make your bed speech discussion questions

10 Thought-Provoking Make Your Bed Book Club Discussion Questions and Tips

1、introduction to "make your bed" and its impact on leadership and life, make your bed by admiral william h. mcraven, admiral william h. mcraven, 2、exploring the core themes of discipline and change in "make your bed", 3、how admiral mcraven’s personal experiences enhance the book’s messages, 4、delving into the significance of making your bed every morning, 5、the role of optimism and hope in overcoming adversity: insights from the book, 6、discussion on the influence of teamwork and building trust according to "make your bed", 7、analyzing the call to confront fear and failure with courage, 8、the importance of making a difference in the lives of others: key takeaways from "make your bed", 9、reflecting on the overall life lessons and their applicability to personal growth, 10、conclusion: the lasting impact of "make your bed" on our everyday lives.

Make Your Bed Speech: Summary and 5 Lessons

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 .

Book Club #19: William H. McRaven’s Make Your Bed

In what has now become a viral commencement speech video , Admiral William H. McRaven addressed the graduating class of the University of Texas at Austin. He took “inspiration from the university’s slogan, “What starts here changes the world,” he shared the ten 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”. His speech was shared widely and enthusiastically because his advice could be applied so widely.

The popularity of his speech led to Penguin asking him to write a short guide based on those ten lessons. It’s called Make Your Bed . This is a review of that book.

It’s a short read, so this is going to a fittingly short review.

My alternative cover design for Make Your Bed. I really love how classy and minimal the original cover is with its black and gold accents, so I wanted to challenge myself to do something really different.

I’m a sucker for a commencement speech. My thesis adviser found this out much to his dismay. But I am. If you ever need a 10-20 minute boost to reset your day, week or month they’re usually wonderful sources of motivation. I think McRaven’s speech was recommended to me by someone on the internet (sorry I can’t remember who), and it really resonated with me. So, when I heard about his book a little while later via Ropes of Holland’s Reset Series , I knew I had to pick up a copy.

I read it in one sitting, in the bath, while on a solo holiday. It managed to reset my thinking in about 45 minutes, and I’ve dipped back into it a few times since.

The book itself is pretty simple, and I mean that in a good way. It features ten lessons McRaven has learned in his 37 years as a decorated Navy SEAL. That might put some of you off. I definitely wouldn’t naturally grab for a book by an Admiral. What would we have in common? McRaven’s job and training have put him through some of the toughest physical and mental challenges so he has a very tangible example for every lesson he shares. But you never feel like you’re reading a military guide book. I’m never going to go through BUDS training, but I could take something away from almost all of the advice he gives.

His lessons cover everything from the impact of making your bed, as the title suggests, to never going it alone and standing up to bullies. There’s something in there to help you solve whatever problem you’re trying to solve, big or small. Each chapter is discrete so you can easily dip in and out, or read it in one sitting as I did as the book in its entirety is just 129 (small) pages.

If you want a pick me up, a kick up the bum, or just a reminder that the little things can make a big difference you could do a lot worse than giving this one a read.

SOME QUESTIONS TO PONDER AS YOU READ

• What impact does McRaven’s title and 37 years as a Navy SEAL have on how you perceive his advice?
• Did you make your bed today? What effect did that have on your day?
• Which lesson do you think will have the most impact on your life?
• Do you feel there’s additional value in reading McRaven’s full advice over just reading/watching his speech which is included at the back of the book?

IF YOU WANT SOME FURTHER READING TRY…

• I’m kicking things off with a Guardian review . What?! Shock horror I know.
• In more of a change, I’m including my first booktube review as part of book club. This review from Brittany Reads really gets into the book even though it’s only 6 minutes long.
• Last but not least, watch the commencement speech that started everything .

IF YOU WANT MORE BOOKS LIKE THIS HAVE A LOOK AT…

• David Foster Wallace’s This is Water
• Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up
• Sarah Knight’s The Life Changing Magic of Not Giving a Fuck
• Jen Sincero’s You are a Badass

Make Your Bed

30 pages • 1 hour read

Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...and Maybe the World

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-2

Chapters 3-4

Chapters 5-6

Chapters 7-8

Chapters 9-10

Key Figures

Index of Terms

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Summary and Study Guide

Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…and Maybe the World  is a work of self-help psychology by Admiral William H. McRaven. The book is a continuation and expansion of a commencement speech McRaven delivered at the University of Texas at Austin in 2014, which went viral on the internet. Formerly a high-ranking officer of the US Navy and Commander of US Special Operations Command, McRaven relates his experiences in Navy SEAL training to the challenges of living a good life in everyday circumstances. The book consists of 10 aphoristic lessons that McRaven contends apply to people in all walks of life. The Epilogue contains the actual speech delivered at the University of Texas commencement ceremonies, which the rest of the book elaborates on.

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McRaven begins his book with an aphorism about starting small, or “making your bed,” to change the world. His rationale is that though spirituality and faith can endow individuals with resilience and peace, simple actions like making your bed form a kind of praxis that cumulatively contributes to human flourishing. The simple habit of making one’s bed as a planned and successful activity sets the day off on the right path, cultivating a mindset of positivity and order that carries over into the rest of one’s life. McRaven then analogizes life to a body of water that we must traverse and tells his readers to find a partner to help paddle. You can have one or even multiple life partners, romantic or not; it is only important to remember that success is contingent on interlocking social networks.

McRaven’s third aphorism turns to the treatment of others; he suggests that the only productive way to evaluate someone is by their compassion. In his fourth aphorism, McRaven tells readers to toughen up and persevere even when pressure mounts or situations seem hopeless. He bluntly terms people who give up “sugar cookies” and explains that during Navy SEAL training, cadets who ignore basic commands or forget their duties are told to roll in sand until it covers their entire body, like a sugar cookie. McRaven qualifies his assessment, conceding that some people remain sugar cookies despite hard work. Still, he argues that one of the best lessons you can learn is that life isn’t fair, and it’s how you respond to life that truly counts. He insists that the only way to face the future is to not blame our situations on other people, instead constantly aspiring to push through the failures and setbacks that inevitably come with life.

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McRaven brings up other examples of punitive Navy experiences, including the “Circus,” which consists of several hours of calisthenics, during which SEAL veterans harass cadets. He states that Circuses are everywhere in adult life, but are always possible to get through. He also advocates for extreme risk-taking. In his view, since struggle and suffering are inevitable, developing a mindset of fear in response to obstacles only closes off opportunities for learning to surmount them. Moreover, taking risks is the only workable strategy for coming to know the limits of the self. McRaven writes that everyone has a huge wealth of innate courage that just needs to be coaxed out.

Next, McRaven reiterates advice he originally received from his chief petty officer. One evening before a difficult task, the officer told his recruits to be their best and to overcome their psychological doubt, fear, and exhaustion, crediting the ability to do so with allowing people to succeed on difficult missions. McRaven states that thinking of every challenge as an obstacle that can be overcome is useful even in dark moments, such as following the death of a family member.

McRaven’s final exhortation is never to quit. He employs the analogy of “ringing the bell,” which, during Navy SEAL training, signals that a cadet is too exhausted to complete a mission. McRaven contends that life is all about rejecting the bell and pressing onward through situations that seem too daunting. Even when ringing the bell seems the rational choice, self-improvement requires rejecting the “end” of existential challenge.

McRaven’s book, while presented in the context of military training, is focused on the general art of living. Since most things in life are beyond and outside our control, what matters is knowing what we truly have power over and how we conduct ourselves as we travel through the vicissitudes of life. In a way, daily life is a kind of combat against the forces that continuously push up against our desires; success will come if we handle them in an appropriate way.

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By Admiral William H. McRaven

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Make Your Bed Summary and Key Lessons

“Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World” is a book by Admiral William H. McRaven, based on a commencement speech he gave at the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. 

The book expands on the core message of that speech, presenting profound principles McRaven learned during his training and service as a U.S. Navy SEAL. These lessons are distilled into ten chapters, each originating from a fundamental habit or principle that can lead to insane personal success.

Make Your Bed Summary

The first and titular principle of starting your day with a complete task emphasizes the importance of beginning each day with a small win—making your bed. 

This simple act is symbolic of the larger discipline required in life, providing a sense of pride and a foundation to accomplish further tasks throughout the day. McRaven extends this lesson to life’s challenges, illustrating that tackling the small things can prepare us for the more significant, more complex tasks that come our way. 

This segues into the book’s second principle, which is about finding someone to help you paddle. 

McRaven uses anecdotes from SEAL training to demonstrate that no one achieves success alone; partnerships and collaborative efforts are crucial to overcoming life’s challenges.

In subsequent chapters, McRaven delves into the theme of resilience. 

He recounts grueling SEAL training scenarios, particularly “ The Circus ,” a punishing extra workout designed to test the limits of trainees’ physical and mental stamina. 

The lesson of not backing down from the sharks is a metaphor drawn from a harrowing night swim with sharks. It suggests that in life, one must face fears head-on to move forward, rather than shy away from them. 

Another principle, “ You Must Be Your Very Best in Your Darkest Moments ,” stems from survival training, emphasizing the importance of maintaining one’s composure and excellence under pressure.

Hope and Belief

McRaven also discusses the importance of hope and belief to drive action. 

He shares a story of an innovative approach during an obstacle course, highlighting that sometimes taking risks and breaking with convention can lead to significant rewards. 

It’s about daring to take the initiative, to approach problems with creativity and courage.

Another lesson is to “Don’t Ever, Ever Ring the Bell,” a reference to the bell that SEAL trainees can ring to quit training. This chapter speaks to the power of perseverance, encouraging the reader to push through difficult times without giving up, no matter how tempting it may be to stop.

The final chapters of the book resonate with themes of hope, courage, and the importance of doing the right thing . McRaven underscores the need for unwavering determination in the face of setbacks. 

His life lessons converge to a fundamental conclusion: the actions of individuals have the power to ripple outward, impacting others and, potentially, the world, culminating in the conviction that small , everyday practices, like making one’s bed, encapsulating the discipline and thoughtfulness will help in leading a truly impactful lives.

Key Lessons

1. the power of starting your day with a completed task.

The simple act of making your bed every morning is not only a practice of self-discipline, but it also sets the tone for the rest of the day and gives you a sense of pride in accomplishing a task. 

It symbolizes one’s dedication to taking charge of one’s life, no matter how small the initial task. This act can create a positive chain reaction of completing tasks throughout the day.

Application

Implement this lesson by establishing a morning routine that starts with a structured task, like making your bed. 

By doing so, you create a momentum that can carry you through more complex and challenging tasks with a mindset geared towards action and accomplishment. This ritual serves as a daily reminder that little things matter and that attention to detail can lead to larger successes.

2. The Importance of Teamwork and Relying on Others

No individual is an island, and success is often a collective endeavor. McRaven recounts his SEAL training exercises , where the importance of working together and supporting one another was constantly emphasized. 

Learning to rely on others and offering support when they need it is fundamental in any challenging situation, be it in the military, the workplace, or personal life.

Foster a culture of collaboration in your own life. 

At work, create and participate in team projects where each member can contribute their unique skills and support each other . In your personal life, nurture relationships where mutual support is a priority. Recognize that asking for help is not a sign of weakness but a strategy for greater strength and success. 

By helping others, you build a network of trust and collaboration that benefits everyone involved.

3. Facing Your Fears and Challenges Head-On

Fear is a natural response to danger, uncertainty, and challenge, but it should not paralyze you. 

McRaven shares his experience of night-swimming among sharks , which is a powerful metaphor for confronting one’s fears. He suggests that when we head straight into the dark waters of our fears, we often find the strength and courage we didn’t know we had. 

Moreover, actively confronting fears can diminish their power over us and sometimes reveal that what we feared wasn’t as insurmountable as we thought.

Identify the “sharks” in your life—those fears that are holding you back from achieving your goals. Confront these fears with calculated courage. 

This might mean taking on a project that intimidates you, speaking up in a meeting, or tackling a difficult conversation . By facing these fears instead of avoiding them, you’ll develop resilience and the confidence that you can handle the challenges that come your way. 

Moreover, you set an example for others who may be struggling with their own fears, creating a culture of courage and determination.

Final Thoughts

Throughout “Make Your Bed,” Admiral McRaven uses his experiences as a Navy SEAL to impart wisdom that transcends military life. 

The book is a compelling blend of memoir and self-help , offering a roadmap not only for individual success but also for contributing to the greater good. 

With its accessible prose and relatable storytelling, “Make Your Bed” aims to inspire us to achieve more through discipline, teamwork, and moral courage.

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Make Your Bed Summary

Emir Zecovic | Posted on July 27, 2018 |

6 min read ⌚ 

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

You want to change the world.

Start off by making your bed.

Don’t believe us?

Then, let us rephrase that in the words of a decorated United States Navy admiral:

“ Make Your Bed !”

Who Should Read “Make Your Bed”? And Why?

In “Make Your Bed” Admiral William H. McRaven shares the 10 most valuable life lessons he learned by being a part of the US military.

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

“Change in the world can happen anywhere,” emphasizes McRaven, “and anyone can do it.”

About William H. McRaven

He last served as the commander of the United States Special Operations Command (2011 – 2014), a position he got after serving for three years as the Commander of Joint Special Operations Command (2008 – 2011).

Back in 1995, “ Spec Ops, ” the first of the two books he has so far authored was published.

In 2012, he was played by Christopher Stanley in the Academy Award-winning movie chronicling the manhunt for Osama bin Laden, “ Zero Dark Thirty ,” and a year later he appeared as himself in the documentary “ Dirty Wars .”

“Make Your Bed PDF Summary”

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

How are these things related between themselves, or, for that matter, to this book?

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

About three months before that, as still the Commander of United States Special Operations Command, he addressed the Class of 2014 at the University of Texas at Austin.

The commencement speech went viral and has been viewed, in different versions, more than 10 million times.

We link it below.

But, before you watch it, we feel obliged to add a “spoiler alert” tag: it’s basically this book in 20 minutes minus some of the anecdotes and stories:

As you might have already heard (in case you decided to watch McRaven’s speech before going on to read this summary), Admiral McRaven was inspired to share the 10 most valuable lessons he learned as part of the US military by the slogan of his alma mater: “ what starts here changes the world .”

The question is – he adds after pointing this out – what the world will look like after it is changed.

So as to make sure that it looks better (of which he has no doubt to start with), he makes ten (once again: universally applicable) suggestions, which, chiseled and polished up a bit, make up the titles of the ten chapters of his book.

So here they are, “the 10 lessons [McRaven] learned from basic SEAL training that hopefully will be of value to you as you move forward in life.”

Key Lessons from “Make Your Bed”

1.      Start Your Day with a Task Completed 2.      You Can’t Go It Alone 3.      Only the Size of Your Heart Matters 4.      Life’s Not Fair – Drive On! 5.      Failure Can Make You Stronger 6.      You Must Dare Greatly 7.      Stand Up to the Bullies 8.      Rise to the Occasion 9.      Give People Hope 10.      Never, Ever Quit

#1. Start Your Day with a Task Completed

One of the first things you’ll learn if you want to take part of the basic training for being a member of the US Seal team is – the proper way to make your bed.

And that is lesson #1: always start your day by making your bed.

How will that change the world, you ask?

Well, it’s actually not the making of the bed that matters; it’s the discipline you put into it and, more importantly, the fact that, by making your bed, you are starting your day on a high note: already with a task completed.

The bonus: no matter how bad the rest of the day is, you’ll always come home to a made bed.

#2. You Can’t Go It Alone

Even a superhero has a sidekick – and you need plenty of them. To use McRaven’s example: if you want to steer a boat faster , you’ll need to find people to paddle with you.

And if you suffer a near-fatal parachute incident, you’ll need a partner to carry you through the pain and the depression (yes, that actually happened to McRaven):

None of us are immune from life’s tragic moments… It takes a good team of 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.

#3. Only the Size of Your Heart Matters

“Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man,” wrote a fairly obscure poet sometime in the early 20 th century ; “but sooner or later the man who wins/ is the one who thinks he can!”

McRaven has, basically, the same advice: the best team during his Navy training was actually the one who was most often the butt of the jokes on account of the size of its members’ flippers.

But, it’s not the size of the paddles that counts; it’s the size of the heart. The passion and the perseverance .

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

#4. Life’s Not Fair – Drive On!

“The universe,” writes Neil deGrasse Tyson , “is under no obligation to make sense to you.”

In other words, there’s a big chance that life is not going to treat you fair.

But blaming your lot on some outside force is both easy and wrong. What’s right is learning how to accept and rise above the unfairness.

“The common people and the great men and women,” concludes McRaven, “are all defined by how they deal with life’s unfairness.”

#5. Failure Can Make You Stronger

During his SEAL Navy training, McRaven was part of a swimming team which always finished last.

Their punishment?

The Circus, i.e., an endurance test which has made many cadets give up.

However, in the case of McRaven, the failure to win the swimming races only made him stronger: for the graduation test, he was part of the winning team.

So, keep calm – and fail forward .

#6. You Must Dare Greatly

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, 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.

#7. Stand Up to the Bullies

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

So, as afraid as they were, they didn’t.

The lesson?

You’ll encounter many sharks – whether bullies or personal fears – on your path to greatness.

Stand up to them.

#8. Rise to the Occasion

Sometimes it’s inevitable that you’ll lose a loved one.

Unfortunately, no amount of shouting and screaming, no amount of sulking or depression, will ever change that.

Being a soldier, McRaven has learned this the hard way.

What you’re left with is to rise to the challenge and endure .

#9. Give People Hope

Sometimes, all it takes is just a little pat on the shoulder.

For example, during McRaven’s Hell Week (the dreaded seven-day endurance test which makes or breaks a SEAL), one of the guys was about to call it quits, when another started singing a song.

Soon, everybody joined in.

And even though it was past midnight and they were all covered in cold mud, somehow, they felt a bit more hopeful.

And they persevered!

#10. Never, Ever Quit

Don’t give up!

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

No matter what happens, it’s your job to be unbroken .

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“Make Your Bed Quotes”

Our Critical Review

Though certainly not groundbreaking (far from it), “Make Your Bed” is as inspirational as is William McRaven’s brilliant commencement speech.

Meaning: it’s one of those books you just can’t buy only one copy of.

Take our word for it: we’ve given at least six of them as gifts.

And had we known you personally, we probably would have gifted one to you as well.

Emir is the Head of Marketing  at 12min . In his spare time, he loves to meditate and play soccer.

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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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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

Just like in other habit books , these lessons about consistency in actions helped Admiral William McRaven overcome SEAL training and 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 or the best self-help books .

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Book Summary Make Your Bed , by William H. McRaven

Make your bed to start your day off right. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? But the simple act of making your bed has bigger implications for your life than you may think. Former Navy SEAL William H. McRaven teaches you how this menial task leads to big rewards in his book, Make Your Bed . Using advice he gave graduating college students during a commencement address, McRaven develops 10 lessons for life learned during his time as a SEAL. Follow these lessons to lead a more meaningful life, and you just might change the world in the process.

Make Your Bed

William H. McRaven

1-Page Summary 1-Page Book Summary of Make Your Bed

Military life is often exhausting, terrifying, and emotionally challenging. You have to be strong and disciplined to make it through the rigors of training and war. Admiral William H. McRaven, a retired Navy SEAL with 37 years of experience, faced many challenges during his career. He found strategies along the way that helped him through the difficult times. Many of these strategies resulted from his experiences as a SEAL-in-training and a Navy officer.

In 2014, McRaven organized his strategies into 10 life lessons for his commencement address at his alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin. Make Your Bed provides these lessons to you and expands on the experiences that formed them.

Lesson 1: Start Each Day with an Accomplishment

Start your day with one successful task completed, such as making your bed, and you will find the motivation to tackle others. When you make your bed first thing in the morning, you start the day with purpose and confidence. You will feel a sense of pride, and that same pride will greet you at night when you come to your made bed. This type of satisfaction will wash the day’s struggles away and prepare you for tomorrow.

McRaven learned the importance of a made bed during his training as a SEAL cadet. A perfectly made bed represented McRaven’s discipline. He started each day receiving acknowledgement from his superiors that he had fulfilled his duties successfully. This acknowledgement greeted him at the end of each day, and he went to bed proud of himself. When McRaven was recovering from a life-changing injury later in life, making his bed became a symbol of his determination to get better and desire to keep leading a productive life.

Lesson 2: Success in Life Requires Teamwork

Life is full of struggles. Going through hard times alone is much more difficult than relying on the help of others to get you through. You need people you can count on to help navigate life’s difficult moments. The same is true for achieving success in life. The more others support you, the stronger and more confident you become.

McRaven learned the importance of teamwork as a SEAL-in-training. He and his unit of cadets were required to carry an inflatable raft everywhere they went and row it for miles through the choppy ocean water. When one of them was unable to perform to a high standard, the others pitched in to fill the void. They all remained successful because they helped each other when times were tough. Because of this experience, McRaven was more willing to accept the help of others after his injury and not just recover physically, but emotionally and professionally as well.

Lesson 3: It’s What’s Inside that Counts

Everyone has more to them than what you’re able to see. You must look beyond skin deep to a person’s heart. You must reserve judgement and prejudice until you get to know who a person is. Even the meekest person can do great things, so value people for their character, not their appearance.

McRaven made the mistake of judging two men as being less suitable for the SEALs than he was because of how they looked. McRaven was tall and muscular, whereas these men were short and scrawny, respectively. Both men surprised him by showing courage in dangerous situations, and McRaven realized he misjudged the amount of heart they had because of what they looked like.

Lesson 4: A Setback Is Only Permanent if You Let It Be

It’s easier to assume the world is against you than it is to admit that sometimes life just isn’t fair. But at the end of the day, you are the only person responsible for determining your fate. Don’t complain and fall back on misfortune as an excuse for why you can’t be happy. When you face disappointment,...

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Make Your Bed Summary Preface

In 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven, a retired Navy SEAL with 37 years of experience, gave the commencement speech at his alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin. In his speech, McRaven provided guidance to the graduates on how to manage life’s challenges and lead a meaningful...

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Make Your Bed Summary Lesson 1: Start Each Day with an Accomplishment

Each day, you’re likely required to manage various tasks. These tasks may include working, raising children, cleaning your home, or completing a project. When faced with this long list of responsibilities, you may often feel overwhelmed. But if you can start your day with one successful task completed, such as making your bed, you can find the motivation to tackle others.

When you make your bed first thing in the morning, you start the day with purpose and confidence. You have accomplished something, and regardless of what else happens during the day, you will feel a sense of pride. In addition, the pride you feel when you come to your made bed at night provides satisfaction that washes the day’s struggles away and prepares you for tomorrow. Start each day by making your bed, and set yourself up for success.

The Backstory

While training to be a Navy SEAL, McRaven lived in the barracks off the coast of Coronado, California....

What Our Readers Say

This is the best summary of How to Win Friends and Influence People I've ever read. The way you explained the ideas and connected them to other books was amazing.

Shortform Exercise: Start Your Day with Purpose

Making the bed is a simple task that everyone could do to start their day right. What are some other ways you can start your day feeling accomplished?

Do you make your bed first thing in the morning? If so, how do you feel after the bed is made? If not, what stops you from doing it?

Make Your Bed Summary Lesson 2: Success in Life Requires Teamwork

No one is guaranteed a life without pain. You will eventually experience painful and tragic moments, and you may have already. Going through these hard times alone is much more difficult than relying on the help of others to get you through. You need people you can count on to help navigate life’s difficult moments.

The same is true for achieving success in life. If you try to navigate the choppy waters toward your goals or dreams alone, you expend more energy than is necessary. You may also find yourself off course without another person to help you paddle. Find people to love and who love you back. Your ability to have a positive life depends on it.

McRaven and the other SEAL candidates were required to carry a ten-foot rubber raft everywhere they went. Seven men carried it to the chow hall and up and down sand dunes during training drills. They paddled it through rough waters along the coast for miles at a time.

It took all seven men to make sure the boat stayed aloft or afloat at all times. But...

Why people love using Shortform

"I LOVE Shortform as these are the BEST summaries I’ve ever seen...and I’ve looked at lots of similar sites. The 1-page summary and then the longer, complete version are so useful. I read Shortform nearly every day."

Shortform Exercise: Who Are Your Allies?

We’ve all experienced times when we needed assistance in one form or another. Let’s look at how others have supported you when you needed it.

Name one recent moment in which you were struggling? Did you ask for help? Why or why not?

Make Your Bed Summary Lesson 3: It’s What’s Inside that Counts

There’s more to you than meets the eye. You have talents, determination, and courage that aren’t visible to the naked eye. There have been times when someone has doubted or judged you based on what you look like. You had to prove yourself to this person to be accepted or believed in.

You are not alone in this scenario. Everyone has more to them than what you’re able to see. You must look beyond skin deep to a person’s heart. More than anything else, it is the size of their heart that matters. You must allow for people to surprise you. You must reserve judgement and prejudice until you get to know who a person is. Even the smallest person can do great things, so value someone based on their heart, not their appearance.

Proving yourself was a way of life for McRaven and his fellow SEAL cadets. Each day brought new tests meant to determine their toughness and capability of living up to the rigors of SEAL life. McRaven, a tall and strapping young...

Shortform Exercise: Do You Judge a Book by Its Cover?

We all tend to make split-second decisions about other people. How have McRaven’s experiences made you think differently about making assumptions about people?

Have you ever been proven wrong about someone you made an assumption about? Who was it?

Make Your Bed Summary Lesson 4: A Setback Is Only Permanent if You Let It Be

When things don’t go your way or you suffer a setback, you may want to blame external sources. It’s easier to assume the world is against you than it is to admit that sometimes life just isn’t fair. You may even look back over your past and find fault with your upbringing, your lot in life, or your lack of opportunities as the culprits for your current disappointment. But at the end of the day, you are the only person responsible for determining your fate.

Many great historical figures overcame adversity to reach great heights, such as Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., and Stephen Hawking. Like these people, you must accept that sometimes, even if you try your best and have all the skill and talent in the world, you will face challenges. You must face these challenges with the same determination you bring to your successes. Don’t complain and fall back on misfortune as an excuse for why you can’t be happy. Take the hits and move forward in whatever way you can.

SEAL Lieutenant Martin, known as Moki, was one of...

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Shortform Exercise: What Really Happened?

When you’re frustrated with life, it’s easy to want to find something or someone to blame. How has this tendency shown up in your life?

When have you blamed someone or something in your past for your inability to accomplish a goal? Describe the situation.

Make Your Bed Summary Lesson 5: Use Failure to Your Advantage

Failure is part of life. No matter how hard you try to succeed or how much you try to avoid failure, at some point, you will fail. The law of averages dictates it. When you fail, you can cower with defeat and give up, or you can use failure to push yourself harder and grow stronger.

Accept that everyone makes mistakes. Learn from those mistakes. Don’t be afraid of trying again. If you can persevere through the consequences of failure, you will be better prepared for other difficult challenges that lie ahead.

In SEAL training, everyone has a swim buddy. These buddies are attached at the hip, figuratively and literally at times. If one buddy fails, both buddies suffer the consequences. McRaven learned this lesson after a particularly grueling training swim one day. He and Marc, his swim buddy, were well behind the other cadets when they crawled out of the water.

The training instructor ordered them to fall into the plank position and began berating them for their poor...

Make Your Bed Summary Lesson 6: Be Daring in Life

As you learned in the previous lesson, failure is an eventual certainty in your life. More than learning from your mistakes, you first have to be willing to make them. If you live in fear of failure, struggle, or humiliation, you will never do what is necessary to achieve your goals or reach your potential.

Much of life is a struggle. In difficult times, you’ll feel fear. If you play it safe and limit your actions to mitigate failure, you will never know what you’re made of. You must learn to have faith in yourself and push past your anxieties to accomplish your goals. You must be willing to push yourself to the limit to achieve something great. Dare greatly in life and receive great rewards.

SEALs-in-training must complete a strenuous obstacle course every now and then. Their times are recorded, and a poor time can mean joining the day’s Circus or...

Shortform Exercise: Are You a Risk-Taker?

It’s not easy to be daring in life. But sometimes it is necessary to get what you want.

Do you push yourself beyond your limits when faced with a challenge, or do you tend to play it safe? Why?

Make Your Bed Summary Lesson 7: Keep Courage Close

Courage is a powerful emotion. With courage, you can surmount any obstacle. With courage, you can stand up to any bully. Without it, you place yourself at the mercy of life and the actions of others. Just like a society rises up to defeat a nefarious dictator, you must find the courage to rise up and defeat whatever stands in the way of your success .

Every bully is the same. They feed on the fear of those they oppress to grow stronger. They are like sharks in the water, circling their prey and waiting for weakness. These sharks are everywhere in life, including work, society, and social circles. If you give in and cower, they will attack you. The consequences could be deadly either physically or spiritually. You have the courage inside of you to stand up to forces of oppression. If you want to...

Make Your Bed Summary Lesson 8: Stand Tall in the Midst of Darkness

Life encompasses many tragedies. You may lose a loved one, a job, or a dream. Terrorists may fly planes into buildings, and viruses may ravage a nation. There will be many moments in which your spirit gets crushed and makes you lose hope for the future.

These are the moments in which you must search for the best version of yourself. You must rise to the challenge of moving forward with strength and dignity. In the darkest moments, do what must be done to show the world your best, and you can survive anything.

One of the most difficult tests the SEAL trainees had to pass was the final dive training mission. They were required to swim underwater for 2,000 meters and attach a practice mine to the bottom of a target vessel in San...

Shortform Exercise: Be a Paragon of Strength

Finding strength when faced with tragedy is not always easy. But often it is the only way to keep moving forward.

Name one time you found strength in the midst of darkness in your life. What attitudes or beliefs allowed you to find and maintain this strength?

Make Your Bed Summary Lesson 9: Inspire Others with Hope

Life is nothing without hope. In the face of life’s most difficult challenges, a little hope can go a long way in bringing people back from darkness. With hope, you can give even those suffering the most a reason to keep moving forward.

You and those around you will find yourselves stuck in the mud. You will feel exhausted and at the end of your rope. In these moments, sing loudly for all to hear. In other words, raise your voice during dark times to inspire those around you. Be the one who makes a difference in someone else’s life by giving them hope for the future. It only takes one person to show someone that tomorrow will come.

Hell Week in SEALs training was the ultimate test of whether the trainees had what it took to be in the toughest branch of the military. For six days, cadets did not sleep, suffered constant harassment from the instructors, and moved through endless endurance activities. More cadets quit their training during this week than at any other moment. One of the most grueling activities of this week took place in the Tijuana mudflats.

After McRaven and his group arrived at the mudflats, they were ordered into the mud. They ran...

Make Your Bed Summary Lesson 10: No Matter What, Never Give Up

When life gets tough or things don’t go your way, it is much easier to give in and quit than continue forward. Life is full of moments in which the odds of success seem so small, you can’t imagine ever winning. Throwing in the towel seems like the most logical thing to do. You can do that. You can feel pity for yourself, blame others, and complain about how unfair the world is. If you do these things, your life will be a long and uncomfortable journey.

When you reach the precipice between quitting and continuing, hold steady and take another step forward. Refuse to back down. Stand your ground and work despite the odds. As long as you keep moving forward, your life will be in your control. No one can stop you from doing what you love. Only you can quit, and you will likely regret it forever. Never, ever, under any circumstances quit. If life is going to beat you, make sure you go down fighting.

McRaven stood at attention with 150 other SEAL hopefuls the first day of training. A commanding officer strode across the courtyard and stood next to a bell. He told the men what they could expect from the next six months. He would push them to their limits. He...

Shortform Exercise: Stand Your Ground

There is no shame in opting for the easy way out sometimes. Everyone has done it at least once. The key is to finish what you’ve started more times than not.

Think of a time when you quit something when the going got rough? Describe the situation.

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