Cody's Reviews > Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World

"Remember...start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is fair and you will fail often. But if you take some risks, step up when times are toughest, face down 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!" (103-104)

It was in an op-ed written in the Washington Post that introduced a man to the forefront of attention, who, through service, dedication, and sacrifice had protected and defended the United States for close to four decades mostly behind the scenes. That man, Admiral William McRaven, would go on to offer much in the way of comfort and clear-headed thinking the country may have lost over the past few years with regards to U.S. leadership by stating such things as: "I am a fan of President Obama and President George W. Bush, both of whom I worked for. I admire all presidents, regardless of their political party, who uphold the dignity of the office and who use that office to bring the nation together in challenging times." McRaven went on to write, "Trump has "embarrassed us in the eyes of our children, humiliated us on the world stage and, worst of all, divided us as a nation." The full article to those statements can be found here: https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/18/politi...

Arguably, Admiral McRaven represents the cream of the crop when it comes to understanding leadership in accordance with American values, much like recently ousted Secretary of Defense James Mattis. In this short-but-sweet book entitled Make Your Own Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World, McRaven recounts his triumphs and tribulations through the intense training he undertook to become a Navy Seal, and how these universally applied ideas can be translated in accordance with anyone one wants to achieve something higher in life. Admittedly gems like "never give up" sound comically generic to any self-help book, but the way McRaven presents himself allows for this fact to be overlooked. It's generally heart-felt and sympathetic, and interestingly McRaven is able to realise the lessons learned here aren't exclusive to the more demanding of military professions. He is someone who through openness and realisation can see the forest through the trees, which sadly is quite refreshing in the current culture of tribalism and hotly contested ideas. The book also has little tidbits of interesting information, regarding the culture of SEAL training and membership, alongside his interactions and observations with Saddam Hussain, who was guarded directly after capture under McRaven's leadership. Although not a ground-breaking book in the art of self-help, it was a pleasant and soothing reminder of the benefits of hard-work overcoming all the struggles we face in life, and how sweet that can really be.