Book Summary: Make Your Bed

This is one of my favourite books that I was trying to finish for a long time. “Make Your Bed” by Admiral William H. McRaven is a collection of his inspiring journey and life lessons put in a very concise manner. This is the must-read title for all aspiring leaders. This book is all about how to pursue your goals and change life’s of others by mutual collaboration. Success can not be achieved alone but is the combination of individual effort and mutual support as a team. In this post, I am trying to summarize my learnings from this book.

This book is divided into 10 chapters. Each chapter itself is a lesson from the life experience of the author.

1. Start your day with a task completed

“If you want to change the world … start off by making your bed”. Making your bed first thing in the morning can lead to many tasks completed by the end of the day. A simple act of making your bed every day first thing in the morning gives a sense of accomplishment.

2. You can’t go at it alone

“If you want to change the world … find someone to help you paddle”. In today’s complex world, you can not go alone. Find someone to share your life with. Find as many friends as possible. Also remember, If you want to make a real change to the world, you need someone and your success depends on others success.

3. Only the size of your heart matters

“If you want to change the world … measure a person by the size of their heart”. If you want to change the world … get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward. 

4. Life’s not fair—drive on!

Life is not fair always, don’t complain but keep going on. Your life’s success is defined by how you deal with this unfairness of life which is expected. 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!

5. Failure can make you stronger

If you want to change the world, don’t be afraid of the circus. In life, you will face a lot of Circuses. But, if you persevere, if you let those failures teach you and strengthen you, then you will be prepared to handle life’s toughest moments. Great leaders learn from the failures and use the lesson’s to motivate themself.

6. You must dare greatly

If you want to change the world.. slide down the obstacle head first. Life is the battle ground and there always chances of failure. But those who live in the fear of failure will never achieve their potential. Push your limits, and sometimes take challenges head on. Without this dare in life, you will never know what you can achieve.

7. Stand up to the bullies

If you want to change the world … don’t back down from the sharks. In life to achieve great goals, have courage. We all have great potential and courage within ourself. Do not turn away from obstacles. Challenge the challengers.

8. Rise to the occasion

If you want to change the world … be your very best in the darkest moments. We all face some dark moments in our life. In those dark moments, think that you will show your very 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.

9. Give people hope

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

10. Never, ever quit!

Never ever quit. It doesn’t sound particularly profound, but life constantly puts you in situations where quitting seems so much easier than continuing on. Where the odds are so stacked against you that giving up seems the rational thing to do. But someone out there always has it worse than you do.