make your own bed speech

Admiral McRaven “Make Your Bed” Commencement Speech Transcript

Admiral William H. McRaven gave a commencement speech at the University of Texas often referred to as the “Make Your Bed” speech. It’s considered one of the best and more inspirational commencement speeches. Read the full transcript of McRaven’s May 19, 2014 speech right here at Rev.com.

Admiral McRaven: ( 00:00 ) Thank you very much, thank you. Well, thank you president Powers, Provost Fenves, deans, members of the faculty, family and friends, and most importantly, the class of 2014, it is indeed an honor for me to be here tonight. It’s been almost 37 years to the day that I graduated from UT. I remember a lot of things about that day. I remember I had a throbbing headache from a party the night before. I remember I had a serious girlfriend who I later married. That’s important to remember by the way. And I remember I was getting commissioned in the Navy that day, but of all the things I remember, I don’t have a clue who the commencement speaker was and I certainly don’t remember anything they said.

Admiral McRaven: ( 00:59 ) So acknowledging that fact, if I can’t make this commencement speech memorable, I’ll at least try to make it short. So the university slogan is, what starts here changes the world. Well, I’ve got to admit, I kind of like it. What starts here changes the world. Tonight there are almost 8,000 students or there are more than 8,000 students graduated from UT. So that great Paragon of analytical rigor ask.com says that the average American will meet 10,000 people in their lifetime. 10,000 people, that’s a lot of folks. But if every one of you change the lives of just 10 people and each one of those people change the lives of another 10 people and another 10 then in five generations, 125 years, the class of 2014 will have changed the lives of 800 million people, 800 million people.

Admiral McRaven: ( 01:59 ) Think about it, over twice the population of United States go one more generation and you can change the entire population of the world. 8 billion people. If you think it’s hard to change the lives of 10 people change their lives forever, you’re wrong. I saw it happen every day in Iraq and Afghanistan. A young army officer makes a decision to go left instead of right down a road in Baghdad and the 10 soldiers with him are saved from a close in ambush. In Kandahar province, Afghanistan, a noncommissioned officer from the female engagement team senses that something isn’t right and directs the infantry platoon away from a 500 pound IED saving the lives of a dozen soldiers. But if you think about it, not only were those soldiers saved by the decisions of one person, but their children were saved and their children’s children, generations were saved by one decision, one person.

Admiral McRaven: ( 02:59 ) But changing the world can happen anywhere and anyone can do it. So what starts here can indeed change the world. But the question is, what will the world look like after you change it? Well, I’m confident that it will look much, much better. But if you’ll humor this old sailor for just a moment, I have a few suggestions that might help you on your way to a better world. And while these lessons were learned during my time in the military, I can assure you that it matters not whether you’ve ever served a day in uniform, it matters not your gender, your ethnic or religious background, your orientation or your social status. Our struggles in this world are similar and the lessons to overcome those struggles and to move forward, changing ourselves and changing the world around us will apply equally to all. I’ve been a Navy SEAL for 36 years, but it all began when I left UT for basic SEAL training in Coronado, California.

Admiral McRaven: ( 03:53 ) Basic SEAL training is six months, a long torturous runs in the soft sand, midnight swims in the cold water off San Diego, obstacle courses, unending calisthenics, days without sleep and always being cold, wet and miserable. It is six months of being constantly harassed by professionally trained warriors who seek to find the weak of mind and body and eliminate them from ever becoming a Navy SEAL. But the training also seeks to find those students who can lead in an environment of constant stress, chaos, failure and hardships. To me, basic SEAL training was a lifetime of challenges crammed into six months. So here are the 10 lessons I learned from basic SEAL training that hopefully will be a value to you as you move forward in life.

Admiral McRaven: ( 04:44 ) Every morning in SEAL training, my instructors who were at the time were all Vietnam veterans, would show up in my barracks room and the first thing they do is inspect my bed. If I did it right, the corners would be square, the covers would be pulled tight, the pillow centered just under the headboard and the extra blanket folded neatly at the foot of the rack. It was a simple task, mundane at best, but every morning we were required to make our bed to perfection.

Admiral McRaven: ( 05:13 ) It seemed a little ridiculous at the time, particularly in light of the fact that we were aspiring to be real warriors, tough battle-hardened SEALs. But the wisdom of this simple act has been proven to me many times over. If you made your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. And by the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter.

Admiral McRaven: ( 05:51 ) If you can’t do the little things right, you’ll never be able to do the big things right. And if by chance have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made, that you made. And a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better. So if you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. During SEAL training the students, during training the students are all broken down in a boat crews. Each crew is seven students, three on each side of a small rubber boat and one cox and to help guide the dinging. Every day your boat crew forms up on the beach and is instructed to get through the surf zone and paddle several miles down the coast. In the winter, the surf off San Diego can get to be 8 to 10 feet high and it is exceedingly difficult to paddle through the plunging surf unless everyone digs in.

Admiral McRaven: ( 06:45 ) Every paddle must be synchronized to the stroke count of the coxswain. Everyone must exert equal effort or the boat will turn against the wave and be unceremoniously dumped back on the beach. For the boat to make it to its destination, everyone must paddle. You can’t change the world alone you will need some help and to truly get from your starting point to your destination takes friends, colleagues, the Goodwill of strangers and a strong coxswain to guide you. If you want to change the world, find someone to help you paddle. Over a few weeks of difficult training, my SEAL class which started with 150 men was down to just 42. There were now six boat crews of seven men each. I was in the boat with the tall guys, but the best boat crew we had was made up with little guys, the munchkin crew, we called them. No one was over five foot five.

Admiral McRaven: ( 07:42 ) The munchkin boat crew had one American Indian, one African American, one Polish American, one Greek American, one Italian American, and two tough kids from the Midwest. They out paddled outran and out swam all the other boat crews. The big men in the other boat crews would always make good natured fun of the tiny little flippers the munchkins put on their tiny little feet prior to every swim, but somehow these little guys from every corner of the nation in the world always had the last laugh sewing faster than everyone and reaching the shore long before the rest of us. SEAL training was a great equalizer. Nothing mattered but your will to succeed. Not your color, not your ethnic background, not your education, not your social status. If you want to change the world, measure a person by the size of their heart, not by the size of their flippers.

Admiral McRaven: ( 08:38 ) Several times a week the instructors would line up the class and do a uniform inspection. It was exceptionally thorough. Your hat had to be perfectly starched, your uniform, immaculately pressed, your belt buckle, shiny and void of any smudges, but it seemed that no matter how much effort you’re put into starching your hat or pressing your uniform or polishing your belt buckle and it just wasn’t good enough. The instructors would find something wrong. For failing uniform inspection, the student had to run fully clothed into the surf zone, then wet from head to toe, roll around on the beach until every part of your body was covered with sand, the effect was known as a sugar cookie.

Admiral McRaven: ( 09:22 ) You stayed in the uniform the rest of the day, cold, wet, and Sandy. There were many of student who just couldn’t accept the fact that all their efforts were in vain. That no matter how hard they tried to get the uniform right, it went on appreciated. Those students didn’t make it through training. Those students didn’t understand the purpose of the drill. You were never going to succeed. You were never going to have a perfect uniform. The instructors weren’t going to allow it. Sometimes no matter how well you prepare or how well you perform, you still end up as a sugar cookie. It’s just the way life is sometimes. If you want to change the world, get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward. Every day during training, you were challenged with multiple physical events, long runs, long swims, obstacle courses, hours of calisthenics, something designed to test your metal.

Admiral McRaven: ( 10:15 ) Every event had standards times you had to meet. If you fail to meet those times, those standards, your name was posted on a list and at the end of the day those on the list were invited to a circus. A circus was two hours of additional calisthenics designed to wear you down to break your spirit, to force you to quit. No one wanted a circus. A circus met that for that day. You didn’t measure up. A circus meant more fatigue and more fatigue meant that the following day would be more difficult and more surfaces were likely, but at sometime during SEAL training, everyone, everyone made the circus list. But an interesting thing happened to those who were constantly on the list. Over time those students who did two hours of extras, calisthenics got stronger and stronger. The pain of the circuses built inner strength and physical resiliency. Life is filled with circuses.

Admiral McRaven: ( 11:15 ) You will fail. You will likely fail often it will be painful. It will be discouraging. At times it will test you to your very core, but if you want to change the world, don’t be afraid of the circuses. At least twice a week the trainees were required to run the obstacle course. The obstacle course contained 25 obstacles including a 10 foot wall, a 30 foot cargo net, a barbwire crawl to name a few, but the most challenging obstacle was the slide for life. It had a three level 30 foot tower at one end and a one-level tower at the other. In between was a 200 foot long rope. You had to climb the three tiered tower and once at the top you grabbed the rope, swung underneath the rope and pulled yourself hand over hand until you got to the other end. The record for the obstacle course had stood for years when my class began in 1977.

Admiral McRaven: ( 12:10 ) The record seemed unbeatable until one day a student decided to go down the slide for life head first. Instead of swinging his body underneath the rope and inching his way down, he bravely mounted the top of the rope and thrust himself forward. It was a dangerous move, seemingly foolish and fraught with risk. Failure could be an injury and being dropped from the course. Without hesitation, the students slid down the rope perilously fast instead of several minutes it only took him half that time and by the end of the course he had broken the record. If you want to change the world, sometimes you have to slide down the obstacles head first.

Admiral McRaven: ( 12:52 ) During the land warfare phase of training, the students are flown out to San Clemente Island, which lies off the coast of San Diego. The waters of San Clemente are a breeding ground for the great white sharks. To pass SEAL training there are a series of long swims that must be completed. One is the night swim. Before the swim the instructors joyfully brief the students on all the species of sharks that inhabit the waters of San Clemente. They assure you, however, that no student has ever been eaten by a shark, at least not that they can remember. But you are also taught that if a shark begins to circle your position, stand your ground, do not swim away, do not act afraid. And if the shark hungry for a midnight snack, darts towards you, then summons up all your strength and punch him in the snout and he will turn and swim away. There are a lot of sharks in the world. If you hope to complete the swim, you will have to deal with them. So if you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks.

Admiral McRaven: ( 14:02 ) As Navy SEALs, one of our jobs is to conduct underwater attacks against enemies shipping. We practiced this technique extensively during training. The ship attack mission is where a pair of SEAL divers is dropped off outside an enemy Harbor and then swims well over two miles underwater using nothing but a DEF gauge and a compass to get to the target. During the entire swim even well below the surface, there is some light that comes through. It is comforting to know that there is open water above you, but as you approach the ship, which is tied to appear, the light begins to fade. The steel structure of the ship blocks the Moonlight. It blocks the surrounding streetlamps. It blocks all ambient light. To be successful in your mission, you have to swim under the ship and find the keel, the center line, and the deepest part of the ship.

Admiral McRaven: ( 14:56 ) This is your objective, but the keel is also the darkest part of the ship where you cannot see your hand in front of your face or the noise from the ship’s machinery is deafening and where it gets to be easily disoriented and you can fail. Every SEAL knows that under the keel at that darkest moment of the mission is a time when you need to be calm, when you must be calm, where you must be composed. When all your tactical skills, your physical power, and your inner strength must be brought to bear. If you want to change the world, you must be your very best in the darkest moments.

Admiral McRaven: ( 15:38 ) The ninth week of training is referred to as hell week. It is six days of no sleep, constant physical and mental harassment and one special day at the mudflats. The mudflats are an area between San Diego and Tijuana where the water runs off and creates the Tijuana slews, a swampy patch of terrain where the mud will engulf you. It is on Wednesday of hell week, which you paddle down in the mudflats and spend the next 15 hours trying to survive this freezing cold, the howling wind and the incessant pressure to quit from the instructors.

Admiral McRaven: ( 16:12 ) As the sun began to set that Wednesday evening, my training class, having committed some egregious infraction of the rules was ordered into the mud. The mud consumed each man until there was nothing visible but our heads. The instructors told us we could leave the mud if only five men would quit. Only five men, just five men, and we could get out of the oppressive cold. Looking around the mudflat it was apparent that some students were about to give up. It was still over eight hours till the sun came up. Eight more hours of bone chilling cold, chattering teeth and shivering moans of the trainees were so loud, it was hard to hear anything.

Admiral McRaven: ( 16:54 ) And then one voice began to echo through the night. One voice raised in song. The song was terribly out of tune, but sung with great enthusiasm. One voice became two and two became three and before long everyone in the class was singing. The instructors threatened us with more time in the mud if we kept up the singing, but the singing persisted and somehow the mud seemed a little warmer. And the wind a little tamer and the dawn, not so far away. If I have learned anything in my time traveling the world, it is the power of hope. The power of one person, a Washington, a Lincoln, King, Mandela, and even a young girl from Pakistan, Malala, one person can change the world by giving people hope. So if you want to change the world, start singing when you’re up to your neck and mud.

Admiral McRaven: ( 17:51 ) Finally, in SEAL training there is a bell. A brass bell that hangs in the center of the compound for all the students to see. All you have to do to quit is ring the bell, ring the bell, and you no longer have to wake up at five o’clock ring the bell and you no longer have to be in the freezing cold swims. Ring the bell and you no longer have to do the runs, the obstacle course, the PT, and you no longer have to endure the hardships of training. All you have to do is ring the bell to get out. If you want to change the world, don’t ever, ever ring the bell.

Admiral McRaven: ( 18:33 ) To the class of 2014 you are moments away from graduating, moments away from beginning your journey through life, moments away from starting to change the world for the better. It will not be easy, but you are the class of 2014 the class that can affect the lives of 800 million people in the next century. Start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often. But if you take some risks, step up on the times, you’re the toughest face down the bullies. Lift up the downtrodden and never ever give up. If you do these things, the next generation and the generations that follow will live in a world far better than the one we have today. And what started here will indeed have changed the world for the better. Thank you very much, hook ’em horns.

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The Full Admiral McRaven Speech Transcript

O n May 17, 2014, Former Admiral William. H. McRaven advised the graduates of the class of 2014 at the University of Texas. He served in the Navy for many years.

The former Admiral McRaven’s speech is very motivational, and the whole purpose of the speech is to show that anyone can change the world. In his speech, he gives ten suggestions on how anyone can see the world.

Article Topics

What is the theme of admiral mcraven speech.

The general theme of his ‘make your bed speech’ is that anyone can change the world; all you need is the courage to do it. He also explains how giving up isn’t an option no matter what you’re going through. Eventually, it will pass, and you will win.

Admiral McRaven also explains how it isn’t necessary to change everyone’s lives for the world to change. All you need is to change the lives of only a few people, and the generations to come will feel the effect. You would have changed their entire lineage’s lives.

Watch and Listen to this motivational video of the Admiral McRaven Speech on YouTube

What advice did navy admiral william.h.mcraven give in his commencement address and well known 'make your bed speech'.

• Make your bed . Making your bed means that you’d have accomplished the first task of the day. It might seem small and mundane, but even after a long miserable day, at least you’ll come back to a made bed.
• Find someone to help you paddle . You can’t change the world on your own; you need a support team, people to cheer you up and help you change the world. We all need help.
• Measure a person by the size of their heart, not their flippers’ size . The physical aspects of who someone is don’t necessarily make up for a lot. What’s on the inside is what matters the most.
• Get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward . Sometimes the universe just doesn’t recognize your efforts no matter how much you’ve put in. This shouldn’t make you lose hope, get over it and keep pushing.
• Don’t be afraid of the circuses . Some situations will wear us down, but they are meant to strengthen your resolve by the end of the day.
• Sometimes you have to slide down the obstacle head first . Even in the hardest of situations, you have to take a risk and face your problems head first. Sometimes that’s the only way to win.
• Don’t back down from the sharks . Sharks are obstacles that you might face in your journey. Even when those obstacles show up, don’t back down. That’s the only way you’ll win.
• If you want to change the world, you must be the very best in your darkest moment . During the darkest moments, it gets hard to see what lies ahead, but be hopeful because, after that darkness, there can only be light.
• Start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud . In your darkest moments, be the person who stands up and gives others hope. Giving others hope will mean preventing them from giving up during those difficult moments.
• Don’t ever ring the bell . Ringing the bell is the easiest thing to do. But for you to succeed in life, you will have to assume that giving up isn’t an option, and that’s when you can concentrate on winning.

The Full Admiral McRaven Speech

It’s been almost 37 years to the day that I graduated from UT. I remember a lot of things about that day. I remember I had a throbbing headache from a party the night before. I remember I had a serious girlfriend, whom I later married (that’s important to remember, by the way), and I remember that I was getting commissioned in the Navy that day.

But of all the things I remember, I don’t have a clue who the commencement speaker was, and I certainly don’t remember anything they said. So, acknowledging that fact, if I can’t make this commencement speech memorable, I will at least try to make it short.

The University’s slogan is, “What starts here changes the world.” I’ve got to admit. I kind of like it. “What starts here changes the world.”

Tonight there are almost 8,000 students (there are more than 8000) graduating from UT. So, that great paragon of analytical rigor, Ask.Com, says that the average American will meet 10,000 people in their lifetime. That’s a lot of folks. But, if every one of you changed the lives of just ten people and each one of those people changed the lives of another ten people,(just ten people) then in five generations 125 years, the class of 2014 will have changed the lives of 800 million people.

Eight hundred million people — think about it — over twice the population of the United States. Go one more generation, and you can change the entire population of the world — eight billion people.

If you think it’s hard to change the lives of 10 people, change their lives forever, you’re wrong. I saw it happen every day in Iraq and Afghanistan: A young Army officer makes a decision to go left instead of right down a road in Baghdad, and the ten soldiers with him are saved from a close-in ambush.

In Kandahar province, Afghanistan, a non-commissioned officer from the Female Engagement Team senses that something isn’t right and directs the infantry platoon away from a 500-pound IED, saving the lives of a dozen soldiers.

But, if you think about it, not only were those soldiers saved by the decisions of one person, but their children were saved. And their children’s children were saved. Generations were saved by one decision, one person.

But changing the world can happen anywhere, and anyone can do it. So, what starts here can indeed change the world, but the question is — what will the world look like after you change it?

Well, I am confident that it will look much, much better. But if you will humor this old sailor for just a moment, I have a few suggestions that may help you on your way to a better world. And while these lessons were learned during my time in the military, I can assure you that it matters not whether you ever served a day in uniform. It matters not your gender, your ethnic or religious background, your orientation, or your social status.

Our struggles in this world are similar, and the lessons to overcome those struggles and to move forward — changing ourselves and changing the world around us — will apply equally to all.

I have been a Navy SEAL for 36 years. But it all began when I left UT for Basic SEAL training in Coronado, California. Basic SEAL training is six months of long torturous runs in the soft sand, midnight swims in the cold water off San Diego, obstacles courses, unending calisthenics, days without sleep, and always being cold, wet, and miserable.

It is six months of being constantly harassed by professionally trained warriors who seek to find the weak of mind and body and eliminate them from ever becoming a Navy SEAL.

But the training also seeks to find those students who can lead in an environment of constant stress, chaos, failure, and hardships. To me, basic SEAL training was a lifetime of challenges crammed into six months.

So, here are the ten lessons I learned from basic SEAL training that hopefully will be of value to you as you move forward in life.

1. Make your bed

Every morning in SEAL training, my instructors, who at the time were all Vietnam veterans, would show up in my barracks room, and the first thing they would do is inspect my bed. If you did it right, the corners would be square; the covers would be pulled tight, the pillow centered just under the headboard, and the extra blanket folded neatly at the foot of the rack.

It was a simple task, mundane at best. But every morning, we were required to make our bed to perfection. It seemed a little ridiculous at the time, particularly in light of the fact that we were aspiring to be real warriors, tough battle-hardened SEALs, but the wisdom of this simple act has been proven to me many times over.

If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you will never be able to do the big things right.

And, if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made — that you made — and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.

If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.

2. Find someone to paddle with

During SEAL training, the students are broken down into boat crews. Each crew is seven students — three on each side of a small rubber boat and one coxswain to help guide the dingy. Every day your boat crew forms up on the beach and is instructed to get through the surf zone and paddle several miles down the coast. In the winter, the surf off San Diego can get to be 8 to 10 feet high, and it is exceedingly difficult to paddle through the plunging surf unless everyone digs in.

Every paddle must be synchronized to the stroke count of the coxswain. Everyone must exert equal effort, or the boat will turn against the wave and be unceremoniously dumped back on the beach.

For the boat to make it to its destination, everyone must paddle. You can’t change the world alone — you will need some help — and to truly get from your starting point to your destination takes friends, colleagues, the goodwill of strangers, and a strong coxswain to guide them.

If you want to change the world, find someone to help you paddle.

3. Measure a person by the size of their heart, not the size of their flippers

Over a few weeks of difficult training, my SEAL class, which started with 150 men, was down to just 42. There were now six boat crews of seven men each. I was in the boat with the tall guys, but the best boat crew we had was made up of the little guys (the munchkin crew we called them) no one was over about five-foot-five.

The munchkin boat crew had one American Indian, one African American, one Polish American, one Greek American, one Italian American, and two tough kids from the midwest. They out-paddled, out-ran, and out-swam all the other boat crews.

The big men in the other boat crews would always make good-natured fun of the tiny little flippers the munchkins put on their tiny little feet prior to every swim. But somehow, these little guys, from every corner of the nation and the world, always had the last laugh, swimming faster than everyone and reaching the shore long before the rest of us.

SEAL training was a great equalizer. Nothing mattered but your will to succeed. Not your color, not your ethnic background, not your education, and not your social status.

If you want to change the world, measure a person by the size of their heart, not the size of their flippers.

4. Get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward.

Several times a week, the instructors would line up the class and do a uniform inspection. It was exceptionally thorough. Your hat had to be perfectly starched, your uniform immaculately pressed, your belt buckle shiny and void of any smudges.

But it seemed that no matter how much effort you put into starching your hat, or pressing your uniform, or polishing your belt buckle — it just wasn’t good enough. The instructors would find “something” wrong.

For failing the uniform inspection, the student had to run, fully clothed into the surf zone, and then, wet from head to toe, roll around on the beach until every part of your body was covered with sand. The effect was known as a “sugar cookie.” You stayed in the uniform the rest of the day — cold, wet, and sandy.

There were many a student who just couldn’t accept the fact that all their effort was in vain. That no matter how hard they tried to get the uniform right, it was unappreciated. Those students didn’t make it through training. Those students didn’t understand the purpose of the drill. You were never going to succeed. You were never gonna have a perfect uniform.

Sometimes no matter how well you prepare or how well you perform, you still end up as a sugar cookie. It’s just the way life is sometimes.

If you want to change the world, get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward.

5. Don’t be afraid of the circuses.

Every day during training, you were challenged with multiple physical events — long runs, long swims, obstacle courses, hours of calisthenics — something designed to test your mettle. Every event had standards — times you had to meet.

If you failed to meet those standards, your name was posted on a list, and at the end of the day, those on the list were invited to a “circus.” A circus was two hours of additional calisthenics designed to wear you down, to break your spirit, to force you to quit.

No one wanted a circus.

A circus meant that for that day, you didn’t measure up. A circus meant more fatigue, and more fatigue meant that the following day would be more difficult, and more circuses were likely. But at some time during SEAL training, everyone, everyone, made the circus list.

But an interesting thing happened to those who were constantly on the list. Over time those students — who did two hours of extra calisthenics — got stronger and stronger. The pain of the circuses built inner strength and physical resiliency.

Life is filled with circuses. You will fail. You will likely fail often. It will be painful. It will be discouraging. At times it will test you to your very core.

But if you want to change the world, don’t be afraid of the circuses.

6. If you want to change the world, sometimes you have to slide down the obstacle head first.

At least twice a week, the trainees were required to run the obstacle course. The obstacle course contained 25 obstacles, including a 10-foot high wall, a 30-foot cargo net, and a barbed wire crawl, to name a few.

But the most challenging obstacle was the slide for life. It had a three-level 30-foot tower at one end and a one-level tower at the other. In between was a 200-foot-long rope. You had to climb the three-tiered tower, and once at the top, you grabbed the rope, swung underneath the rope, and pulled yourself hand over hand until you got to the other end.

The record for the obstacle course had stood for years when my class began training in 1977. The record seemed unbeatable until one day; a student decided to go down the slide for life head first. Instead of swinging his body underneath the rope and inching his way down, he bravely mounted the TOP of the rope and thrust himself forward.

It was a dangerous move — seemingly foolish and fraught with risk. Failure could mean injury and being dropped from the course. Without hesitation, the student slid down the rope perilously fast. Instead of several minutes, it only took him half that time, and by the end of the course, he had broken the record.

If you want to change the world, sometimes you have to slide down the obstacle head first.

7. If you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks

During the land warfare phase of training, the students are flown out to San Clemente Island, which lies off the coast of San Diego. The waters off San Clemente are a breeding ground for the great white sharks.

To pass SEAL training, there are a series of long swims that must be completed. One is the night swim.

Before the swim, the instructors joyfully brief the trainees on all the species of sharks that inhabit the waters off San Clemente.

They assure you, however, that no student has ever been eaten by a shark — at least not that they can remember. But, you are also taught that if a shark begins to circle your position, stand your ground.

Do not swim away. Do not act afraid. And if the shark, hungry for a midnight snack, darts towards you, then summon up all your strength and punch him in the snout, and he will turn and swim away.

There are a lot of sharks in the world. If you hope to complete the swim, you will have to deal with them.

So, if you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks.

8. Be your very best in the darkest moments.

As Navy SEALs, one of our jobs is to conduct underwater attacks against enemy shipping. We practiced this technique extensively during training. The ship attack mission is where a pair of SEAL divers is dropped off outside an enemy harbor and then swims well over two miles — underwater — using nothing but a depth gauge and a compass to get to their target.

During the entire swim, even well below the surface, there is some light that comes through. It is comforting to know that there is open water above you. But as you approach the ship, which is tied to a pier, the light begins to fade. The steel structure of the ship blocks the moonlight, it blocks the surrounding street lamps, it blocks all ambient light.

To be successful in your mission, you have to swim under the ship and find the keel — the centerline and the deepest part of the ship. This is your objective. But the keel is also the darkest part of the ship — where you cannot see your hand in front of your face, where the noise from the ship’s machinery is deafening, and where it is easy to get disoriented and you can fail.

Every SEAL knows that under the keel, at the darkest moment of the mission, is the time when you must be calm when you must be composed — when all your tactical skills, your physical power, and all your inner strength must be brought to bear.

If you want to change the world, you must be your very best in the darkest moments.

9. Start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud

The ninth week of training is referred to as “Hell Week.” It is six days of no sleep, constant physical and mental harassment, and one special day at the Mud Flats. The Mud Flats are area between San Diego and Tijuana where the water runs off and creates the Tijuana slues, a swampy patch of terrain where the mud will engulf you.

It is on Wednesday of Hell Week that you paddle down to the mudflats and spend the next 15 hours trying to survive the freezing cold mud, the howling wind, and the incessant pressure to quit from the instructors. As the sun began to set that Wednesday evening, my training class, having committed some “egregious infraction of the rules,” was ordered into the mud.

The mud consumed each man till there was nothing visible but our heads. The instructors told us we could leave the mud if only five men would quit — just five men — and we could get out of the oppressive cold. Looking around the mudflat, it was apparent that some students were about to give up. It was still over eight hours till the sun came up — eight more hours of bone-chilling cold.

The chattering teeth and shivering moans of the trainees were so loud it was hard to hear anything. And then, one voice began to echo through the night, one voice raised in song. The song was terribly out of tune but sung with great enthusiasm. One voice became two, and two became three, and before long, everyone in the class was singing.

The instructors threatened us with more time in the mud if we kept up the singing, but the singing persisted. And somehow, the mud seemed a little warmer, the wind a little tamer, and the dawn not so far away.

If I have learned anything in my time traveling the world, it is the power of hope. The power of one person — Washington, Lincoln, King, Mandela, and even a young girl from Pakistan, Malala — one person can change the world by giving people hope.

So, if you want to change the world, start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud.

10. Don’t ever, ever ring the bell.

Finally, in SEAL training, there is a bell. A brass bell that hangs in the center of the compound for all the students to see. All you have to do to quit is ring the bell.

Ring the bell, and you no longer have to wake up at 5 o’clock. Ring the bell, and you no longer have to be in the freezing cold swims. Ring the bell, and you no longer have to do the runs, the obstacle course, the PT — and you no longer have to endure the hardships of training. All you have to do is ring the bell and be out.

If you want to change the world, don’t ever, ever ring the bell.

Why does Admiral McRaven say to make your bed?

He emphasizes making your bed first thing in the morning because by doing that, you have accomplished your first task of the day. Making your bed means; you have already won something even before you’ve begun. And even if your day ends up being not perfect, at the end of the day, you will come back home to a well-made bed to rest on.

Making your bed in the morning will give you a sense of pride and accomplishment and help you get through the day. Having accomplished your first task in the morning will give you the encouragement needed to accomplish the other tasks ahead of you, making it not just one task but a couple of others that followed.

When did Admiral McRaven make his speech?

Admiral McRaven, the ninth U.S. Special Operations Command, made his speech at the University of Texas commencement on May 17, 2014.

Final Words

The Admiral’s speech is the most memorable speech ever given due to the amount of wisdom and advice. It is an encouragement to everyone that making a change in the world doesn’t require much except for will and drive. Never giving up is a very great tool that he shares multiple times in his speech.

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Luke Ocean is a writer, self-proclaimed bio-hacker, wellness advocate and yoga expert. Luke grew up on a small ranch in Montana and enlisted in the Navy to study and become a cryptologist. He later graduated from the US Naval Academy with a Minor in Mandarin and a Bachelor's of Science for General Engineering and a Major of English Literature. Luke's interests and career span multiple industries and various disciplines.  Luke resides in San Antonio and is a Certified Yoga Instructor, a student of Zen Buddhism, practitioner of Holistic Psychology and has completed his CYT-200 and is studying for his 300-hour yoga teacher training.

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Make your bed : little things that can change your life ... and maybe the world

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Make Your Bed Speech: Summary and 5 Lessons

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One thing that every 2014 graduate of the University of Texas has in common is that they were able to witness one of the most empowering and inspirational commencement speeches of our time.

Given by former Navy SEAL, Admiral William H. McRaven, this inspiring 20-minute speech offers timeless lessons that anyone can apply to their own life to overcome challenges, be more successful, and change the world.

Table of Contents

What Did Admiral McRaven Say in His Famous Speech?

In his speech, McRaven recognizes that while every person may be different, all of our struggles as humans are similar to each other. So while listeners may not be able to relate specifically to Admiral McRaven’s career in the Navy, his message is universal.

McRaven starts by focusing on the schools motto, “What starts here changes the world.” The motto in itself relays the message that graduating from the University of Texas is just the beginning of what’s to come.

Students graduate with the knowledge they have gained from their professors and peers, but once they leave, they have to apply those lessons to the real world.

No matter what career path you have chosen, you are sure to face challenges. You may decide that some are too big to overcome or too complicated to deal with.

However, McRaven uses UT’s motto to call people to action. Don’t settle for how things are or how they have always been if they can be improved. Make an effort today to create a change in the world.

Throughout the rest of his speech, McRaven recounts his life as a Navy SEAL following his own graduation from the University of Texas and the ten most important lessons that he learned from his initial six months of basic training.

You can view the full speech here:

This speech touched so many people that it led to the publishing of McRaven’s #1 New York Times Best Seller, Make Your Bed .

Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World

But what insight did Admiral McRaven gain during his time in the Navy and how can those lessons be implemented into everyone else’s life?

In this article, I will delve into the five biggest lessons that you can take away from this commencement speech to help you change the world, and I will reveal what Admiral McRaven is really telling people when he says to make your bed .

Lesson #1: Make Your Bed Every Morning

Starting your day off by completing a task will initiate your momentum to do the next task, and then the next, and so on. It will give you a sense of accomplishment that you will want to continue to feel throughout the day.

If you can’t complete a small and mundane task each morning such as making your bed, you can’t expect yourself to be able to complete more complicated tasks moving forward.

If you end up having an unproductive or otherwise negligible day, you will still come home and be reminded that you completed that one task, which can instill hope that you will have a better or more productive day tomorrow.

In your life, the small task that jumpstarts your day may not literally be making your bed. But the point is to find one task that you can make into a habit that will slowly start to get to the root of a problem you’re facing or inch toward a goal for which you’re reaching.

As long as you accomplish this task every day, you will be starting off on the right foot. Set this task up as a routine, so no matter what, this one thing gets completed every day.

Make sure the task you choose is meaningful to you and your team. While tucking in sheets may not feel meaningful to you, as a Navy SEAL heading to bed after a long day of training, a neatly made bed would provide meaningful comfort and a sense of reward.

What task do you do every day that provides value when all is said and done? Identify a task that you derive a clear value from when you look back at your previous state.

Lesson #2: You Can’t Change the World Alone

In McRaven’s speech, he describes rafting through the tall waves of the sea at night with three rowers on each side of the boat and one guide at the bow.

Apply this idea of team work to your life. You will always work with people who have various talents, but you need a balance of skills and abilities in order to succeed. Like Admiral McRaven, you want to be able to balance out those who can work at a faster pace with those who take more time, but produce high-quality work.

In order to make a difference, you also need to have the support of friends, family, co-workers, and others who share your vision. You need a strong team of people behind you to help you along your way.

This means it is important to nurture as many relationships as you can throughout life to ultimately be successful and to always recognize the role that other people played in your triumphs.

In turn, be willing to help out others who are on your team. Don’t prevent other people from learning or growing by keeping a task to yourself. Instead, be a leader and help your team along by encouraging everyone to grow and preventing just one person from taking on the entire load.

Consider your strengths and the progress your team could make together if you shared your expertise with them.

Lesson #3: Perfection Doesn’t Exist

While in training, Admiral McRaven underwent uniform inspections by his instructors, which he (and his fellow students) would fail on every occasion, no matter how hard they tried to prepare for it.

The instructors would always find something wrong with the students’ efforts, which would result in them having to endure a grueling run into the water, fully clothed, and a roll through the sand before spending the rest of the day in their dirty uniform.

Those who couldn’t accept the fact that their labor went unappreciated were the ones who didn’t make it through training. They were trying to reach a level of perfection that doesn’t exist.

People who focus on perfection hold unattainable standards for themselves and are overly concerned with how others perceive them. They don’t see mistakes as being an opportunity for growth , but rather a sign of failure.

Because of this, perfectionists rarely realize their full potential. Admiral McRaven’s advice here is to get over your failures and move on.

Lesson #4: Don’t Be Afraid of the Challenges That You Face

Whether it is a failure of some sort, an obstacle that you have to overcome, or an unexpected turn of events, don’t be afraid to face the things that try to break you down on your path to success.

Realize that these hurdles are most often opportunities to gain strength and resilience, which will make success more likely in the end.

Everyone will face challenges at times that may even make you want to quit. However, recognizing your ability to fight through these tough times will help you advance past subsequent barriers as your strength continues to multiply.

Furthermore, prepare yourself for the possible challenges you may face by doing small things each day that will make challenges in the future seem less intimidating.

For example, if you have a personal goal of reducing expenses , how often are you taking the time to review your spending ? How are you preparing yourself to face an unexpected bill? You have to take little steps to help make any potential challenges more approachable, no matter what line of work you’re in.

Lesson #5: Be Your Best In Your Darkest Moments

One thing that is certain is that you will face dark moments during your life. You will experience the death of a loved one and other events that leave you questioning the future. It is often difficult to imagine your life improving during these testing times.

While you may feel like you’ve lost the hope of deriving joy from life again, it is during these most difficult times that you dig deep inside yourself and bring out your best self.

Moving forward despite your feelings of helplessness will give you the necessary chance to come out on the other side and begin your journey of healing.

During these times, focus on the things you have rather than the things that you need. Capitalize on your strengths to help you get through these dark moments and remember that you have more inner strength than you will probably ever realize.

Final Thoughts on the Make Your Bed Speech

While few people have first-hand experience enduring the infamously difficult training that is required to become a Navy SEAL, Admiral McRaven offers lessons in his commencement speech that are universally applicable.

Everyone can relate to his message that even if you work as hard as you possibly can, you will still face failure at times. The key to being successful and changing the world, however, is to keep getting back up.

You have a choice each time you fail to either quit or find a lesson from the failure and move on. In order to change the world, you have to never, ever give up .

And if you're looking for more small habits that can change your life forever that only take five minutes or less to complete, watch the video below:

Connie Mathers is a professional editor and freelance writer. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. When she is not writing, Connie is either spending time with her daughter and two dogs, running, or working at her full-time job as a social worker in Richmond, VA.

Finally, if you want to take your goal-setting efforts to the next level, check out this FREE printable worksheet and a step-by-step process that will help you set effective SMART goals .

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Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World Hardcover – April 4, 2017

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• Print length 144 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Grand Central Publishing
• Publication date April 4, 2017
• Dimensions 5.35 x 0.95 x 7.4 inches
• ISBN-10 1455570249
• ISBN-13 978-1455570249
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grand Central Publishing; 1st edition (April 4, 2017)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 144 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1455570249
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1455570249
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.35 x 0.95 x 7.4 inches
• #7 in Personal Transformation Self-Help
• #9 in Motivational Self-Help (Books)
• #12 in Success Self-Help

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About the authors

Admiral william h. mcraven.

Admiral William H. McRaven is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Make Your Bed and the New York Times bestsellers Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations and The Hero Code: Lessons Learned from Lives Well Lived. In his thirty-seven years as a Navy SEAL, he commanded at every level. As a Four-Star Admiral, his final assignment was as Commander of all U.S. Special Operations Forces. After retiring from the Navy, he served as the Chancellor of the University of Texas System from 2015 to 2018. He now lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, Georgeann.

William H. McRaven

Admiral William H. McRaven (U.S. Navy Retired) is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Make Your Bed and the New York Times bestseller Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations. In his thirty-seven years as a Navy SEAL, he commanded at every level. As a Four-Star Admiral, his final assignment was as Commander of all U.S. Special Operations Forces. After retiring from the Navy, he served as the Chancellor of the University of Texas System from 2015 to 2018. He now lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, Georgeann.

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The Best Inspirational Quotes from Make Your Bed by Admiral McRaven

Make Your Bed

by Admiral William H. McRaven

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"Make Your Bed" by William H. McRaven - 10 Lessons That Can Change Your Life

Making your bed may seem simple and almost insignificant, but the effect that it can have on your day is profound. Join William H. McRaven in exploring the 10 life lessons he took away from his experiences as a Navy seal and how it has impacted and transformed his life for the better!

Shruthi Nair

Read more posts by this author.

Starting your day by making your bed may seem like a straightforward task, but its significance extends far beyond its simplicity. In his book "Make Your Bed," former Navy SEAL William H. McRaven explains how this seemingly mundane act holds greater meaning and yields substantial rewards. Drawing from the advice he shared in a commencement address to college graduates, McRaven outlines ten life lessons he learned during his service as a SEAL.

Read on to find out more about the transformative lessons found within "Make Your Bed" and discover how these simple yet profound principles can empower us to face adversity, achieve our goals, and make a positive impact on the world around us.

What is the book "Make Your Bed" about?

In the book "Make Your Bed," Admiral William H. McRaven shares profound insights gained from his experiences as a Navy SEAL and imparts valuable lessons on success, resilience, and the power of everyday actions. Inspired by his powerful commencement speech delivered to the graduating class at the University of Texas at Austin, this book offers a roadmap for navigating life's challenges with purpose and determination. With each chapter, McRaven unveils essential principles that go beyond military training, resonating with individuals from all walks of life.

These lessons, while initially aimed at conquering the rigorous SEAL training, hold equal significance in navigating life's challenges, regardless of one's background or circumstances.

10 lessons from the book "Make Your Bed" That Can Change Your Life

1. start your day with a task completed..

Making your bed each morning sets a positive tone for the day and gives you a sense of accomplishment. McRaven emphasizes the significance of beginning each day by accomplishing a small task, such as making your bed. He highlights that this seemingly mundane act holds deeper meaning. By making your bed, you start your day with a sense of order, discipline, and accomplishment. It sets a positive tone, giving you a small but tangible victory that can serve as a foundation for productivity and motivation throughout the day. McRaven suggests that this simple task can have a ripple effect, inspiring you to tackle bigger challenges and approach them with a similar mindset of determination and attention to detail. The idea is to cultivate discipline and a proactive approach to tasks, no matter how small, which can contribute to personal growth, resilience, and success in various aspects of life.

If you need a place to create a task list that can guide your schedule for the day, consider using Journey to make your task lists conveniently. Create task lists the night before for the next day, and start off your morning by completing one thing on that list to set a positive tone for the day. Like McRaven mentions, making your bed can very well be the first thing you tick off on your to-d0 list for the day. Or it could be a simple task that you can complete in the morning hours of your day, and you can continue to go down the list as your schedule sees fit. Even if you're not at home for the first task of your day, you can access your to-do list from anywhere and any device of your choice on Journey!

2. You Can't Go At It Alone.

Success often requires the support and collaboration of others. McRaven talks about the importance of collaboration and seeking support from others in this section of his book. He highlights that success is often not achieved in isolation but through the collective efforts of a team. He encourages building strong relationships, fostering a sense of camaraderie, and recognizing the value of working together towards a common goal.

McRaven draws from his experience as a Navy SEAL, where teamwork is essential for mission success. He emphasizes that individuals should be willing to ask for help when needed and provide support to others when they require it. By acknowledging the significance of collaboration, McRaven underscores the idea that leaning on others can strengthen our own capabilities, amplify our achievements, and ultimately lead to greater success in life's endeavors. So, foster strong relationships and be willing to ask for help when needed.

3. Only the Size of Your Heart Matters.

When Admiral William H. McRaven talks about "Only the Size of Your Heart Matters" in his book "Make Your Bed," he emphasizes the importance of character, resilience, and compassion over external factors such as physical strength or abilities. McRaven suggests that true success and impact in life are determined by the size of one's heart, referring to qualities such as kindness, empathy, integrity, and perseverance.

He shares examples from his experience as a Navy SEAL, where individuals with a strong sense of purpose, determination, and compassion are better equipped to overcome challenges and make a positive difference. McRaven encourages readers to focus on developing their inner qualities and treating others with respect and empathy. By emphasizing the importance of a big heart, he reminds us that it is not physical attributes or external achievements that truly matter, but the depth of our character and the positive impact we can have on the world around us.

Remember, it's not about physical strength or abilities, but the size of your heart and your willingness to persevere and show compassion towards others.

4. Get Over Being a Sugar Cookie.

For this life lesson, McRaven refers to the idea of embracing failure and learning from it. In Navy SEAL training, there is a particularly challenging task called the "sugar cookie" where trainees are intentionally covered in sand and forced to continue their training. The term "sugar cookie" symbolizes the feeling of being uncomfortable, gritty, and coated with failure.

McRaven advises readers to overcome the fear of failure and not let setbacks define their journey. He encourages embracing failures as learning opportunities and using them to grow stronger and more resilient. McRaven suggests that everyone experiences setbacks in life, but it is how we respond to them that truly matters. By reframing failure as a chance for personal and professional growth, individuals can develop a mindset that welcomes challenges, persists in the face of adversity, and finds strength in the lessons learned from setbacks. Ultimately, "getting over being a sugar cookie" means accepting failure as a natural part of the journey and using it as fuel to continue pushing forward towards success.

Embrace failure and learn from it. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, things won't go as planned, but it's important to keep moving forward.

5. Don't Be Afraid of the Circus.

This life lesson encourages readers to embrace the challenges and difficult tasks in life and face them head-on with courage and a positive mindset.

McRaven encourages readers to embrace the challenges and difficult tasks that life presents. The "circus" symbolizes the chaotic and unpredictable nature of life, filled with unexpected obstacles, setbacks, and uncertainties.

He goes on to advise readers not to shy away from difficult situations or tasks that may seem daunting or overwhelming. Instead, he suggests facing them head-on with courage and a positive mindset. By confronting these challenges, individuals can develop resilience, problem-solving skills, and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. McRaven's message is that it is through overcoming challenges that we grow stronger and gain valuable experiences. By stepping into the "circus" and embracing its chaos, we can discover our inner strength and achieve personal and professional growth.

6. Slide Down the Obstacle Head First.

When Admiral William H. McRaven talks about "Slide Down the Obstacle Head First" in his book "Make Your Bed," he urges readers to take risks, embrace new experiences, and approach obstacles with a sense of boldness and determination. The metaphor of "sliding down the obstacle head first" signifies diving into challenges without hesitation, fully committing to them, and being willing to explore unconventional approaches.

McRaven encourages readers to step out of their comfort zones and venture into unfamiliar territory. He emphasizes the importance of taking calculated risks and not being afraid to try different strategies or take unconventional paths. By embracing this mindset, individuals can overcome fear, discover new possibilities, and tap into their full potential. McRaven's message is to be proactive, take initiative, and approach obstacles with a sense of adventure and willingness to explore uncharted territories. By sliding down the obstacle head first, we can navigate challenges with a bold spirit and open ourselves up to new opportunities for growth and success.

7. Don't Back Down from the Sharks.

For this life lesson, McRaven stresses importance of facing fears and standing up to intimidating challenges or individuals. In the context of his book, the term "sharks" represents the difficult situations or people that may try to intimidate or discourage us from pursuing our goals. McRaven encourages readers not to shy away from such challenges, but rather to confront them with courage, resilience, and unwavering determination. He suggests that by standing our ground and refusing to be intimidated, we can demonstrate strength and resilience. By facing the "sharks" head-on, we develop the confidence and fortitude necessary to overcome obstacles and achieve our objectives.

McRaven's message is to embrace courage in the face of adversity and not allow ourselves to be deterred by external pressures or naysayers. By refusing to back down from the "sharks," we can assert our capabilities, grow stronger, and ultimately achieve success in our endeavors.

Face your fears and confront the difficult situations or individuals that intimidate you. Stand your ground and show resilience.

8. Be Your Very Best in Your Darkest Moments.

McRaven talks about how resilience, determination, and maintaining a positive mindset even during the most challenging times shapes your experience for this life lesson. He suggests that our true character is revealed when we face adversity and confront our darkest moments. McRaven goes on to tell readers not to succumb to despair or negativity but to rise above difficult circumstances by displaying courage, integrity, and a commitment to doing our best. He highlights that it is during these dark moments that our actions and attitudes matter the most. By striving to be our very best, we can inspire ourselves and those around us, find strength within ourselves, and navigate through adversity with grace and perseverance.

McRaven's message is that our response to challenges and hardships defines our character and has the potential to shape our future. By choosing to be our very best in our darkest moments, we demonstrate resilience, inspire others, and pave the way for personal growth and success.

Your true character is revealed during times of adversity. Show strength, integrity, and courage when faced with tough situations!

9. Start Singing When You're Up to Your Neck in Mud.

When Admiral William H. McRaven talks about "Start Singing When You're Up to Your Neck in Mud", he explains the power of maintaining a positive attitude and finding joy even in the most challenging and difficult situations. The metaphorical image of being up to your neck in mud represents being caught in difficult circumstances or facing overwhelming obstacles.

McRaven suggests that instead of succumbing to despair or negativity, we should choose to maintain a hopeful and optimistic outlook. He encourages readers to find strength within themselves and face adversity with resilience and a sense of humor. By "starting singing" in the face of challenges, we symbolically embrace a positive mindset and refuse to let circumstances dampen our spirit.

He continues to explain that our attitude and perspective play a crucial role in how we navigate through tough times. By maintaining a positive outlook, finding joy amidst difficulties, and approaching challenges with a resilient and lighthearted spirit, we can inspire ourselves and others to persevere, maintain hope, and overcome obstacles with grace and determination.

10. Don't Ever, Ever Ring the Bell.

McRaven touches on the concept of perseverance and the importance of not giving up in the face of adversity. In Navy SEAL training, there is a brass bell that trainees can ring to signify their decision to quit and leave the program.

McRaven uses the metaphor of "ringing the bell" to represent giving in to challenges, surrendering to failure, or abandoning one's goals. He encourages readers to adopt a mindset of unwavering determination and to never give up, regardless of the difficulties encountered along the way. By refusing to ring the bell, individuals demonstrate their commitment to their dreams, their ability to overcome obstacles, and their willingness to push through discomfort and setbacks.

He talks about the need to persevere through hardships, maintain a strong resolve, and keep pushing forward towards success. He encourages readers to find inner strength, rely on their resilience, and refuse to let setbacks define their journey. By embracing the mindset of "Don't ever, ever ring the bell," individuals can achieve their goals, overcome challenges, and ultimately lead a fulfilling and successful life.

Never give up. Persevere through hardships, stay committed to your goals, and never surrender to adversity!

Admiral William H. McRaven's book "Make Your Bed" offers valuable life lessons that extend far beyond the realm of Navy SEAL training. Through his experiences and insightful anecdotes, McRaven inspires readers to adopt a mindset of resilience, determination, and unwavering commitment to their goals. From starting the day with a task completed to embracing failures as learning opportunities, from supporting and relying on others to finding strength in the face of adversity, each lesson serves as a powerful reminder of our own potential for personal growth and achievement.

By incorporating these principles into our lives, we can overcome obstacles, develop inner strength, and make a meaningful impact on the world around us. The lessons from "Make Your Bed" remind us that small actions, when approached with intention and purpose, can lead to significant and lasting change.

Internalize these lessons, apply them to our own journeys, and embark on a path of personal growth, achieve your goals, and make a positive difference in the world!

Make Your Bed by William McRaven | Book Summary

On May 17, 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven gave the “Make Your Bed” commencement speech at his alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin. He discussed the ten significant lessons he learned from his difficult Navy SEAL training.

Since then, he has encountered many people who wanted to know more. Thus, Admiral William McRaven was inspired to write the book, Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World , to detail the ten vital lessons:

Buy Make Your Bed on Amazon

Make Your Bed by William McRaven

Small Things That Can Change Your Life… And Maybe the World

These lessons helped Admiral William McRaven overcome SEAL training and found that they applied to overcome life’s challenges. Each chapter of Make Your Bed provides more context and stories for each lesson from the original speech.

Download the PDF Book Summary for Make Your Bed

Chapter 1 – start your day with a task completed.

“If you want to change the world…start off by making your bed.”

Every day during basic SEAL training, William McRaven would wake up and make his bed properly. It was not an opportunity for praise but was expected by the training instructors. Making the bed right was important as this habit showed discipline and attention to detail. Throughout his Naval career, William McRaven could count on making his bed consistently every day.

When you make your bed first thing correctly, you eat that frog and start your day off right with a small task completed. It shows you that the small wins matter and will encourage you to endure the work that you have ahead of you throughout the day. By the end of the day, you will have accomplished many tasks. And when you return to the made bed, you will be reminded of the importance of this small task.

Chapter 2 – You Can’t Go It Alone

“If you want to change the world…find someone to help you paddle.”

During SEAL training, the sailors are divided into boat crews of seven. The trainees have to work together to carry their raft on land or paddle it in the water to their destination. When someone often becomes sick or injured, the other teammates take on a greater share of the task. Like training, combat is so challenging that no one can endure it alone.

Later, William McRaven shares his story of a horrible parachute accident, which leaves him hospitalized for months. His boss helps him keep his career by finding a way to sidestep the required medical readiness evaluation. Throughout his career, William McRaven discusses the help received from those who had faith in him, saw his potential, and put their reputation on the line.

In life, you will deal with many obstacles and will need help to get over them. Thus, you build many strong relationships with friends, family, coworkers, mentors, etc. And always remember that your success depends on the help and guidance received from others along the way.

Chapter 3 – Only the Size of Your Heart Matters

“If you want to change the world…measure a person by the size of their heart.”

In Make Your Bed, William McRaven discussed that Navy “SEAL training was always about proving something. Proving that size didn’t matter. Proving that the color of your skin wasn’t important. Proving that money didn’t make you better. Proving that determination and grit were always more important than talent.”

A year before his training, William McRaven recounts visiting the basic SEAL training facility in Coronado. While talking with someone about SEAL training, he saw a thin, quiet, reserved man looking at photos. This sight clouded McRaven with judgment of feeling better, stronger, and more prepared for SEAL training than this man. However, he found out that the man was Tommy Norris, who was one of the most decorated and toughest SEALs ever.

Your will to succeed depends on how much heart you have. Nothing else matters, including your size, race, ethnicity, educational level, or social status.

Chapter 4 – Life’s Not Fair—Drive On!

“If you want to change the world…get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward.”

In SEAL training, one of the most painful punishments is being a sugar cookie. Instructors would punish trainees at whim, and they would have to get wet and then roll around in the sand. As many trainees strived for excellence, being punished was tough to accept, especially with no specific reason.

In Make Your Bed, William McRaven shares a story about Moki Martin, a SEAL instructor from his training days. Martin enjoyed long bike rides, but one day, he accidentally collided with another biker and was paralyzed from the waist down. Afterward, he did not complain and let his disability stop him. He drove on to live a full life.

“It is easy to blame your lot in life on some outside force, to stop trying because you believe fate is against you.” Sometimes, life’s not fair, and you will be a sugar cookie despite how much work you have done. Define yourself by how you overcome life’s unfairness. Do not complain or blame someone and move forward.

Chapter 5 – Failure Can Make You Stronger

“If you want to change the world… don’t be afraid of The Circus.”

One day during SEAL training, McRaven and his swim buddy finished last in a swim. Their punishment was enduring the Circus, which is an additional two hours of exercise that day. A Circus would cause more fatigue, making the next day harder with more Circuses likely to follow. Reoccurring Circuses forced many trainees to quit; however, McRaven and his buddy became much better swimmers and placed first in their final swim.

In July of 1983, William McRaven got fired from his squadron, leaving with a tarnished reputation. Fortunately, he was given another opportunity as the Officer in Charge of a SEAL platoon. McRaven used his previous failure as fuel to work hard and earn the respect of his men, which led him to succeed in the successive roles in his SEAL career.

In life, you will have failures and face Circuses. You will have to deal with the consequences, but you can overcome the failures. Your failures can educate, motivate, and strengthen you to be able to handle the difficult decisions to come.

Chapter 6 – You Must Dare Greatly

“If you want to change the world…slide down the obstacle headfirst.”

During SEAL training, the students had to run the obstacle course twice a week, with the most challenging obstacle being the “Slide for Life.” This step rope slide could be done either controllably slow by swinging underneath the rope or riskily fast by going headfirst on top. One day, William McRaven took the risk and went headfirst, finishing with a personal best time.

In Make Your Bed, William McRaven realized that risks were necessary to be a successful special operator. In 2004, William McRaven approved a risky hostage rescue mission that occurred during the day. The special forces team rescued the hostages, and the mission resulted in success.

Life will be difficult, and if you take risks, you may fail and deal with obstacles. You have to trust your abilities and overcome your fears to complete your work. Without daring greatly and getting out of your comfort zone, you will never achieve your full potential.

Chapter 7 – Stand Up to the Bullies

“If you want to change the world… don’t back down from the sharks.”

In SEAL training, students have to complete a four-mile night swim with the threat of many species of sharks. The instructors brief the trainees to deal with sharks by standing their grand and fighting them off if they try to attack. Since he wanted to be a SEAL so severely, William McRaven recalls that he gathered the courage to fight if necessary.

In Make Your Bed, William McRaven recounts his interactions with Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi president that was now a U.S. prisoner. Even as a prisoner, Hussein would instill fear in and intimidate. Iraqis that came to the room. However, McRaven felt that he had to stand up to Saddam and show him that he did not have power anymore.

Without clarity, other people will dictate your choices and path forward. Without courage, the bullies will take over and prey on the victims. Thus, you need to have a clear vision or goal for what you want to accomplish. Your vision will give you the courage to be a leader , overcome the obstacles, and stand up to the people in your way.

Chapter 8 – Rise to the Occasion

 “If you want to change the world…be your very best in the darkest moments.”

Towards the end of SEAL training, students have to swim underwater to a ship, plant a practice mine, and return to the beach without being detected. William McRaven recalls the instructors seeming as nervous as the trainees, because the dark, deafening sea significantly increased the risk of injury or death. In the darkest hour, the SEALs are trained to remain calm and maintain composure to complete their mission.

In Make Your Bed, William McRaven recounts the many sad moments of loss: “There is no darker moment in life than losing someone you love, and yet I watched time and again as families, as military units, as towns, as cities, and as a nation, how we came together to be our best during those tragic times.”

You will have dark moments in life, whether it is the death of a loved one or an intense tragedy. When these moments occur, you need to look deep within yourself and bring out your best. “You must rise above your fears, your doubts, and your fatigue. No matter how dark it gets, you must complete the mission. This is what separates you from everyone else.”

Chapter 9 – Give People Hope

“If you want to change the world…start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud.”

The most challenging week of SEAL training or Hell Week is six days of no sleep, physical exercise, and harassment. On Wednesday of Hell Week, trainees spend all day in the freezing cold mudflats, being pressured by the instructors to quit.

During McRaven’s Hell Week, the class sang together to inspire and give each other hope. Later, he recalls a story of General John Kelley, who comforted and gave hope to the families of the fallen troops in a horrific helicopter firefight.

Hope is very powerful as it can inspire people and nations to greatness. In life, you will deal with loss and tragedy. And you can be the one to give hope that tomorrow will be better to ease the pain to lift yourself and those around you.

Chapter 10 – Never, Ever Quit!

“If you want to change the world… don’t ever, ever ring the bell.”

SEAL training ends when you either complete it or quit by ringing the bell in the middle of the training compound. If you cannot endure the pain, harassment, and exercise, you can ring the bell, and it’s over. However, William McRaven never rang the bell and graduated.

In Make Your Bed, he states that this lesson of never quitting was the most important. Throughout his career, William McRaven would be inspired by individuals who would not give up. One story involves a severely injured soldier from a bomb blast who did not complain and eventually overcame the injuries.

You will have difficult moments in life; however, do not give up and trust the process . You can choose to fall prey to pity, discrimination, or sorrow. Or you can never give up on your dreams and yourself and overcome the obstacles.

“Remember… start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often. But if you take some risks, step up when times are toughest, face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden, and never, ever give up—if you do these things, then you can change your life for the better… and maybe the world!

In his book, Make Your Bed , Admiral William McRaven provides ten powerful lessons from his SEAL training that will help you change the world. It encourages readers to take on life’s challenges and be willing to do even small things that can have a big impact.

As McRaven poignantly writes, “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.” McRaven gives the readers a good dose of motivation to get out there and cultivate success within our lives.

His thought-provoking book calls us to action – so get a copy of Make Your Bed now! If you need more inspiration or motivation, check out our post on productivity quotes .

Dev is a strategist, productivity junkie, and the founder of the Process Hacker !

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Make Your Bed Summary

1-Sentence-Summary: Make Your Bed encourages you to pursue your goals and change the lives of others for the better by showing that success is a combination of individual willpower and mutual support.

Favorite quote from the author:

Table of Contents

Video Summary

Make your bed review, audio summary, who would i recommend the make your bed summary to.

In 2014 Admiral William H. McRaven gave the commencement address at the University of Texas at Austin. While encouraging the students to improve the world , he gave many life lessons that could be of help. He had learned most of them during his Navy SEAL training – 6 months of runs in the sand, obstacles courses, unending calisthenics and continuous harassment by veterans, who wanted only the strongest to get to the end of it. 

As a cadet, McRaven learned that success doesn’t depend on social status, race or religion. It’s not how good your parents were to you or which school you went to that determines your future. It’s a combination of the little actions and help from others that makes people successful.

The admiral’s speech went viral on Youtube and later became a book .

In Make Your Bed: Small things that can change your life… and maybe the world , McRaven stresses that life is unfair, as everybody knows. In fact, what defines great men and women is how they deal with life’s unfairness. People like Helen Keller, Nelson Mandela, Stephen Hawking are just a few examples.

Here are my 3 favorite lessons about leveraging self-discipline and teaming up for a meaningful life:

• Making your bed first thing in the morning can lead to many tasks completed by the end of the day.
• If you want to change the world, never ever ring the bell.
• Find someone to help you paddle if you want to make a real difference in the world.

Do you want to be prepared for life challenges? Let’s see what we can learn from a Navy veteran who has held impressive key roles inside and outside the military!

If you want to save this summary for later, download the free PDF and read it whenever you want.

Lesson 1: Making the bed can boost your productivity and even give you hope in the bad days.

As a US SEAL cadet, McRaven had to make his bed to perfection first thing after waking up.

If he failed to follow the bed-making code, he had to perform the sugar cookie ritual, which has nothing to do with treats, as you can imagine. It’s more about diving into the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean and then rolling around on the beach until you are covered with sand head to toe. But why is making your bed so important?

While it may seem trivial when big assignments are waiting for you outside, starting off with this small task makes you feel a little proud and ready to deal with the rest of your tasks. And if you have a miserable day, coming back to a bed made – by you – will make you feel tomorrow will be better.

After a serious injury, McRaven spent many months lying on a hospital bed that had been wheeled into his government quarters. When he was finally able to stand up unaided, the first thing he did was adjusting the bed. 

It was his way of showing that he was recovering and moving forward.

Lesson 2: If you want to make a difference in life, never give up, learn from failures and keep improving yourself.

During the SEAL training , McRaven and his fellows had to withstand uncountable challenges of strength and courage . Giving up at any time was very easy: they just had to ring a bell hanging in the center of the compound and they would be free, immediately.

Never ring the bell if you want to achieve big goals in life.

You may have heard of the Circus, another legendary punishment known to make many cadets quit the SEAL training. It’s two hours of additional calisthenics, paired with non-stop harassment by SEAL combat veterans.

During the training, McRaven was part of a swim team that constantly came in last place and had to face the Circus many times a week. At the moment of the graduation test though, they came in first: all those hours of calisthenics had made them stronger. 

Life is full of Circuses. You fail, you keep training yourself, you get stronger .

Once McRaven’s team had to swim 4 miles in the dark. Scary enough in itself, but that night there were even reports of big white sharks near the coast. Since it was the only way to complete the SEAL training, they swam anyway.

If you want to achieve your full potential in life, don’t let fear stops you.

Lesson 3: Life is a struggle. To accomplish great things you need to fight. But you can’t do it alone: you need teammates.

SEAL cadets also have to overcome Hell Week, 7 days of endurance tests when many of them call it quits.

During their Hell Week, McRaven and his fellows had to spend a whole night sitting, covered in cold mud. In the middle of the test, some of them seemed ready to give up . Then one man began to sing. One by one the others followed him. Suddenly the mud felt less cold and the dawn closer.

Sometimes life gets very hard: the loss of someone you love, a disease or something you are not prepared for may crush your spirit. These are the moments when you need to dig inside yourself and bring out all your strength . But you also need the help of your friends and family.

Years ago the author was badly wounded in a parachute accident and he had to go through months of recovery and rehabilitation. He’s sure he would have surrendered to self-pity and depression if his wife hadn’t been there to support him.

In McRaven’s view, life is like a small rubber boat: you cannot paddle it alone. It takes a team of good people to get you where you want to go. So, as he says,

“Find someone to share your life with. Never forget that your success depends on others.”

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Clara is a SEO content strategist, writer, and proofreader from Sardinia, Italy. She is a cofounder, head of content, and COO of Botteega, a delivery service for local goods from high-quality shops and farmers. Clara wrote a total of 16 summaries for us. When she's not working on her own or her client's blogs, she teaches and does yoga. My favorite project of hers is Come L'Acqua — "Like Water" — a personal growth and mindfulness blog (in Italian).

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Book notes: Make Your Bed by William McRaven

Make Your Bed by William McRaven book summary review and key ideas.

Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…and Maybe the World by William H. McRaven

“On May 21, 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven addressed the graduating class of the University of Texas at Austin on their Commencement day. Taking inspiration from the university’s slogan, “What starts here changes the world,” he shared the 10 principles he learned during Navy Seal training that helped him overcome challenges not only in his training and long Naval career, but also throughout his life; and he explained how anyone can use these basic lessons to change themselves – and the world – for the better.

Admiral McRaven’s original speech went viral with over 10 million views. Building on the core tenets laid out in his speech, McRaven now recounts tales from his own life and from those of people he encountered during his military service who dealt with hardship and made tough decisions with determination, compassion, honor, and courage. Told with great humility and optimism, this timeless book provides simple wisdom, practical advice, and words of encouragement that will inspire listeners to achieve  more , even in life’s darkest moments.” -Audible

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Opening thoughts:

I think I first heard of this book from one of the guests of Tim Ferriss’ podcast. I’ve been putting it off because it’s such a short listen, but I chose it for this month because I needed to choose short books. If I didn’t, I probably wouldn’t finish on time and be behind my monthly reading schedule.

Reader’s note : I bet the main idea of the book, based on the title and sub- title is how the little things add up to the big things, and maybe that how you start your day has a cascading domino effect on the rest of your day and probably life. 

Chapter 1: Start Your Day with a Task Completed

If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed

• Making his bed was a reminder that at the end of the day he had done something well , something to be proud of no matter how small the task

Reader’s note : He mentions that making your bed also shows to everyone else that your world is in order , at least internally. Examples of working in the sick bay to give patients confidence in them, or after his injury to show others he conquered it in the hospital.

Chapter 2: You Can’t Go It Alone

• If you want to change the world, find someone to help you paddle
• You need people in life to help you through the difficult times
• He realized that anything he achieved in life was a result of others helping him along the way
• You cannot paddle the boat alone
• Find someone to share your life with
• Make as many friends as possible
• Never forget that your success depends on others

Chapter 3: Only the Size of Your Heart Matters

If you want to change the world, measure a person by the size of their heart.

• Seal training was always about proving something
• Proving that size didn’t matter, that the color of your skin wasn’t important, that money didn’t make you better, that determination and grit were always more important than talent

Reader’s note : such a great story about this frail, humble looking man being lieutenant Tom Norris who was a Vietnam vet and Medal of Honor recipient.

Chapter 4: Life’s Not Fair. Drive On.

• If you want to change the world, get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward
• The common people and the great men and women are all defined by how they deal with life’s unfairness

Chapter 5: Failure Can Make You Stronger

• If you want to change the world, don’t be afraid of the circuses
• It made him and his buddy Mark gradually improve their performance above the rest of the class
• They went from being last to being first in the pack
• But if you persevere, if you’ll let those failures teach you and strengthen you , then you’ll be prepared to handle life’s toughest moments

Chapter 6: You Must Dare Greatly

If you want to change the world, slide down the obstacle headfirst

• Those who live in fear of failure, hardship, or embarrassment will never achieve their potential
• Without pushing your limits , without daring greatly , you will never know what is truly possible in your life

Chapter 7: Stand Up to the Bullies

If you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks

Chapter 8: Rise to the Occasion

If you want to change the world, be your very best in the darkest moments

Chapter 9: Give People Hope

• If you want to change the world, start singing when you are up to your neck in mud
• He learned of the power of one person to lead and inspire a group , to give them hope

Chapter 10: Never Ever Quit

If you want to change the world, don’t ever, ever ring the bell

• In SEAL training, the drill instructor told everyone that if they quit, they will regret it for the rest of their lives
• If you fill your days with pity, blaming your circumstances on someone or something else, then life will be long and hard
• If, on the other hand, you refuse to give up on your dreams, stand tall and strong against the odds, then life will be what you make of it
• You can make it great

Themes / Main ideas:

• Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things matter
• If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right
• Nothing mattered but your will to succeed
• If you want to change the world, measure a person by the size of their heart , not the size of their flippers
• The pain of the circuses built inner strength and physical resilience
• If you want to change the world, sometimes you have to slide down the obstacle headfirst
• If you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks 
• If you want to change the world, you must be your very best in the darkest moment
• If you want to change the world, don’t ever, ever ring the bell

If you want to change the world:

• Start each day with a task completed
• Find someone to help you through life
• Respect everyone
• Know that life is not fair
• You will fail often
• Take some risks
• Step up when the times are toughest
• Facedown the bullies
• Lift up the downtrodden
• Never, ever give up
• The next generations that follow will live in a world far better than the one today

Closing thoughts:

I absolutely loved this book. Such a short and concise book, but very powerful and profound principles. I also loved that it weaved these principles both into stories during his SEAL training, but also as a commanding officer in the U.S. Navy.

My criteria for great books are usually:

• Solid/valuable principles
• Woven into a story or narrative
• Actionable for the reader
• Little to no “fluff”

This book checked all of the boxes for a great book in my opinion.

A couple of other books written by military people that I highly recommend if you enjoyed this book:

• Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
• Tribe by Sebastian Junger

10 principles to adopt if you want to change the world given by retired U.S. Navy SEAL Admiral.

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8 thoughts on “book notes: make your bed by william mcraven”.

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Analyze the following quote from chapter 7, “Without courage, others will define your path forward…Without it, you are at the mercy of life’s temptations. Without courage, no great society can flourish.” a. What does this quote mean to you?

b. Give an example in U.S. or world history of when courage helped strengthen a nation.

c. Give an example in U.S. or world history of when a lack of courage destroyed a nation.

Provide textual evidence that people still feared Saddam Hussein even after he was behind bars (jailed).

How does McRaven compare sharks to bullies?

ACTION STEP: Describe a time in your life when you were either courageous or lacked courage when faced with a bully.

What can you learn from that experience that can help you make positive changes this week?

What can you learn from that experience that can help you make positive changes this week? Help pls

Summary of chapter 7 and 8 ASAP

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Sam Thomas Davies

Make Your Bed by William H. McRaven

Hardcover | Audiobook  |  Get My Searchable Collection of 100+ Book Notes

Rating: 3/5

The Book in Three Sentences

• Make Your Bed is based on Admiral William H. McRaven’s commencement speech for the graduating class from the University of Texas at Austin.
• In it, McRaven shares the ten lessons he learned from Navy SEAL training.
• They are simple lessons that deal with overcoming the trials of SEAL training, but the ten lessons are equally important in dealing with the challenges of life—no matter who you are.

Want a Free Copy of My Summary?

Make your bed summary.

• Start your day with a task completed
• You can’t go at it alone
• Only the size of your heart matters
• Life’s not fair—drive on!
• Failure can make you stronger
• You must dare greatly
• Stand up to the bullies
• Rise to the occasion
• Give people hope
• Never, ever quit!

If you want to change the world … start off by making your bed.

Nothing can replace the strength and comfort of one’s faith, but sometimes the simple act of making your bed can give you the lift you need to start your day and provide you the satisfaction to end it right.

If you want to change the world … find someone to help you paddle.

You cannot paddle the boat alone. Find someone to share your life with. Make as many friends as possible, and never forget that your success depends on others.

If you want to change the world … measure a person by the size of their heart.

If you want to change the world … get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward. (If a Navy SEAL fails to follow basic requirements (such as making their bed perfectly), they’re instructed to roll around on the beach until they’re covered head to toe with wet sand—referred to as a “sugar cookie”).

The common people and the great men and women are all defined by how they deal with life’s unfairness:

Sometimes no matter how hard you try, no matter how good you are, you still end up as a sugar cookie. Don’t complain. Don’t blame it on your misfortune. Stand tall, look to the future, and drive on!

If you want to change the world … don’t be afraid of The Circus. (In Navy SEAL training, “The Circus” is another two hours of additional calisthenics, combined with non-stop harassment by SEAL combat veterans who want only the strong to survive the training.)

In life, you will face a lot of Circuses. You will pay for your failures. But, if you persevere, if you let those failures teach you and strengthen you, then you will be prepared to handle life’s toughest moments.

True leaders must learn from their failures, use the lessons to motivate themselves, and not be afraid to try again or make the next tough decision.

If you want to change the world … slide down the obstacle head first.

Life is a struggle and the potential for failure is ever present, but those who live in fear of failure, or hardship, or embarrassment will never achieve their potential. Without pushing your limits, without occasionally sliding down the rope headfirst, without daring greatly, you will never know what is truly possible in your life.

If you want to change the world … don’t back down from the sharks.

In life, to achieve your goals, to complete the night swim, you will have to be men and women of great courage. That courage is within all of us. Dig deep, and you will find it in abundance.

If you want to change the world … be your very best in the darkest moments.

Advice from one of McRaven’s chief petty officers: “Tonight, you will have to be your very best. You must rise above your fears, your doubts, and your fatigue. No matter how dark it gets, you must complete the mission. This is what separates you from everyone else.”

At some point, we will all confront a dark moment in life. If not the passing of a loved one, then something else that crushes your spirit and leaves you wondering about your future. In that dark moment, reach deep inside yourself and be your very best.

If you want to change the world … start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud.

We will all find ourselves neck deep in mud someday. That is the time to sing loudly, to smile broadly, to lift up those around you and give them hope that tomorrow will be a better day.

If you want to change the world … don’t ever, ever ring the bell.

Of all the lessons McRaven learned in SEAL training, this was the most important. Never quit. It doesn’t sound particularly profound, but life constantly puts you in situations where quitting seems so much easier than continuing on. Where the odds are so stacked against you that giving up seems the rational thing to do.

Life is full of difficult times. But someone out there always has it worse than you do. If you fill your days with pity, sorrowful for the way you have been treated, bemoaning your lot in life, blaming your circumstances on someone or something else, then life will be long and hard. If, on the other hand, you refuse to give up on your dreams, stand tall and strong against the odds—then life will be what you make of it—and you can make it great. Never, ever, ring the bell!

Recommended Reading

If you like Make Your Bed , you may also enjoy the following books:

• The 7 Habits of Highly-Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
• Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
• The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday

Buy The Book: Make Your Bed

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