Over the years, I have accepted the teasing from friends about the desire for my home to be neat and tidy, including the fact that each morning I actually Make My Bed. These instances are times when I want to utter the phrase, “First of all…” in order to present all the research completed about being successful and the habits which characterize those people who are considered high performers, but I remain quiet. So, when, in my reading I came across a book entitled Make Your Bed, I couldn’t wait to dig into the author’s suggestions!

Written from a commencement speech he gave in 2014, Admiral William McRaven offers “simple lessons that deal with overcoming the trials of SEAL training, but the ten lessons [are] equally important in dealing with the challenges of life—no matter who you are.” And since he used the word flourish, how could I not write a post outlining these vital lessons which can easily be applied to creating the Habits of a Flourishing Life, whether that comes in our personal, professional, or spiritual life.

Lesson one: “If you want to change the world…start off by Making Your Bed…It was my first task of the day, and doing it right was important. It demonstrated my discipline. It showed my attention to detail, and at the end of the day it would be a reminder that I had done something well, something to be proud of, no matter how small the task.”

Lesson two: “…find someone to help you paddle…No SEAL could make it through combat alone and by extension you need people in your life to help you through difficult times…someone came forward to help me: someone who had faith in my abilities; someone who saw potential in me where others might not; someone who risked their own reputation to advance my career…You cannot paddle the boat alone. Find someone to share your life with. Make as many friends as possible, and never forget that your success depends on others.”

Lesson three: “…measure a person by the size of their heart.”

Lesson four: “…get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward.” Being a sugar cookie refers to the experience of wet and completely covered in sand in every way imaginable. “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!”

Lesson five: ”…don’t be afraid of the Circus.” The Circus is a list where instructors place recruits who finish last on a training task. When your name appears on the Circus, you are required to complete an extra workout after the normal daily training. But, for McRaven, “The Circus, which started as a punishment for failure, was making us stronger, faster, and more confident in the water…In life you will face a lot of Circuses. You will pay for your failures. 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.”

Lesson six: “…slide down the obstacle headfirst…Life is a struggle and the potential for failure is ever present, but those who live in fear of failure, or hardship, or embarrassment will never achieve their potential. Without pushing your limits, without occasionally sliding down the rope headfirst, without daring greatly, you will never know what is truly possible in your life.”

Lesson seven: “…don’t back down from the sharks…courage is a remarkable quality. Nothing and nobody can stand in your way. Without it, others will define your path forward. Without it, you are at the mercy of life’s temptations…Without courage, no great society can flourish. Without courage, bullies of the world rise up.”

Lesson eight: “…be your very best in the darkest moments…At some point we will all confront a dark moment in life. If not the passing of a loved one, then something else that crashes your spirit and leaves you wondering about your future. In that dark moment, reach deep inside yourself and be your very best.”

Lesson nine: “…start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud…we had learned an important lesson: the power of one person to unite the group, the power of one person to inspire those around him, to give them hope…Hope is the most powerful force in the universe…With hope you can ease the pain of unbearable loss. Sometimes all it takes is one person to make a difference…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.”

Lesson ten: “…don’t ever ring the bell…Never quit. It doesn’t sound particularly profound, but life constantly puts you in situations where quitting seems to much easier than continuing on. Where the odds are so stacked against you that giving up seems the rational thing to do.”

In my lifetime, I will have listened to commencement speeches too numerous to count, but some resonate more deeply with their challenges to Emerging Adults. However, I think McRaven’s lessons speak clearly to all of us, no matter which Season of Life we happen to be traversing. For a person of faith, these lessons also mirror what can be located in Scripture to guide us to a flourishing life. They may be simple lessons; however, we know that they are never easy, but practicing these disciplines, practicing spiritual disciplines, will give us the greatest advantage to living an abundant and flourishing life. So, my best advice to all is to Make Your Bed, start with a small simple task that will lead you to even greater success outside of a tidy bedroom.

Reference:

McRaven, W.H. (2017). Make your bed: Little things that can change your life…and maybe the world. [Kindle version]. Grand Central Publishing.