Make Your Bed

Lesson 1 - Make your bed: the first task of the day.

A task as simple as making one's bed goes a long way in making a big impact in life. The idea is that when somebody makes their bed, they achieve the first single task of the day which gives them a sense of accomplishment. It further gives them the mental boost to carry on the tasks in daily life. William McRaven learned this when he was undergoing SEAL training in Coronado, California.

During his training days, he recalled that the bed needed to be made neatly, with dedication and focus or else it would result in rolling on the beach till one is covered with wet sand as a form of punishment for not meeting the set standards. Simple as it may be, but making the bed reflected more than just arranging the bed sheet and blankets, it reflected discipline. A well-made bed didn’t bring with it any appraisal; rather, it denoted personal satisfaction that something was well achieved.

 In the years following 9/11, when Saddam Hussein was captured in December 2003, it was noticed that his bed was unkempt and that even though he had good luxurious blankets, they were rolled up at the feet of the bed. This lazy attitude had already preordained his downfall.

Little things in life matter, as they not only give shape to the larger picture but also provide coherent meaning to the whole. When we inculcate the habit of making our bed first thing in the morning, we make a habit of accomplishing a task. And, any accomplishment leads to self-satisfaction which in turn helps in generating self-worth. And as we become aware of our self-worth, we become capable of achieving greater heights of success.

Lesson 2 - Teamwork and Success are Interdependent.

Teamwork leads to success is a striking argument McRaven makes by citing his days spent in training. The first phase of SEAL training was characterized by carrying the raft together placed on their heads and running from the barracks, across the highway to the chow hall. Along with that, they were required to run on the dunes in circuits. They were also required to paddle the boat along the coast in groups of seven. The notion of teamwork is an essential element of success. There would be days when a member of the team would not be at their best, and it falls upon the rest of the team to put in a bit of extra effort to ensure the performance of the team doesn’t fall too low.

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