Hi there! in this book, Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe Even the World, McRaven expands on his graduation speech, sharing stories from his own life and the lives of others who have made an impact by doing simple things.
In his commencement speech at the University of Texas in 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven delivered a powerful message that has resonated with millions of people around the world. His advice? “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.”
Make Your Bed is divided into four parts. The first part is about the benefits of making your bed. The second part is about how to make your bed. The third part is about cleaning your room. The fourth part is about living a more organized and productive life.
Make Your Bed Book Summary
So, lets go to the summary of the book Make Your Bed by Admiral William he spoke about how these ten essential lessons helped him overcome challenges during his naval career and throughout his life; he explained how anyone can use these basic lessons to change themselves and the world, for the better.
CHAPTER ONE: Start Your Day with a Task Completed
If you want to change the world… start off by making your bed.
They all understood that life is hard and that sometimes there is little you can do to affect the outcome of your day. In battle soldiers die, families grieve, your days are long and filled with anxious moments.
You search for something that can give you solace, that can motivate you to begin your day, that can be a sense of pride in an oftentimes ugly world. But it is not just combat. It is daily life that needs this same sense of structure.
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 your life and maybe the world—start off by making your bed!
CHAPTER TWO: You Can’t Go It Alone
If you want to change the world… find someone to help you paddle.
I learned early on in SEAL training the value of teamwork, the need to rely on someone else to help you through the difficult tasks. For those of us who were “tadpoles” hoping to become Navy frogmen, a ten-foot rubber raft was used to teach us this vital lesson.
None of us are immune from life’s tragic moments. Like the small rubber boat we had in basic SEAL training, it takes a team of good people to get you to your destination in life. 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.
CHAPTER THREE: 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. Proving that the colour 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. I was fortunate to learn that lesson a year before training began.
In 1969, Tommy Norris was almost booted out of SEAL training. They said he was too small, too thin, and not strong enough. But much like the young sailor in my class, Norris proved them all wrong and once again showed that it’s not the size of your flippers that count, just the size of your heart.
CHAPTER FOUR: Life’s Not Fair—Drive On!
If you want to change the world…
get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving
forward.
It is easy to blame your lot in life on some outside force, to stop trying because you believe fate is against you. It is easy to think that where you were raised, how your parents treated you, or what school you went to is all that determines your future. Nothing could be further from the truth. The common people and the great men and women are all defined by how they deal with life’s unfairness: Helen Keller, Nelson Mandela, Stephen Hawking, Malala Yousafzai, and—Moki Martin.
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!
CHAPTER FIVE: Failure Can Make You Stronger
If you want to change the world… don’t be afraid of The Circus.
I realized that the past failures had strengthened me, taught me that no one is immune from mistakes. 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. You can’t avoid The Circus. At some point we all make the list. Don’t be afraid of The Circus
CHAPTER SIX: You Must Dare Greatly
If you want to change the world… slide down the obstacle headfirst
Throughout my career, I always had great respect for the British Special Air Service, the famed SAS. The SAS motto was “Who Dares Wins.” The motto was so widely admired that even moments before the bin Laden raid, my Command Sergeant Major, Chris Faris, quoted it to the SEALs preparing for the mission. To me the motto was more than about how the British special forces operated as a unit; it was about how each of us should approach our lives.
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.
CHAPTER SEVEN: Stand Up to the Bullies
If you want to change the world… don’t back down from the sharks.
Bullies are all the same; whether they are in the school yard, in the workplace, or ruling a country through terror. They thrive on fear and intimidation. Bullies gain their strength through the timid and faint of heart. They are like sharks that sense fear in the water.
They will circle to see if their prey is struggling. They will probe to see if their victim is weak. If you don’t find the courage to stand your ground, they will strike. In life, to achieve your goals, to complete the night swim, you will have to be a man and woman of great courage. That courage is within all of us. Dig deep, and you will find it in abundance.
CHAPTER EIGHT: Rise to the Occasion
If you want to change the world… be your very best in the darkest moments.
When a CV-22 aircraft crashed in Afghanistan, killing the pilot and several crewmen, the airmen from the same unit came together, paid their respects, and flew the next day—knowing that their fallen brothers would want them in the air, continuing the mission.
When a helicopter crash took the lives of twenty-five special operators and six National Guard soldiers, the entire nation mourned but also took incredible pride in the courage, patriotism, and valour of the fallen warriors.
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.
CHAPTER NINE: Give People Hope
If you want to change the world… start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud.
Hope is the most powerful force in the universe. With hope you can inspire nations to greatness. With hope you can raise up the downtrodden. With hope you can ease the pain of unbearable loss. Sometimes all it takes is one person to make a difference. 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.
CHAPTER TEN: Never, Ever Quit!
If you want to change the world… don’t ever, ever ring the bell
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!
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!
