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by: William H. McRaven
Recommended Age: see note below
Lexile: unknown
Content Warning(s): Violence, war
Book Summary
"If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.
On May 17, 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven addressed the graduating class of the University of Texas at Austin on their Commencement day. Taking inspiration from the university's slogan, 'What starts here changes the world,' he shared the ten principles he learned during Navy Seal training that helped him overcome challenges not only in his training and long Naval career, but also throughout his life; and he explained how anyone can use these basic lessons to change themselves—and the world—for the better.
Building on the core tenets laid out in his speech, McRaven now recounts tales from his own life and from those of people he encountered during his military service who dealt with hardship and made tough decisions with determination, compassion, honor, and courage."
My Thoughts
Like most young adults, I've mostly only read fiction. But per my mom's request that I read this book she's recommended to nearly everyone she knows, I obliged. I found Admiral McRaven's sheer determination to become a SEAL so admirable, especially in the way he overcame difficult challenges when there was little external motivation or support—it was only his grit that propelled him to keep trying every day in the face of adversity, when he joined "the circus" (something he explains), etc. While he learnt these principles from his time as a Navy SEAL in the US Military, these lessons can easily be applied to most situations in life and change your outlook on them.
The ten life lessons Admiral McRaven shares in "Make Your Bed" originated from his commencement speech for the graduating class of the University of Texas, so the book is fairly short (around 130 pages). Each life lessons / piece of advice is presented as its own chapter, making the content more graspable and the reading experience more straightforward.
Note: the publisher-recommended age rating is not mentioned, but a 12-year-old could read this.
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