaty examples of the reasoning behind his guidance, so I'm settling on memoir - and sharing this mundane struggle with you because it accurately reflects the wide-ranging nature of the content on offer here.

Representative Crenshaw lost an eye in Afghanistan in 2012. Upon his return and recovery state-side, he earned a Master's degree in government from Harvard University and promptly ran for office. His experiences, both in academia and on the floor of Congress, sparked a growing concern over what he terms the new "outrage" culture and its victimhood ideology - neither of which, naturally, go down well with those trained in a military mindset. Mr. Crenshaw is extremely well-read and has given a great deal of thought to his contentions. He has located an operational path through the morass that has devolved from our highly-charged and frequently destructive political system. Bravo this, and the willingness to share his philosophical coordinates. Still, it bears mention that Mr. Crenshaw is more a man of action than he is a student of the cerebral. (Which is to say, I found some of these ideas a bit raw and in need of further processing.)

In the meantime, there's some terrific context given on the issues of the federal minimum wage and air pollution deregulation. He has a wonderful (and no doubt useful) ability to deconstruct a conflict and view it from a wide variety of angles, irrespective of party allegiance. I picked up this book because - like Nebraska's Ben Sasse, Atlanta's Keisha Lance Bottoms and, yes, California's Gavin Newsom - instinct tells me he's a figure to watch. Mr. Crenshaw has done nothing to abuse me of that notion through the reading of this work.

Up-and-comers all, if we manage to weather the current storm.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fortitude by war hero and rising political star Dan Crenshaw is surprisingly not about politics for the most part. Nor is it a biography although Crenshaw draws on his experience losing his mother to cancer as a young child, his years in Colombia and Ecuador as his father's work took him to these exotic locales, his near-fatal run-in with an I.E.D. In Afghanistan that stole an eye from him, and his training as a Navy SEAL. The heart of Crenshaw's book is a conviction that outrage culture and the twitter mob has stripped dialogue from the public square, silenced speech, and caused outrage to be dealt with by more outrage. The answer Crenshaw argues to be remain calm while all those around you are losing their heads, as Kipling once argued. Don't quit. Don't overreact. Don't get caught in the emotions of the moment. Take a deep breath and present a reasoned response. Crenshaw is still a young man and his reason and thoughtfulness may point a way out of the increasing volatility f today's public square.

[Negin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this was such a pleasure. Dan Crenshaw shares his story and the lessons that he’s learned along the way.

Most of us already know that Crenshaw served in the Navy SEALS and that he’s now a member of Congress. I didn’t know that when he was five and his brother was only one, his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult that must have been. Despite all her suffering, his mother’s courage and spirit are nothing short of examples as to how to be. She passed away when he was ten.

This book is not really a political book. It’s a beautiful and timely reminder to the reader to build mental fortitude and resilience, to take responsibility for one’s life, and to avoid being ruled by our emotions.

Here are some of my favorite quotes. They don't all fit into my review, so hopefully, they'll show at the bottom of this page.

America
“While our own citizens burn our flag or sneer at our pledge of allegiance, millions of people around the world would do anything to be here. America is a place of opportunity for individuals willing to seize it, and that fact is still well known around the world, even if our own population is increasingly ignorant of it. Our country consistently ranks as the number one destination for all immigrants, when asked where they would go if given a choice. Germany, at second place, isn’t even close.”

Constitution
“As John Adams said, ‘Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.’”

Freedom
“Pure freedom is chaos, anarchy, and moral decay. Freedom to do what you like—without any moral compass—can quickly result in the temptation to indulge in habits that may feel good momentarily but are wholly detrimental to yourself and others. Pure freedom detached from a higher sense of purpose results at best in overindulgence, lack of discipline, unfaithful relationships, and some minor drug use. At worst, it can result in the total deterioration of a society as moral relativism takes hold and humanity’s darkest proclivities become justified in the name of ‘doing what we like.’ Ordered liberty is at the heart of our founding, not pure freedom. Ordered liberty is the understanding that law exists to prevent individuals from infringing on the inalienable rights of others.”

Government
“Government does not exist to end your suffering; it exists in order to create the proper structure, based on equality and justice, so that you may pursue your own happiness.”

Hardship
“You have control over your thoughts, and your thoughts are more powerful than you may realize. Healthy habits create a healthy mind, and a healthy mind creates healthy people. Doing something hard is the habit of building mental calluses so that when life happens, you are better prepared for it.
In prior generations, this lesson would not have been necessary. Life was harder then. Today, the miracle of modernity, relative peace, and the pursuit of creature comforts has made hardship a rarer thing.”

Helicopter Parenting
“Helicopter parenting, the incessant micromanagement of a child’s activities, has created a generation of people who rarely experience conflict or traumatic situations, and as a result they are more prone to emotional overreactions.”

Humility
“You want to be humble. This can mean a lot of things, so let’s be a little specific. You say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ often, and practice the good manners that are a timeless doctrine of civil society. You do not expect people to do things for you that you can do yourself. You put your shopping cart away instead of leaving it in the parking lot, for instance. You have confidence but it isn’t overbearing.”

Journalism
“It has grown terribly difficult to separate objective journalism from opinion journalism. Back in the days when evening news anchor Walter Cronkite was considered ‘the most trusted man in America,’ there was a well-defined separation between news and opinion. Today they have bled into each other. This exacerbates division and resentment. Whereas we have long understood that Fox News leans right and MSNBC leans left, the rest of the news networks still try to pass themselves off as objective nonpartisans. This frustrates conservatives the most, since networks like CNN still proclaim to be ‘just the facts’ or ‘news analysis,’ when in fact most hosts persistently engage in left-leaning opinion journalism. It is no wonder that trust in mass media has been edging lower and lower over the past twenty years, down to 41 percent in September 2019, according to Gallup.”

Personal Responsibility
“The basic message is this: If you’re losing your cool, you are losing. If you are triggered, it is because you allowed someone else to dictate your emotional state. If you are outraged, it is because you lack discipline and self-control. These are personal defeats, not the fault of anyone else. And each defeat shapes who you are as a person, and in the collective sense, who we are as a people.”

Public Opinion
“… the angriest and most passionate voices, start to be rewarded by public opinion. This phenomenon is clearly observed in mainstream and social media. Consider the following comparison, for instance. After sixteen-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg made her landmark UN speech in 2019, media attention soared. While her efforts and sense of initiative were undeniably impressive, especially for a teenager, the fact remains that her credentials on the subject were nonexistent, and her scowling message offered no practical solutions whatsoever. Compare her accomplishments to another young environmentalist named Boyan Slat, who doesn’t make passionate speeches or hurl angry slogans, but did design a revolutionary ocean cleanup system that captures debris ranging from one-ton ghost nets to tiny microplastics. At the time of this writing, a quick Google search shows 69 million search results for Greta, and just over 500,000 for Boyan. Greta was named ‘Person of the Year’ by Time magazine. Boyan was not.”

Sense of Humor
“I fear we are in danger of losing this ability to laugh off the small stuff, and we are even closer to losing the ability to laugh at the big stuff. Comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock no longer perform on college campuses. Why? The PC culture has driven comedians away. In a 2015 interview, Seinfeld observed: ‘They just want to use these words: That’s racist. That’s sexist. That’s prejudice,’” he said. ‘They don’t know what the hell they’re talking about.’ Comedians are worried that they’ll offend an overly sensitive generation of students looking for any reason to be offended. This is deeply unfortunate, and not just for the sake of comedy.”

Sense of Shame
“… the more immune you are to a healthy sense of shame, the more susceptible you are to contributing to big cultural problems: the outrage mob and the extreme response of shamelessness.”

Stoicism
“Run down the list of those who felt intense anger at something: the most famous, the most unfortunate, the most hated, the most whatever: Where is all that now? Smoke, dust, legend…or not even a legend. Think of all the examples. And how trivial the things we want so passionately are. An emotional response is a human response, I get it. I too have succumbed to emotion, more often than I care to admit. But it is also a futile response. It isn’t an objectively beneficial response. This is central to Stoicism.”

Suffering
“Carl Jung, the renowned psychologist, summed it up: ‘The foundation of all mental illness is the avoidance of true suffering.’”

Unjust Accusation
“When we think back to our heroes, do we look up to someone who engages in strong discourse and pushes back against unjust accusation? Or do we value someone who gives in to unjust accusations immediately just to get the accusers off their back?”

Venting/Sweat the Small Stuff
“Sweating the small stuff is OK, but exercise your complaints lightheartedly. Seek out humor in your whining. Be humble. Be self-aware. If you allow yourself to sweat the small stuff—and I think you should—then you also must force yourself to be detail oriented. If you allow yourself to sweat the small stuff, then you must try your hardest not to sweat the big stuff. That’s the deal we are making in this chapter. I will declare that it is acceptable to complain every once in a while, and you will agree to do it only with the small stuff and not the big stuff. I am giving this advice because venting is extremely healthy. And it is also good practice for self-awareness. Venting about the little things provides you with perspective on how silly and unproductive complaining really is. At the same time, we should recognize that pent-up frustration can have real consequences and be detrimental to our mental health. I firmly believe that allowing yourself the space to complain every once in a while about the little things frees up mental bandwidth to deal with more consequential life events. It is a frustration-release valve.”

Victimhood Mentality
“… a culture characterized by grit, discipline, and self-reliance is a culture that survives. A culture characterized by self-pity, indulgence, outrage, and resentment is a culture that falls apart. It really is that simple, and it is a truly existential choice.”

Your Purpose
“You have purpose in this life. God has you here for a reason. You may not know it, but He does. Your job is to find it. No one else can. You need to understand that your purpose may be great in the eyes of the world, or it may be commonplace and seemingly small. Your purpose might be your family, your children. Your purpose might be tutoring a child and changing their life. Your purpose might be the business you started. Your purpose might be cleaning up your block. Your purpose might be in the help you give others. Your purpose might be in the example you set. Only you and God know. Only you and God need to know. Search until you find it—and until then, act as if you have it, because you’re wasting time otherwise. ‘You were designed to use your reason and your natural gifts—and to cultivate those assets toward fulfillment of a higher end,’ as my friend Ben Shapiro writes.”

[Diane Yannick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this on the request of my 18 year old republican grandson. I realized that this grandmother's liberal views would be tested but feel that books are a great starting point for respectful discussions. AND for any of you with 18 year old grandsons, sometimes those discussions points are hard to come by. I would probably read anything he suggested. Or maybe not.


First, the reason I gave it 3 stars was not based on Crenshaw's opinions, even though I find it despicable that his voting record shows that he agrees with Trump 93.7% of the time. See what you think when you read about his reasons for opposing to a $15 minimum wage or minority rights or a dozen other things. My reason for the rating is his arrogance. He seems to feel that he has the only sure fire formula for personal and national success. I felt that his tone was condescending..... I could try all I wanted but I would never be as big and bad and correct as him. Plus it was so repetitive. There is NO way he had enough content to write even this short book. It should have been an extended essay, maybe multi-part. BTW, this pandemic could have probably provided him with the missing content. His timing was just a little off for this motherlode.

Now to the ideas that I feel have do have merit. Yes, I do think many of us have become a tiny bit too fragile, looking for reasons to whine, forgoing chances to toughen up our spirit when our life turns in unexpected ways. Yet, when he urges us not to look for insults, I challenge him to look at the battles POC still fight every day. He believes that we look to others to meet our basic needs when we should look inward. Yeah, fine if your white privilege allows you to do that. Victimhood culture only rings true if you are not truly a victim. I agree with him about our current outrage culture and am guilty of going there personally. Although outrage does not spark productive dialog, it is hard to resist when you are passionate about your beliefs. Being still is great advice. His reaction to Pete Davidson's skit on SNL was a lesson in self control and positive outcomes. He says, "Feeling shame is actually good. It is synonymous with feeling accountable for our actions and consciously admitting that our actions might not have been the right ones." I often think it's the wrong people who feel the shame but ok. Political correctness is challenged from his perspective only. Every once in a while he throws in a quote by Obama or Winfrey to give the impression that he's being inclusive. He believes in self-improvement and is happy to tell us all of the ways he's improved himself. "While liberal arts classes expand the mind, you need science and math to sharpen the mind." He's always drawing distinctions like these that deserve some push-back. "A resilient person can suffer through some punishment, but an antifragile person is made stronger by it." I need to stop because obviously I can't keep my snark in check.

[M. Hunter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Could not finish this book. Was filled with right-wing propaganda. Crenshaw's life story and military story are both very interesting and inspiring. However, his misguided attacks against democrats turned me off. He talks a good game about doing the right thing and being a good person, but when giving examples of the wrongs that politicians do he fails to mention the corruption in the current (Trump) administration. Just another republican sheep that cares little for American values.

[Matthew · Rating 2 out of 5]

Timely, not timeless

I am not the intended audience. No faith in the implied higher power. That said:

The book is a scattershot organic bit of writing but cannot articulate the ideas well enough to stand on their own. Too much reliance on previous life experiences hinder the message being delivered in a clear and concise way.

Too much verbal gymnastics on the ideas of quitting and shame. The definition of both are archaic under this definition and makes me wonder if deviation and guilt were the words this author was looking for.

Surprised me as this author is articulate and can speak with conviction, but it does not translate into a proper road map for those who might need it unless you are going to mine bits of info from this author's autobiography that is loosely wedged into this book.

If you are looking for the "windshield wiper" technique used in most non-fiction, you might have to dig too deep for gems that are not fully developed.

TL/DR: Too much effort to mine for ideas, quit with no shame.

[Molly McInturff · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book to close out 2020 and help ring in the new year!

This book has several important life lessons for its reader, regardless of one’s political affiliation. In fact, I think it should be required reading on how to function as a productive member of society. Some key messages include:

“Government does not exist to end your suffering: it exists in order to create the proper structure, based on equality and justice, so that you may pursue your own happiness.”

“If you’re losing your cool, you are losing. If you are triggered, it is because you allowed someone else to dictate your emotional state. If you are outraged, it is because you lack discipline and self-control. These are personal defeats, not the fault of anyone else. And each defeat shapes who you are as a person, and in the collective sense, who we are as a people.”

“You have the duty to accomplish something everyday. You have the duty to live up to your best self, the person you want to be, the hero archetype that you admire. You have the duty to embrace shame and learn from it. You have the duty to be polite, thoughtful, patient. You have the duty to overcome your hardships and not wallow in self-pity. You have the duty to contribute, even if your contribution is small. You have the duty to be on time. You have the duty to do your job, even if your job sucks. You have the duty to stay healthy, both for yourself and so that you do not become a burden on others. You have a duty to be part of the solution, not the problem (in other words, don’t join the Twitter mob). You have the duty to try hard not to offend others, and try harder not to be offended.”

[Mark A. Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended for Everyone

Crenshaw did an excellent job of explaining the modern 'outrage' problem and what can be done about it. Drawing from his experience as a Navy SEAL, he introduces relatable solutions. Looking forward to reading more of his work.

[Veronica Deats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dan Crenshaw is a perfect example of someone whose political views I don’t necessarily agree with, but who I really like and respect. This book wasn’t 100% perfect, and there are times I felt like he missed the mark a little bit with some of his analogies and wording, but overall - this should be required reading on how to function as a productive member of society. His outlook on mental strength touched on some of my favorite subjects. You can be mentally tough and still compassionate. You can put an emphasis on both fortitude AND empathy. You can expect other people to be responsible for themselves and their outcomes on a daily basis, and still feel a sense of duty to help those who need it most when situations are out of their control. This is more than just a book written by a politician. There are a lot of political topics in here, but I feel like he is an anomaly in the political world because he’s able to rationally call out the fact-based issues on both sides, and gives credit where it is due on both sides. This could be a thesis on how to be a decent human being. Highly recommend the audio book.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read much nonfiction, but when I happened upon a video clip of the author calmly speaking to an emotional reactionary, I immediately thought, "I want to be like him." I looked him up and discovered this book, and boy am I GLAD I did! I can't recommend this book enough, especially during these times of over-the-top rage and lack of civility. Thanks, Dan Crenshaw, for writing such an accessible, practical, timely, and inspirational book!
Note: There are some f-bombs in a few sections here, but Crenshaw was a Navy SEAL and draws heavily on his experiences (most of the f-bombs are in related conversations during training).

[Grant · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nearly gave this 2 stars as it comes across as better written Ben Shapiro book with some nuggets of truth but the lols I had reading towards the end that Dan believes corporations don’t really control policy. I’m going to be laughing for days.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fortitude: American Resilience in the Era of Outrage by Dan Crenshaw is a current congressman and former Navy Seal's common sense approach to dealing with today's microaggressions, triggered, safe spaces, outrage generation when it comes to achieving your life goals. He has a way of putting things into perspective such as comparing potentially losing your sight versus feeling insulted or oppressed by a 150 year old statue; being shot at in combat versus accepting guilt for things that happened hundreds of years ago in which you had no involvement. The author tells of his story growing up as an average American kid growing up in the suburbs of Houston and how he set himself a goal to become a Navy Seal. Despite setbacks, of which he had many, he accomplished his goal and became a member of the elite military organization. After being wounded in battle in Afghanistan and being told he would never see again, he did eventually overcome this condition and regained sight in one eye. Being elected to the US Congress was yet another achievement he was told he wouldn't achieve. He has a unique way to present overcoming obstacles that will appeal to anyone across the political spectrum in his optimistic way of viewing things. One of the best books I've read so far this year. If you think you are having a rough life, you must read this book!

[Josh Cramer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll review this with the positives and then the negatives:

Positives:

Interesting perspective from a Congressman and Navy Seal about life's challenges and how to confront them instead of feeling outraged and victimized.

The book often reminded me of "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck," which is largely based on Buddhist philosophy and the understanding that suffering is a natural and normal part of life and accepting that as part of life and learning to live with a positive outlook rather than a negative one can be achieved. Congressman Crenshaw, in my view, correctly asserts that this is part of the American psyche and we are at risk of losing that if we allow a victimhood mentality to consume us.

The Negatives:

Well, near the end of the book he accuses progressives of being anti-American and against the US Constitution, so that was rather ignorant and frankly, stupid of him to suggest.

While he acknowledges that both the left and the right have a problem with outrage, he primarily assigns the blame for a culture of a victimhood mentality on the progressive left. He never mentions the sense of entitlement and outrage that Donald Trump espouses, even though Crenshaw has demonstrated himself to be a Trumper, despite the fact that his book at least seems to argue that the personality traits so obviously evident in Trump, are ones we should reject. It is ironic that he accuses the left of promoting a victimhood mentality, when it is the leader of the Republican Party who cries victim more than anyone in our politics.

Congressman Crenshaw is essentially arguing, yes, America has a long history of problems and imperfections, but don't complain about them. While I certainly agree with him that taking action is more productive than simply complaining and seeking affirmation of victimhood, he then goes on to berate the left for taking action to correct those problems. Sure, I too am against violent protest, but if we look at the BLM movement for example, for years, for generations African Americans have been seeking justice against police brutality, and conservative pundits have demonized the left for taking even the most peaceful actions to call attention to the issue, such as taking a knee during the National Anthem.

I think Congressman Crenshaw has the opportunity to open a productive dialogue with those whom disagree with him, but he makes very insulting and false accusations about the left.

[Joni Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a former Navy SEAL offers advice on developing fortitude, welcome the expert advice. The selfless genius of Dan Crenshaw is on display with wisdom, insight, and instructions on how to develop a mindset that overcomes danger and adversity. I highly recommend this book!
Here's a quote from the book that nails the insanity prevailing on social media and it society: "Outrage culture is the weaponization of emotion, and the elevation of emotion above reason. It is the new normal, where moral righteousness rises in proportion to your level of outrage. The more outraged one is, the more authentic one is perceived to be. And the more authentic one is, the greater one's moral standing. Reason, rationale, and evidence be damned."
So refreshing to hear a voice of reason and substance in the wilderness of social media noise and disinformation "news."

[Julianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread 1 (February 2-9):
I decided to reread this book because I needed a quote for a college essay about leadership and I was reminded of some of the things I read in this book a year ago. Rereading this book was a good refresher on how to have a positive mindset and even helped me learn how to do my reverse dive yesterday. Dan Crenshaw is clearly very well spoken and well educated. I enjoy reading and learning from him.

Original Review (February 16-17):
This is one of my favorite nonfiction books I’ve ever read. I don’t even know how to describe how much I enjoyed it. The book talks about Crenshaws’s hardships and how instead of seeing himself as a victim he figured out how to preserve and achieve his goals. The book taught me a lot about having a positive mindset and how that can change your life. I’m so glad I read it and I really hope he writes more books in the future.

[Karen R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fortitude is not just about Dan Crenshaw's life and experiences as a Congressman and former Navy Seal wounded in combat who overcame the loss of an eye and Naval career. He speaks of the American culture today, how to keep a cool head in these times of outrage culture, entitlement and victimhood. He puts forth a practical roadmap to meet challenges and not give up hope. I have been listening to Dan’s podcast for quite some time and this book filled in some of the blanks of his life that I was curious about. A true patriot.

[Bonnie_Rae · Rating 1 out of 5]

For someone who claims that outrage is “weakness,” he spends an awful lot of time throwing a hissy fit in book form.

When he isn’t snarking on Twitter, hosting his own podcast, hopping on other people’s podcasts (Joe Rogan comes to mind), belittling and bullying his own colleagues (Rashida Talib, Ilhan Omar, and AOC top the list), buying up stocks, begging people to contribute to his birthday fund, or hopping on Fox news to complain about something, he spends his time… creating rather unique ads ads and drafting bills he knows will go nowhere.

I have been told he is smart (he managed to buy himself a master’s degree from Harvard after all!) but I genuinely cannot tell if he is just “playing the game” or if he really is this stupid. The projection he participates in is insane:

We aren’t acting the way we are supposed to. We mock virtue, without considering how its abandonment accelerates our moral decay. We aren’t acting as a culture that is mature or enlightened or education, we aren’t acting worthy of this beautiful country and political system that we inherited from our revolutionary ancestors. Rather, we don a mantle of fragility, of anger, or childishness, and are utterly shameless in doing so.

Keep in mind, this is the same guy that was more than happy to whip up anger preceding the January 6 coup attempt. He signed onto the legal brief in support of the Texas lawsuit that sought to get the Supreme Court to overturn the 2020 presidential election – specifically in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. (So much for states' rights.) Then when the coup was happening in real time, the former Navy SEAL bravely hid under his desk and heroically tweeted out: “Stop this bullshit right now” from his phone. He then proceeded to lash out at his fellow Republicans for egging on the crowd… even though he was more than happy to sign his name to bullshit legal briefs to overturn the will of the people.

And for someone who claims to sneer at fragility, at displaying anger, or behaving childishly, he sure does seem to simp for Daddy Trump quite hard.

Oh, right. Did you know that Crenshaw was a former Navy SEAL? Some SEALs transition into books, some into podcasts, and others into government. Crenshaw looked around and asked himself, “Why can’t I do all three?!” Well, you did that, Dan. It is telling that Crenshaw’s “first interpretation of what it mean to be a Navy SEAl came from Dick Marcinko and his winner take-all-attitude.” Some fun facts about good ol’ Dick:

- He took kickbacks
- He was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the government
- He likes to whine a lot

Solid role model!

It is also pretty telling that a lot of sources in his book are either “jokes” (like that the Taliban doesn’t have health insurance. Har de har har) or come from magazines/websites like Medium, Fox, and the National Review. For someone who loves to complain about the close-minded, echo chamber liberals the man barely steps outside his little bubble of misinformation. Occasionally he will cite a psychology paper here and there to bolster his claims – but I think we all know (regardless of your education level) that using just one source to bolster your claim is pretty weak.

He also spends SOOO much time reliving and going over the SNL bit with Pete Davidson. A quick (if somewhat biased) rundown. Pete Davidson - comedian, writer, actor, producer, funny guy - made a crack at Dan Crenshaw comparing his image to that of a “hitman in a porno movie.” After subsequent outrage whipped up by the Right, Crenshaw got an apology from Pete Davidson (who later rescinded it, saying he was compelled to give it) on air and then in a little cruel twist, his phone went off with an Ariana Grande song (Grande and Davidson had broken their engagement at the time). Crenshaw was able to use the joke and outrage to land his spoiled ass in the second district of Texas that is so heavily redistricted it has become its own meme. At least he is able to acknowledge what got him elected (a forced apology for a one-off joke), albeit in a twisted, round-about way.

Additionally, this book is just poorly written. It is not enjoyable, even as a hate read. He flits from on idea to another, has this teeth-grindingly annoying condescending tone, and fear mongers about everyone he does not like: the wrong type of veterans, protestors exercising their constitutional and civil rights, his fellow colleagues (the potshots against Warren and Sanders are just pathetic)… basically, unless you are a donor or supporter of his – you can get rimmed. And he is just wrong on a lot of things. Just plain wrong. Check his various twitter pages – users are more than happy to correct him on his various obvious and deliberate misinterpretations and mistakes.

Lastly, I want to go over his voting record. It is pretty dismal. The man has voted against:
- Prohibiting discrimination because of sex, gender, identity, and sexual orientation
- Protecting older employees from workplace discrimination
- Protecting wilderness areas in Colorado, California, Washington, and Arizona from development
- Providing money for transportation and water infrastructure (because who needs clean water)
- Expanding voting rights (the man is terrifyingly gleeful in gerrymanding and restricting voting rights)
- Expanding unionization and collective bargaining rights
- He chose to skip the vote on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act
- Reauthorizing and expanding funding for preventing domestic violence
- Providing customers with debt-related protections
- Admitting Washington D.C. as a state
- Establishing a commission to investigate the January 6 attack on the Capitol (another reminder: he was hiding under his desk)
- Providing money for Capitol security in response to the January 6 attack (so much for Blue Lives Matter)

I believe there are two types of people when it comes to holding power. One type of person helps up others while the other types holds others down. It can really depend on who is helped up and who is held down. Crenshaw is more than willing to hold down the vulnerable and the weak. The only one he is helping is himself. Just like the RNC did when they purchased this book to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars. No friends like your fellow Republicans!

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I initially thought this was a self-help book, but I later realized this is a book on politics and attempts to be the one on political philosophy.

Crenshaw's writing is clear, straightforward, and to the point. He is a conservative who values loyalty, authority, integrity, heroism, individuality, freedom, personal accountability, and responsibility. He wants America to be great.

I appreciated his caution against emotion that includes outrage, panic, over-reactions. I also liked his view on personal accountability. How could one pursue freedom and power without responsibility?

He criticizes political progressivism, left media, and left activists. He gives many anecdotes and examples with a common theme of outrageousness and victimhood culture. His stories might have been more persuasive if he addressed the issues from both parties.

He may be an idealist but too naive like Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Humans, including myself, will always be emotional. Not everyone is resilient as Crenshaw. Rationalism, resilience, and personal accountability is a virtue for a self-help book, but one of many factors to be sufficient for political philosophy considerations. He conveniently avoided questions on human greed, market failures, externality, monopoly issues. Without addressing these issues, his reasoning on the political philosophy seemed hollow at the end.

[Christian Bohren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fortitude is 50% manifesto of mental toughness, 30% Conservative memorandum, 15% Navy SEAL memoir, 5% biography of an American high schooler playing soccer in Colombia. At times, Crenshaw can seem a little over eager to throw his achievements into your face. But then again, he isn't some kid who just beat you at Mario Kart. He overcame tragedy to become a Navy SEAL, got blown up, almost went blind, and is now a bad-ass, eye-patch wielding, US Congressman. So in true Crenshaw fashion, get over it. He has done more than you have, and has the credibility to tell you a thing or two about Fortitude.

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Read it, reread it, give it to friends, family or anyone questioning what the heck is going on in the United States today. Dan does a terrific job of explaining the undeniable decline occurring in this country and why we cannot give in to the outrage mob or "fall into the trap of mediocrity". I love the following concepts covered in Fortitude:
* No plan B;
* Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Two things we ought to have and the third to pursue... Chase, you see, is the point. The pursuit, is the purpose.
* You have purpose in this life. God has you here for a reason... Search until you find it, and until then, act as if you have it because you are wasting time otherwise;
* If not me, then who;
* We have a sense of duty to be better, more polite and smarter with our public disagreements;
* Stop wondering who is going to create the next best thing to make your life better, create it yourself; and
* You have a duty to try hard not to offend others and try harder not to be offended.

Buy the book, happy reading!

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not the highest art book I have ever read, but I really appreciate what Dan Crenshaw tries to do with his book. He is trying to be a positive force in a negative time, and for that I gave the book a lot of credit.

It is about being a good citizen. Not caving in to victim mentality. Although a Libertarian/Republican, he writes the book with an invitation to both sides to be better. Overall, I enjoyed it and will purchase additional copies to give out to people.

[Cav · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first line of the description of this book says: "Jordan Peterson's Twelve Rules for Life meets Jocko Willink and Leif Babin's Extreme Ownership." That's a pretty bold claim, and I was a bit skeptical starting this one after reading that...
Thankfully, the book can honestly be described this way. It was really good.
I have been following author Dan Crenshaw on social media, and via his numerous appearances on podcasts for a few years now.
Fortitude tells a bit of Crenshaw's story; his SEAL BUD/S training, and the 2012 incident in Afghanistan that ultimately saw him lose his right eye. It also talks about the SEALs' ethos and philosophy.
Crenshaw takes a deep dive into philosophy here, as well. He talks about the roots of the modern left's worldview, victimology, and Marxism.
Fortitude also takes a shot across the bow at the PC culture gone wild; SJW grievance-collecting, cancel culture, and outrage mobs.
The writing here is very good; the book contains many quotables. The audiobook is also read by the author himself, which is something I prefer, instead of hiring a narrator to do the reading.
I read it because I was curious about what Dan had to say, but this book would also make a great field manual for life, and is an antidote to the existential nihilism that many people sadly fall prey to.
I'm sure the words here will inspire many people to live the best versions of themselves, which is something that adds great value to society. Crenshaw deserves high points for this.
He ends the book with a great quote:

"I told you before about the SEAL Ethos. Perhaps we now need an American Ethos. Perhaps it goes something like this:
I will not quit in the face of danger or pain or self-doubt; I will not justify the easier path before me. I decide that all my actions, not just some, matter.
Every small task is a contribution toward a higher purpose. Every day is undertaken with a sense of duty to be better than I was yesterday, even in the smallest of ways.
I seek out hardship. I do not run from pain but embrace it, because I derive strength from my suffering. I confront the inevitable trials of life with a smile. I plan to keep my head, to be still, when chaos overwhelms me.
I will tell the story of my failures and hardships as a victor, not a victim. I will be grateful. Millions who have gone before me have suffered too much, fought too hard, and been blessed with far too little, for me to squander this life. So I won’t.
My purpose will be to uphold and protect the spirit of our great republic, knowing that the values we hold dear can be preserved only by a strong people. I will do my part. I will live with Fortitude."

Honestly, this book was way better than I thought it would be, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested.
5 stars, and I think I'll add it to my "favorites" shelf.

[Kevin Horgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a sucker for good marketing and I bought the book from an ad I saw that provided a signed copy at a very reasonable rate. I am delighted I bought the book.

I devoured it immediately and it is worthy of your time. Politics aside, this dude is not just a war hero, but a certified badass, having gone through US Navy SEAL BUDS Hell Week twice, because he broke his leg on the first pass.

Which should make him certifiable, but I’ll let you judge that.

Yes, the book is heavy on SEAL training and it gave me more insight into how truly insane that standard of excellence is. Less than 20% of the candidates succeed, and from the SEALS I know I have determined that any one of them could eat three Marines, and I know many hard-chargers in the latter group, including myself.

This is not ghost written. Crenshaw is no slouch, a graduate of Tufts University and, after his service, Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. He quotes many people with ease, including John Paul II and Thomas Sowell, which gives the reader a clear indication of his leanings. He is candid about his down-range service, injuries, weak moments of overwhelming self-doubt, and impatience in recovery.

There is much to unpack in the book, but my strongest impressions were about his search for meaning, disavowing victim identity politics which turn into a hatred of America, and his personal stoicism. Yeah, Crenshaw’s a Republican, but I was reading from his reasonable man’s perspective, and I believe he is not one to knee-jerk his way into a corner.

Over 87% of the reviews on Amazon are five-star, a true indicator of popularity. But I read the one-star reviews, and they all broke along politically ideological lines. Look, I read Barack Obama’s two biographies before he was elected to the presidency, and although I disagreed with virtually everything he stated in both books, I didn’t puke. They were in 44's voice and no one should have been surprised by his administration.

I suspect if you don’t agree with a person’s politics you can’t learn from them, according to the negative reviews. No wonder there is so much unnecessary venom in public discourse today. Crenshaw rises above that easily.

I am predisposed to like the man, appreciate his service and personal sacrifice, and respect his going above his disability and making stuff happen. Good stuff. With luck, Crenshaw will remain on the national stage for a long time. His stoicism and ability to calmly address outrage culture is worthy of all our respect.

His last two lines sums it up for him, and I embrace it: “I will do my part. I will live with fortitude.”

[Hannah Morse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fortitude was a great and encouraging book that had many inspirational and wonderful quotes from the author. It definitely showed what the modern society looks like; described as an “outrage culture” and having a victimhood ideology. Most importantly the author (Dan Crenshaw) did a great job explaining how the modern generation can change from its ways, developing a mental toughness and living with fortitude. Other things I found interesting was his story of how he became a SEAL and experience of losing his left eye. I believe this book would be an excellent read for teenagers or young adults who need an extra boost of inspiration, willpower, and some insight of today’s politics/government. On the other hand, this book did have an excessive amount of profanity in areas that weren’t necessary and similar statements/points from Dan Crenshaw were repeated many times. Although the author had a lot of great quotes or beliefs, there were some I disagreed with, which is completely normal. To conclude, this was a good book, and I enjoyed learning about building a stronger mentality and persevering through life.


Favorite quotes:
“The basic message is this: If you’re losing your cool, you are losing. If your are triggered, it is because you allowed someone else to dictate your emotional state.”

“I chose not to be bitter.”

“Everything is easy to say. Many things are hard to do.”

“The Statue of Liberty is not a representation of pure freedom, but of liberty supported by the rule of law, both legislative and moral in nature.”

“Don’t let your emotions drive your action, think before your act.”

“Forming an opinion without the relevant facts is a phenomenon that I believe is getting worse.”

“Who on earth will hire you if you can’t show up on time?”

[Blue Morse · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The road to mental toughness is paved with the knowledge that we don’t always do what is right, but we are willing to take responsibility for it, humbly correct it, and be stronger as a result. A mind that cannot bend to admit wrongdoing is easily broken. Don’t be breakable. Live with fortitude.”

A must read for every American, especially during these tumultuous times. Very practical and challenging.

My only critique is some of the foul language. As a military member I’m used to it, however I don’t think it adds any literary value to the book. Since I want to pass this on to my 14 year old daughter to read, i was forced to black out all the swear words as I read through it.

My top quotes:

“If you’re losing your cool, you are losing. If you are triggered, it is because you allowed someone else to dictate your emotional state.”

“A little perspective can be the difference between spiraling into dark disparities and clawing your way back to the light”

“Your big goals are accomplished by an infinite number of small decisions”

“A shallow reading of a problem begets outrage; a detailed approach to a problem encourages moderation”

“Try hard not to offend, and try harder not to be offended”

“A life unchallenged by hardship is a missed opportunity, and you should therefore seek to do something hard”

“Inward questions accept responsibility and open the door to improvement. Outward questions assign blame and seek to pass failure off on others.”

“Failure, when encountered properly, is often a gateway to a different sort of success.”

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m usually very hesitant to give five stars, but as I finished this one I couldn’t think of any glaring problem. A little scattered and vague at times? Sure. But it’s not a policy book. A little biased at times? Sure. But it’s marketed as a personal book. He’s on the cover after all. The great principles, advice, and examples in here outweigh any negatives in my opinion. This book urges you to be a better person.

I would pair this book along with these books as a perfect gift for a graduate, particularly for young men: The Curmudgeon's Guide to Getting Ahead: Dos and Don'ts of Right Behavior, Tough Thinking, Clear Writing, and Living a Good Life and Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into the Value of Work.

Crenshaw references another good book: The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure.

[Mary Knipp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I've read this year!

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Representative Crenshaw from Texas is one of the few politicians with integrity. His book and personal experiences are inspiring!