Make Your Bed PDF Summary - William H. McRaven | 12 minutes blog (2023)

6 minutes reading ⌚

Small things that can change your life... and maybe the world

you want to change the world

Start by making your bed.

Don't you believe us?

So let's rephrase that in the words of a decorated admiral of the US Navy:

„make your bed!”

Who Should Read Make Your Bed? It's because?

In "Make Your Bed," Admiral William H. McRaven shares the 10 most valuable life lessons he learned while serving in the US military.

As he says, they are universally understood and applicable, so it doesn't matter who you are or whether you like the military or not.

"World change can happen anywhere," emphasizes McRaven, "and anyone can do it."

About William H. McRaven

William H. McRavenis a retired admiral in the US Navy.

Most recently, he served as Commander of United States Special Operations Command (2011-2014), a position he received after three years as Commander of Joint Special Operations Command (2008-2011).

Em 1995,„special operations,”the first of two books he has written so far has been published.

In 2012, he was portrayed by Christopher Stanley in the Oscar-winning film about the hunt for Osama bin Laden: "Zero Dark Thirty' and appeared a year later than himself in the documentary 'dirty wars.“

"Make Your Bed PDF Summary"

William H. McRaven graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1977 and is a decorated admiral in the United States Navy.

How are these things related to each other or to this book?

Well, McRaven retired from the Navy on August 28, 2014 - after more than 37 years of service.

About three months earlier, as commander of the United States Special Operations Command, he addressed the Class of 2014 at the University of Texas at Austin.

The inaugural speech went viral and was viewed more than 10 million times in different versions.

We've linked it below.

But before you watch it, we feel obligated to add a "spoiler alert" tag: That's pretty much this book in 20 minutes minus some anecdotes and stories:

As you may have heard (if you decided to watch McRaven's speech before reading this summary), Admiral McRaven was inspired by his alma mater's slogan to share the 10 most valuable lessons he learned as part of the US -Military has learned: "what starts here changes the world.“

The question is - he adds after pointing this out - what the world will be like after it has changed.

To embellish it (which he seems to be beginning to do) he makes ten (again: general) suggestions which, somewhat chiseled and polished, make up the headings of the ten chapters. your book.

So here they are, "the 10 lessons [McRaven] learned from SEAL undergraduate training that we hope will be valuable to you as you move forward in life."

Key Lessons from Make Your Bed

1. Start your day with a completed task
2. You can't do it alone
3. Only the size of your heart matters
4. Life isn't fair - keep going!
5. Failure can make you stronger
6. You have to dare a lot
7. Stand up to bullies
8. Rise to the occasion
9. Give people hope
10. Never, ever give up

#1. Start your day with a completed task

One of the first things you'll learn if you're going to enroll in basic US SEAL training is – how to make the bed properly.

And that's lesson #1: Always start your day by making your bed.

How will this change the world you ask?

Well actually it's not important to make the bed; It's the discipline you put into it and, more importantly, the fact that you start your day on a good note when you make your bed:alreadywith completed task.

The Bonus: No matter how bad the rest of the day gets, you always come home with a made bed.

#two. You cannot do this alone

Even a superhero has a buddy - and you need a lot of them. To use McRaven's example:if you want to drive a faster boat, you need to find people to paddle with you.

And when you suffer a near-fatal parachute accident, you need a partner to help you through the pain and depression (yes, McRaven really did):

None of us are immune to life's tragic moments... It takes a good team of people to achieve your goal in life. You cannot row 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.

#3. Only the size of your heart matters

"Life's battles don't always go to the strongest or fastest man"wrote a rather obscure poet sometime in the early 1920s^ºcentury; "but sooner or later wins / is the one who thinks he can!"

McRaven has basically the same advice: The best crew during his Navy upbringing was actually the one most joked about because of the size of their members' fins.

But it's not the size of the blades that counts; it is as big as a heart.passion and perseverance.

So please don't judge a book by its cover. Judge it by its content.

#4. Life isn't fair - move on!

"The universe,"writes Neil deGrasse Tyson, "is not required to make sense to you".

In other words, there's a high probability that life doesn't treat you fairly.

But it's easy and wrong to attribute your happiness to an outside force. The right thing is to learn to accept and overcome injustice.

"Ordinary people and great men and women," McRaven concludes, "are all defined by how they deal with life's injustices."

#5. Failure can make you stronger

During his Navy SEAL training, McRaven was part of a swim team that consistently finished last.

your punishment?

So the circus, an endurance test that made many cadets give up.

In McRaven's case, however, failing to win the swim tests only made him stronger: he was part of the winning team at the closing event.

So keep calm – andfail ahead.

#6. You must be very brave

Don't be afraid to take risks:

Life is a struggle and the potential for failure is ever present, but those who live in fear of failure, hardship or embarrassment will never reach their potential. Without pushing your limits, without falling head over heels into the rope every now and then, without daring yourself too much, you never know what's really possible in your life.

(Video) Admiral McRaven Leaves the Audience SPEECHLESS | One of the Best Motivational Speeches

#7. before the bullies

As part of their training, McRaven and his teammate were ordered to swim four miles through potentially shark-infested waters. Refusing the assignment meant not completing SEAL training.

So, as scared as they were, they didn't.

The lesson?

On your way to greatness you will meet many sharks - whether bullies or personal fears.

confront her.

#8th. grab the moment by the forelock

Sometimes losing a loved one is inevitable.

Unfortunately, no amount of yelling and yelling, no sulking or depression is going to change that.

As a soldier, McRaven learned this the hard way.

What remains isFace the challenge and resist.

#9. give people hope

Sometimes a slap on the shoulder is enough.

Or a song.

For example, during McRaven's Hell Week (the dreaded seven-day test of making or breaking a SEAL), one of the guys was about to give up when another started belting out a song.

Soon everyone joined in.

And even though it was after midnight and everyone was covered in cold mud, somehow they felt a little more hopeful.

And they persevered!

#10. Never give up

Do not give up!

If a Navy SEAL who's lost both legs can find meaning in life, surely you can too, no matter how bad your day is.

No matter what happens, it's your job to beuninterrupted.

Did you like this summary?We would like to invite you to download our free one12 minutes approx, for more amazing summaries and audiobooks.

"Create offers for your bed"

Our critical review

While certainly not groundbreaking (far from it), Make Your Bed is every bit as inspirational as William McRaven's brilliant inaugural address.

Meaning: It's one of those books you just can't buy just one copy of.

Take our word for it: we gave away at least six of these.

And if we had met you in person, we probably would have given you gifts too.