“If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.”
– Admiral William H. McRaven (Make Your Bed)
I love a good military story, but if you are looking for a book about war, Make Your Bed might not exactly be the book for you. Yes, it is a book written by a military veteran. Yes, it is a book about military experience and service. And yes, the veteran who wrote it is easily one of the most elite and honored military members in recent military history.
Make Your Bed is about the lessons learned from a life of military service, but these lessons are easily applicable to just about any lifestyle. These are all of the lessons that we should all be learning from early childhood. Important lessons like hard work, respect, integrity, honor, courage, commitment, and love.
I saw the speech that the book was based on and it became one of my favorites. They are, you would think, simple and easy lessons, but it is clear to anyone living in today’s society that there are too many people who could benefit from a crash course on the principles discussed in Make Your Bed.
Make Your Bed is not harsh, points no fingers, and doesn’t require academic superiority or a super complicated understanding of complex principles. There is nothing complicated about paying attention to what you are doing, being kind and respectful to others, working hard, and being grateful. You don’t need to serve to understand these things.
At least give the YouTube video a try. If you like what you see, I encourage you to try the book next. There is no harm in it. No recruitment attempts or military glorification at the expense of others. Just life lessons that were learned from service. Some from harsh exposures to reality. Take it how you will.
Journeyman's Legacy 