Mcraven Quotes

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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.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
Hope is the most powerful force in the universe.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
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.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
It is easy to blame your lot in life on some outside force, to stop trying because you believe fate is against you. It is easy to think that where you were raised, how your parents treated you, or what school you went to is all that determines your future. Nothing could be further from the truth. The common people and the great men and women are all defined by how they deal with life’s unfairness: Helen Keller, Nelson Mandela, Stephen Hawking, Malala Yousafzai, and—Moki Martin. 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!
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
If you want to change the world… be your very best in the darkest moments.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
I realized that the past failures had strengthened me, taught me that no one is immune from mistakes. True leaders must learn from their failures, use the lessons to motivate themselves, and not be afraid to try again or make the next tough decision.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
None of us are immune from life’s tragic moments. Like the small rubber boat we had in basic SEAL training, it takes a team of good people to get you to your destination in life. 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.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
those who live in fear of failure, or hardship, or embarrassment will never achieve their potential.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
Making my bed correctly was not going to be an opportunity for praise. It was expected of me. 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.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
without daring greatly, you will never know what is truly possible in your life.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
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.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
Quitting never makes anything easier.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
At some point we will all confront a dark moment in life. If not the passing of a loved one, then something else that crushes your spirit and leaves you wondering about your future. In that dark moment, reach deep inside yourself and be your very best.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
If you can't do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.
William H. McRaven
start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often. But if you take some risks, step up when times are toughest, face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden, and never, ever give up—
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
The common people and the great men and women are all defined by how they deal with life’s unfairness: Helen Keller, Nelson Mandela, Stephen Hawking, Malala Yousafzai, and—Moki Martin. 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!
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
Show up early. Work hard. Stay late. Have a plan. Deliver on your promises. Share the hardships with the employees. Show that you care. Admit your mistakes. And—did I mention?—work hard.
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
If you want to change the world… measure a person by the size of their heart.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
Hope is the most powerful force in the universe. With hope you can inspire nations to greatness. With hope you can raise up the downtrodden. With hope you can ease the pain of unbearable loss. Sometimes all it takes is one person to make a difference.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
They all understood that life is hard and that sometimes there is little you can do to affect the outcome of your day.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
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!
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
The day you no longer believe you have something to prove, the day you no longer believe you must give it your all, the day you think you are entitled to special treatment, the day you think all your hard days are behind you, is the day you are no longer the right leader for the job.
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
Bullies are all the same, whether they are in the schoolyard, in the workplace, or ruling a country through terror. They thrive on fear and intimidation. Bullies gain their strength through the timid and faint of heart. They are like sharks who sense fear in the water. They will circle to see if their prey is struggling. They will probe to see if their victim is weak. If you don't find the courage to stand your ground, they will strike. In life, to achieve your goals, to complete the night swim, you will have to be men and women of great courage. That courage is within all of us. Dig deep and you will find it in abundance.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...and Maybe the World)
True leaders must learn from their failures, use the lessons to motivate themselves, and not be afraid to try again or make the next tough decision.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
I realized that life is actually pretty simple. Help as many people as you can. Make as many friends as you can. Work as hard as you can. And, no matter what happens, never quit!
William H. McRaven (Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations)
Measure the strength of your employees by their willingness to do the little tasks and do them well.
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
I know that anything I achieved in my life was a result of others who have helped me along the way.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
Our goal, which we believed to be honorable and noble, gave us courage. And 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, men will be ruled by tyrants and despots. Without courage, no great society can flourish. Without courage, the bullies of the world rise up. With it, you can accomplish any goal. With it, you can defy and defeat evil.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...and Maybe the World)
It is easy to blame your lot in life on some outside force, to stop trying because you believe fate is against you. It is easy to think that where you were raised, how your parents treated you, or what school you went to is all that determines your future. Nothing could be further from the truth. The common people and the great men and women are all defined by how they deal with life’s unfairness:
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
Every time I was about to make an important decision, I asked myself, 'Can I stand before the long green table and be satisfied that I took all the right actions?
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
Be decisive. Don't take too much counsel of your fears. Be thoughtful, but not paralyzed by indecision.
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
If you want to change the world… start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
Be aggressive. When you see a problem, do something about it. That’s what is expected of leaders.
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
If you want to change the world, find someone to help you paddle.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
Life is full of difficult times. But someone out there always has it worse than you do. If you fill your days with pity, sorrowful for the way you have been treated, bemoaning your lot in life, blaming your circumstances on someone or something else, then life will be long and hard. If, on the other hand, you refuse to give up on your dreams, stand tall and strong against the odds—then life will be what you make of it—and you can make it great.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
Admiral McRaven, the senior Navy SEAL who planned the Bin Laden mission, said this starts with the mundane: making your bed. “If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.
Dan Crenshaw (Fortitude: Resilience in the Age of Outrage)
I sometimes fell short of being the best, but I never fell short of giving it my best.
William H. McRaven
Hope is not a strategy.” But
William H. McRaven (Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations)
nothing is more daunting, more frustrating, more complex than trying to lead men and women in tough times.
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
Sooner or later we all have to do things we don't want to do. But if you're going to do it, then do it right. Build the best damn Frog Float you can!
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
The Hero Code I will work to be humble; to recognize the limits of my intellect, my understanding, and my power.
William H. McRaven (The Hero Code: Lessons Learned from Lives Well Lived)
Determination and grit were always more important than talent.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...and Maybe the World)
If you want to change the world… don’t ever, ever ring the bell.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
Find someone to share your life with. Make as many friends as possible, and never forget that your success depends on others.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
If you want to change the world, measure a person by the size of their heart, not the size of their flippers.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
That which comprises the harshest burden, a king lifts first and sets down last. A king does not require service of those he leads but provides it to them…
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
But as difficult as leadership is, it is not complicated.
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
You can’t avoid The Circus. At some point we all make the list. Don’t be afraid of The Circus.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
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.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...and Maybe the World)
You will only fail as a leader when you think that today is going to be easier than yesterday.
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
Those officers who do it well earn respect because, unfortunately, doing it poorly is commonplace.
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
If you want to change the world… don’t be afraid of The Circus.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. Admiral Bill McRaven (Navy SEAL)
Terri Savelle Foy (Declutter Your Way to Success)
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
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
Start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often, but if you take some risks, step up when the times are toughest, face down the bullets, lift up the downtrodden, and never, ever give up.......if you do these things, then the next generation and the generations that follow will live in a world far better than the one we have today. And what started here will indeed have changed the world, for the better.
William H. McRaven
special operations forces were able to achieve “relative superiority” over an enemy by developing a “simple plan, carefully concealed, repeatedly rehearsed, and executed with surprise, speed, and purpose.
William H. McRaven (Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations)
alphabet, and G meant that bin Laden was “secured.” McRaven relayed the word Geronimo to the White House. But this was ambiguous: Was bin Laden captured or dead? So McRaven asked the SEAL ground force commander, “Is he EKIA [Enemy Killed in Action]?” A few seconds later, the answer came back: “Roger, Geronimo EKIA.” Then McRaven announced to the White House, “Geronimo EKIA.” There were gasps in the Situation Room, but no whoops or high fives. The president quietly said, “We got him, we got him.” It was still the middle of the night in Pakistan, and the SEALs were able to see only through the murky, pixilated
Peter L. Bergen (Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for Bin Laden from 9/11 to Abbottabad)
Life is filled with circuses. You will fail. You will likely fail often. It will be painful. It will be discouraging. At times it will test you to your very core. If you want to change the world, don’t be afraid of the Circuses.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
To the warrior, peace has no memories, no milestones, no adventures, no heroic deaths, no gut-wrenching sorrow, no jubilation, no remorse, no repentance, and no salvation. Peace was meant for some people, but probably not for me.
William H. McRaven (Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations)
it takes a team of good people to get you to your destination in life. 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.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Feel grounded and think positive in 10 simple steps)
Without courage, men will be ruled by tyrants and despots. Without courage, no great society can flourish. Without courage, the bullies of the world rise up. With it, you can accomplish any goal. With it, you can defy and defeat evil.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
McRaven’s essay went viral. It drew notice deep in the bowels of the country’s national security apparatus, where public servants working many rungs below McRaven had been silently disgusted watching Trump disrespect them and their brethren.
Philip Rucker (A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America)
Throughout history, there have always been warriors who understood the risks of serving. They understood that there was a chance their lives could be lost in the pursuit of a greater goal. They understood that they could perish while trying to protect others.
William H. McRaven (Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations)
Throughout my career, I always had great respect for the British Special Air Service, the famed SAS. The SAS motto was “Who Dares Wins.” The motto was so widely admired that even moments before the bin Laden raid, my Command Sergeant Major, Chris Faris, quoted it to the SEALs preparing for the mission. To me the motto was more than about how the British special forces operated as a unit; it was about how each of us should approach our lives. 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.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
The way I see it, every time a man gets up in the morning he starts his life over, Sure, the bills are there to pay, and the job is there to do, but you don't have to stay in a pattern. You can always start over, saddle a fresh horse and take another trail. ~Kearney McRaven
Louis L'Amour (The Proving Trail)
In an ope-ed in The Washington Post in February 2020, Navy Admiral William McRaven, who was the U.S. Special Operations commander who oversaw the raid that killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden a decade earlier said: As Americans we should be frightened - deeply afraid for the future of the nation. When good men and women can't speak the truth, when facts are inconvenient, when integrity and character no longer matter, when presidential ego and self preservation are more important than national security - then there is nothing left to stop the triumph of evil.
Bob Woodward (War)
If you want to change the world… slide down the obstacle headfirst.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
Humility is the simplest of all heroic qualities to assume, and yet the least expressed.
William H. McRaven (The Hero Code: Lessons Learned from Lives Well Lived)
The little things in life matter.
William H. McRaven
That courage is within all of us. Dig deep, and you will find it in abundance.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
Who Dares Wins.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
My father used to tell me, "Bill, it's all how you remember it.
William H. McRaven
But let me tell you something,” he said. “If you quit, you will regret it for the rest of your life.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
the servants of the most merciful are those who walk upon the Earth in humility
William H. McRaven (The Hero Code: Lessons Learned from Lives Well Lived)
There are a lot of sharks in the world. If you hope to complete the swim you will have to deal with them. If you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
While I have often said that a leader “is not allowed to have a bad day,” that pertains only to their demeanor in public
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
I directed the staff to build a decision matrix, so that in the heat of the moment if something went wrong on the mission, I didn’t have to think through all the alternatives.
William H. McRaven (Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations)
For a soldier, when you have earned the respect of real warriors, there is no greater feeling in the world.
William H. McRaven (Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations)
You have competition every day because you set such high standards for yourself that you have to go out every day and live up to that. —Michael Jordan
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
He often challenged my decisions, forcing me to defend my position and thereby ensuring a better outcome. But when I made a decision, he accepted it as his own and supported me completely.
William H. McRaven (Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations)
Remember... start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often. But if you take some risks, step up when times are toughest, face down the bullies, life 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!
William H. McRaven
Trump’s rash and retaliatory dismissal of Maguire would compel retired Admiral William McRaven, who oversaw the Navy SEALs raid that killed Osama bin Laden, to write: “As Americans, we should be frightened—deeply afraid for the future of the nation. When good men and women can’t speak the truth, when facts are inconvenient, when integrity and character no longer matter, when presidential ego and self-preservation are more important than national security—then there is nothing left to stop the triumph of evil.
Carol Leonnig (I Alone Can Fix It: Donald J. Trump's Catastrophic Final Year)
It’s Simple: Identify the core competencies within your organization. Develop a plan to inspect these areas on a regularly scheduled basis. Show up during an inspection to ensure the rank and file understand that you, the leader, value the process and their efforts.
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
A successful special operation defies conventional wisdom by using a small force to defeat a much larger or well-entrenched opponent. This book develops a theory of special operations that explains why this phenomenon occurs. I will show that through the use of certain principles of warfare a special operations force can reduce what Carl von Clausewitz calls the frictions of war to a manageable level. By minimizing these frictions the special operations force can achieve relative superiority over the enemy. Once relative superiority is achieved, the attacking force is no longer at a disadvantage and has the initiative to exploit the enemy’s weaknesses and secure victory. Although gaining relative superiority doesn’t guarantee success, it is necessary for success. If we can determine, prior to an operation, the best way to achieve relative superiority, then we can tailor special operations planning and preparation to improve our chances of victory.
William H. McRaven (Spec Ops: Case Studies in Special Operations Warfare: Theory and Practice)
If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right. And, if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made—that you made—and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better. If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Feel grounded and think positive in 10 simple steps)
It seems self-evident that a leader must have a vision, develop a strategy, and put a plan in place to bring the vision to reality. The concept is simple, but the execution is extremely difficult. It is difficult because it requires a leader’s full attention, and with all leaders, there are a hundred things a day that divert your attention.
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
in each case, 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. I have never forgotten those people and I know that anything I achieved in my life was a result of others who have helped me along the way.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...and Maybe the World)
I’ve learned that life has a mystical aspect to it. As a man of faith, I have felt the hand of God too many times not to know that it exists. But when you see his handiwork up close, when you examine all the possible outcomes and determine that only one outcome is possible—but then something else happens—that’s when you know there is more to life than meets the eye.
William H. McRaven (Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations)
Remember … start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often. But if you take some risks, step up when times are toughest, face down the 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!
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Feel grounded and think positive in 10 simple steps)
To live above the common level of life: to be noble when others may be unprincipled, to be honorable when others may be shameless, to be men and women of integrity when others may resort to dishonesty. What I found in leading an being led by great officers from all branches of service was the importance of character and having a personal code of honor to help guide you through the difficult times.
William H. McRaven (The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy))
In fact, after his accident, Moki went on to be an accomplished painter. He fathered a beautiful young girl. He founded and continues to oversee the Super Frog Triathlon that is held every year in Coronado. It is easy to blame your lot in life on some outside force, to stop trying because you believe fate is against you. It is easy to think that where you were raised, how your parents treated you, or what school you went to is all that determines your future. Nothing could be further from the truth. The common people and the great men and women are all defined by how they deal with life’s unfairness: Helen Keller, Nelson Mandela, Stephen Hawking, Malala Yousafzai, and—Moki Martin. 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!
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
In a commencement speech at the University of Texas, Admiral William H. McRaven, commander of the US Special Operations Command, said that when he was training to be a Navy SEAL, he was required to make his bed every morning to square-cornered perfection—annoying at the time, but in retrospect one of the most important life lessons he ever learned. “If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day,” he told graduates. “It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another.” Making your bed, McRaven went on, reinforces the fact that the small things in life matter. “If you can’t do the little things right, you’ll never be able to do the big things right. And if, by chance, you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made—that you made. And a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better. If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.
Jancee Dunn (How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids)
If, on the other hand, you refuse to give up on your dreams, stand tall and strong against the odds—then life will be what you make of it—and you can make it great. Never, ever, ring the bell! Remember… start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often. But if you take some risks, step up when times are toughest, face down the 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!
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
Learning to sacrifice is easy. Start by giving a little of yourself, every day. Give a little time to your friends. Give a little of your treasure to a worthy cause. Give a little love to your family. Every day—without fail—give a little of yourself. The giving will become a habit, a part of your character. In a month, in a year, in a decade, in a lifetime, all that sacrifice will add up to something special. If you do this, the sacrifice will be a blessing, a reward, a magnificent obsession, and no burden will be too great—and you will leave behind a legacy worthy of respect and admiration. A hero.
William H. McRaven (The Hero Code: Lessons Learned from Lives Well Lived)
Bullies are all the same; whether they are in the school yard, in the workplace, or ruling a country through terror. They thrive on fear and intimidation. Bullies gain their strength through the timid and faint of heart. They are like sharks that sense fear in the water. They will circle to see if their prey is struggling. They will probe to see if their victim is weak. If you don’t find the courage to stand your ground, they will strike. In life, to achieve your goals, to complete the night swim, you will have to be men and women of great courage. That courage is within all of us. Dig deep, and you will find it in abundance.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
It’s easy to judge the wars today and say they clearly did not deliver the peace or the change we had hoped for. But… how many more Americans, or our allies, would have died in embassies, in airplanes, in towers, in subways, in hotels, or on the streets if we hadn’t eliminated terrorists like Saleh Nabhan, or the countless others who were plotting against us? We may never know, but I take some consolation in believing that somewhere out there is a world leader, or a brilliant scientist, or a lifesaving doctor, or a renowned artist, or a loving mother or father—someone who will bring about real change in the world, someone who is alive today because my men did their job.
William H. McRaven (Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations)
I look back on the hundreds of men and women I visited in the hospitals. Every single one of them—every single one of them—asked me the same basic question: When can I return to my unit? When can I be back with my fellow soldiers? When can I get back in the fight? No matter how battered their bodies, all they could think about were their friends, their colleagues, their comrades, still in harm’s way. Never once—never once—did I hear a soldier complain about their lot in life. Soldiers with missing legs, blinded soldiers, paralyzed soldiers, soldiers who would never lead a normal life again, and yet not one felt sorry for themselves. Later that week, Mike was transferred back to the States.
William H. McRaven (Sea Stories: My Life in Special Operations)
Es fácil responsabilizar a alguna fuerza externa por lo que te toca en la vida y dejar de esforzarte porque crees que el destino está en tu contra. Es fácil pensar que el sitio donde creciste, la manera en que te trataron tus padres o la escuela a la que asististe son todo lo que determina tu futuro. Nada podría estar más alejado de la verdad. Las personas comunes y corrientes, así como los hombres y mujeres extraordinarios, se definen por la manera en que lidian con las injusticias de la vida: Helen Keller, Nelson Mandela, Stephen Hawking, Malala Yousafzai y… Moki Martin. A veces, sin importar cuánto te esfuerces, sin importar lo bueno o buena que seas, terminas convirtiéndote en una galleta azucarada. No te quejes. No culpes a tu mala suerte. Párate derecho, mira hacia el futuro y ¡sigue adelante!
William H. McRaven (Hazte la cama. Y otros pequeños hábitos que cambiarán tu vida y el mundo)
With one final flip the quarter flew high into the air and came down on the mattress with a light bounce. It jumped several inches off the bed, high enough for the instructor to catch it in his hand. Swinging around to face me, the instructor looked me in the eye and nodded. He never said a word. Making my bed correctly was not going to be an opportunity for praise. It was expected of me. 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. Throughout my life in the Navy, making my bed was the one constant that I could count on every day. As a young SEAL ensign aboard the USS Grayback, a special operation submarine, I was berthed in sick bay, where the beds were stacked four high. The salty old doctor who ran sick bay insisted that I make my rack every morning. He often remarked that if the beds were not made and the room was not clean, how could the sailors expect the best medical care? As I later found out, this sentiment of cleanliness and order applied to every aspect of military life. Thirty years later, the Twin Towers came down in New York City. The Pentagon was struck, and brave Americans died in an airplane over Pennsylvania. At the time of the attacks, I was recuperating in my home from a serious parachute accident. A hospital bed had been wheeled into my government quarters, and I spent most of the day lying on my back, trying to recover. I wanted out of that bed more than anything else. Like every SEAL I longed to be with my fellow warriors in the fight. When I was finally well enough to lift myself unaided from the bed, the first thing I did was pull the sheets up tight, adjust the pillow, and make sure the hospital bed looked presentable to all those who entered my home. It was my way of showing that I had conquered the injury and was moving forward with my life. Within four weeks of 9/11, I was transferred to the White House, where I spent the next two years in the newly formed Office of Combatting Terrorism. By October 2003, I was in Iraq at our makeshift headquarters on the Baghdad airfield. For the first few months we slept on Army cots. Nevertheless, I would wake every morning, roll up my sleeping bag, place the pillow at the head of the cot, and get ready for the day.
William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World)
THE HERO CODE 1. I will always strive to be COURAGEOUS; to take one step forward as I confront my fears. 2. I will work to be HUMBLE; to recognize the limits of my intellect, my understanding, and my power. 3. I will learn to SACRIFICE by giving a little of my time, my talent, and my treasure to those in need. 4. I will be a person of INTEGRITY; every decision I make and every action I take will be moral, legal, and ethical. 5. I will be kind and COMPASSIONATE to at least one person every single day and expect nothing in return. 6. I will never give up on matters that are important to me, my family, my country, or my faith. I will PERSEVERE. 7. Whatever job I am given, whatever DUTY I am bound by, I will do it to the best of my ability. 8. I will use my unique talents to inspire others and give them HOPE that tomorrow will be a better day. 9. I will use HUMOR to comfort others, and never be afraid to laugh at myself. 10. No matter how great or small the offense against me, I will try to FORGIVE. I will be the victor, not the victim.
William H. McRaven (The Hero Code: Lessons Learned from Lives Well Lived)