I was a wreck before I left for college. The feeling of excitement was absent, and the worry and fear was building adamantly. Questions kept swirling in my head: “Did I pick the right major?” “Am I capable of accomplishing my goals?” In an attempt to help ease my worry and inspire me for the future, my best friend bought me a book written by Admiral William H. McRaven titled “Make Your Bed.”
“Make Your Bed” is an inspirational book about little acts that might not seem entirely important but have the ability to change your life for the better.
“If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed,” McRaven says. “If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day.”
This may be a simple piece of advice, but it holds a strong significance. By completing one small, mundane task, you start the day out accomplishing something. No matter how horrible the day is, you have the comfort of crawling into a warm, made bed at night and the reassurance that tomorrow will be a better day.
McRaven also says that “if you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.”
In the armed forces, making your bed properly is an important task. First thing in the morning, Lieutenants check to see if a bed has been made properly, ensuring that the corners are tucked tightly and that the blankets and pillows are aligned. The final test is dropping a quarter on the bed; if it bounces up, it passes inspection. The emphasis placed on this little task might seem incredibly trivial to an outsider, but the self-discipline it forges speaks volumes.
Focusing on the smaller things in life has made the big things less scary. Each morning, I get up and make my bed. Achieving one small goal makes the rest of my day look significantly less daunting. Admiral William H. McRaven’s book has changed my outlook on the little things in life and taught me the importance of “making my bed.”
ok boomer