One Sentence Summary
Admiral William H. McRaven’s ‘Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World’ offers readers an inspiring collection of life lessons learned through his Navy SEAL training and experiences from war zones.
Book Genre
This book is a self-improvement and memoir genre book.
Main Topic of the Book
The main topic of this book is self-improvement. Admiral William H. McRaven, an ex-Navy SEAL, provides a collection of life lessons that can objectively change readers’ lives for the better.
Key Ideas
- Start Your Day: The Admiral suggests starting everyday by making your bed, as this small act of discipline helps to build greater self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment.
- Lead by Example: Going further, the Admiral shares examples of leadership, namely how he has always lead his teams from the front, leading by example.
- Be Courageous: The Admiral also emphasizes the importance of facing our fears and being courageous even when the odds are stacked against us.
- Help Others: He encourages us to always remember and respect the people that serve our country, and to constantly strive to help those around us.
Main Parts of the Book and a Short Summary
The book is split into 10 chapters, each of which are divided into three parts: ‘My Story’, ‘Words of Wisdom’ and ‘Making Your Bed’.
- Chapter 1: My Story:The Admiral talks about his inspiring journey from a young boy from Fayetteville, North Carolina to a respected Navy SEAL.
- Chapter 2: Word of Wisdom:The Admiral shares his personal life lessons that he has learned over the years, from experiences of boot camp to service in war zones across the globe.
- Chapter 3: Making Your Bed: Here, the Admiral explains that making your bed in the morning is a small act of discipline that can help give structure and order to a busy everyday life.
- Chapter 4 – Chapter 10: Each of the other chapters are focused around different themes offered by the Admiral, from being courageous to never giving up and helping others.
Key Takeaways
The most important takeaways from this book include:
- Start each day off with a sense of accomplishment by making your bed.
- Be courageous and stand up for what is right even when it doesn’t feel easy.
- Lead by example and always respect those that serve our country.
- Help each other and never give up no matter how tough things get.
Author’s Background and Qualifications
Admiral William H. McRaven is a retired United States Navy four-star admiral and former Governor of South Carolina. He is a distinguished graduate of the United States Naval Academy, a Naval Special Warrior, and a former member of the elite SEAL Team Six.
Target Audience
The book is aimed towards young adults and adults who are looking for inspiration and advice on how to approach and manager their everyday life.
Publisher and First Publication Date
The book was first published in 2017 and is published by Grand Central Publishing.