TEN LIFE LESSONS FROM BASIC SEAL TRAINING

Admiral McRaven discusses his time as a young Navy SEAL and how the lessons he learned helped guide him to further success. His words are relatable to people of all walks of life, military and civilian, and are absolutely worth the listen. I have included a transcript for some of his speech below


So, here are the 10 lessons I learned from basic SEAL training that hopefully will be of value to you as you move forward in life.

1. If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed

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.

2. If you want to change the world, find someone to help you paddle.

For the boat to make it to its destination, everyone must paddle. You can’t change the world alone — you will need some help — and to truly get from your starting point to your destination takes friends, colleagues, the good will of strangers and a strong coxswain to guide them.

3. If you want to change the world, measure a person by the size of their heart, not the size of their flippers.

4. If you want to change the world get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward.

Sometimes no matter how well you prepare or how well you perform you still end up as a sugar cookie. It’s just the way life is sometimes.

For failing the uniform inspection, the student had to run, fully clothed into the surfzone and then, wet from head to toe, roll around on the beach until every part of your body was covered with sand. The effect was known as a “sugar cookie.” You stayed in that uniform the rest of the day — cold, wet and sandy.

5. If you want to change the world, don’t be afraid of the circuses.

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.

6. If you want to change the world sometimes you have to slide down the obstacle head first.

7. If you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks.

There are a lot of sharks in the world. If you hope to complete the swim you will have to deal with them.

8. If you want to change the world, you must be your very best in the darkest moment.

9. If you want to change the world, start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud.

10. If you want to change the world don’t ever, ever ring the bell.