Review: Make Your Bed...

MAKE YOUR BED – LITTLE THINGS THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE…AND MAYBE THE WORLD 

By: Admiral William H. McRaven 

(U.S. Navy Retired)

Quoted from Make Your Bed...Ch. 1 - Start Your Day with a Task Completed, p. 9

“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.”

Admiral McRaven and President Barack Obama, www.usatoday.com

1.) What was the book about?

This is a self-help, encouraging, pull yourself up by your bootstraps kind of book that is also compassionate. Told by the author using stories of his training as a SEAL recruit, juxtaposed with stories of his time in command and how he dealt with different scenarios. Those who do not know of the author, his military prowess, and significant historic missions - most notably leading the SEAL team that took down the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein - will be pleasantly taken in by the writing, lessons, and suggested next steps in this book.

If you know of Admiral McRaven, then you are already acquainted with the first lesson. If you want to change your life and maybe the world – start off by making your bed! This may sound too simple to be considered a “life lesson” but here is the basic premise; life and the military require some level of structure and routine in order to deal with what is out of your immediate control. By starting your daily to-do list with accomplishing this first task - you already have a jump start on the day.

Admiral McRaven www.inc.com

2.) Do you have a favorite quote from the book?

My favorite quote from this book comes from Ch. 9 – Give People Hope

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

This may not initially make sense, but the story relayed in this chapter starts in the middle of Hell Week, described by the author as 6-days of no sleep and unrelenting harassment by the instructors. It was Wednesday of Hell Week when the SEAL training recruits had to paddle themselves down to the Tijuana Mudflats in a rubber inflatable boat. From there, they ran races in the mud till exhaustion, until the elements (wind, temps, etc.) were literally against them and their bodies began to fail. As the instructors started to attempt to sway their resolve with offers of warmth and sustenance, the mud held them up to their necks! Just before the first man was about to give up, someone began to sing. This singing began to ring out amongst the recruits, even as the instructors told them to stop, they defied this order as a group and used the singing to persevere together, as a team. Sometimes, all you need is one person to start singing to change the trajectory of the struggle you are in.

Sleep: The Forgotten Basic Need www.Medium.com

3.) What did you like most/least about the book?

There was no area of this book I did not like, per se. I will say though, as I was reading, I started to think about people who do not have military backgrounds. Those individuals who are not used to the suck it up and push forward, be your best self in spite of it all, types of people. For a lot of individuals, this is not enough explanation and could solicit an eye-roll or two. But this book really is that simple, it is about making the simplest choice at the moment, so you can have a clearer head for more complex decision making later. 

Just take the issue at face value, and move on from there.

4.) What feelings did this book evoke in you?

While reading this book I had a moment of connectivity to another veteran’s story that I had encountered on Facebook. SSgt Matt Cable is in the Air National Guard, and is a two-time cancer survivor, the most recent survival being last year after he competed in Dwayne “the Rock” Johnsons show The Titan Games. 

As I was reading Ch. 10 – Never Ever Quit, 

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

I thought of SSgt Cable. This whole chapter is about how 150 SEAL recruits were given instructions on how to quit the training by ringing the bell three times. On the day of graduation 6-months later, there were thirty-six recruits left. The coinciding command story was that of Army Ranger Adam Bates who had been injured in battle, losing his legs and retaining massive blast injury. Ranger Bates, while lying in the hospital bed barely retaining consciousness, was unable to speak but was able to use ASL and sign to ADM McRaven “I-WILL-BE-OK” before he fell back to sleep. A year later, ADM McRaven saw Adam at a change of command cheering for his buddies! Ranger Bates did not ring the bell!!! Never, ever, ring the bell!! Neither has SSgt Cable.

ANG SSgt Matt Cable, 2 time cancer survivor,

  earns 7 medals at 2022 Invictus Games www.army.mil

5.) If you could ask the author one question, what would it be?

As I write this review, the country is reeling from the untimely death of NBA GOAT Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and 7 other souls lost due to a helicopter crash in California. I would ask him about his approach to helping the families of hero’s heal, and what we can do as a collective to help the Bryant family - and the nation - recover, heal, and move forward.

www.quotefancy.com

Additional Resources:

*For additional insight on Admiral McRaven: https://www.utsystem.edu/chancellor/former-chancellors/william-h-mcraven-biography

*Make Your Bed Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sK3wJAxGfs

*Here he is following his own advice in Ch. 7 – Stand Up to the Bullies: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/revoke-my-security-clearance-too-mr-president/2018/08/16/8b149b02-a178-11e8-93e3-24d1703d2a7a_story.html

*Montana Air Guard wounded warrior shines at Invictus Games:  https://www.nationalguard.mil/News/Article/3011500/montana-air-guard-wounded-warrior-shines-at-invictus-games/

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