Author: William H. Mcraven

“Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…and Maybe the World” by Admiral William H. McRaven is a self-help book that expands on a commencement speech he delivered at the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. The speech went viral, and the book elaborates on the ten life lessons McRaven shared, drawing from his experiences in Navy SEAL training¹².

Summary

The book is structured around ten key lessons:

1. Start Your Day with a Task Completed: Making your bed every morning gives you a sense of accomplishment and sets a positive tone for the day.
2. You Can’t Go It Alone: Success is often a team effort, and having a support system is crucial.
3. Only the Size of Your Heart Matters: Treat others with compassion and judge them by their character, not their appearance.
4. Get Over Being a Sugar Cookie: Life is unfair, and you must learn to accept and overcome adversity.
5. Don’t Be Afraid of the Circus: Embrace challenges and use them as opportunities to grow stronger.
6. Slide Down the Obstacle Head First: Take risks and face your fears head-on.
7. Don’t Back Down from the Sharks: Stand your ground and confront your challenges.
8. Be Your Very Best in the Darkest Moments: Persevere through tough times with resilience and determination.
9. Start Singing When You’re Up to Your Neck in Mud: Maintain hope and a positive attitude even in the worst situations.
10. Don’t Ever, Ever Ring the Bell: Never give up, no matter how difficult the circumstances¹²³.

Reviews

The book has received positive reviews for its straightforward, motivational advice and practical wisdom. Readers appreciate McRaven’s use of personal anecdotes from his military career to illustrate his points, making the lessons relatable and inspiring². Critics have noted that while the advice may seem simple, its effectiveness lies in its simplicity and the discipline required to implement it³.

Overall, “Make Your Bed” is praised for its clear, actionable guidance on how small actions can lead to significant changes in one’s life and the world.

Source:
(1) Make Your Bed Summary and Study Guide | SuperSummary. https://www.supersummary.com/make-your-bed/summary/.
(2) Make Your Bed Summary by William H. McRaven – Four Minute Books. https://fourminutebooks.com/make-your-bed-summary/.
(3) Make Your Bed by William H. McRaven – Sam Thomas Davies. https://www.samuelthomasdavies.com/book-summaries/business/make-your-bed/.
(4) ‘Make Your Bed’ Book Summary: Review and Key Takeaways – ClickUp. https://clickup.com/blog/make-your-bed-book-summary/.
(5) Make Your Bed Summary and Key Lessons – BooksThatSlay. https://booksthatslay.com/make-your-bed-summary/.