Powerful Activism Tips From the McRaven “Make Your Bed” Book

Admiral William H. McRaven’s book, Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life… And Maybe the World, offers valuable life lessons that you can apply to various aspects of life, including activism.

In 2014, McRaven gave the commencement speech at the University of Texas at Austin. His speech was based on UT Austin’s mission of “what starts here changes the world.” The video went viral. (Viewing time=19:26.)

Millions of people found McRaven’s messages resonated with them. For example, the book title comes from Lesson #1: make your bed. McRaven says doing this simple task will start the day positively.

This lesson is followed by a series of suggestions gleaned from McRaven’s military experiences. His incredible Navy SEAL stories are fueled by a military ‘just-get-up-and-go attitude.’ Still, although most of us are not at the physical and mental peak of an elite SEAL, McRaven brings the lessons back to us regular people. I read through the comments and was touched by how people in dark circumstances found hope in his words. For example, one person mentioned that they watched the video every day in rehab.

McRaven’s Make Your Bed book was published in 2017. I realized the speech and the book have a recurring theme of making a difference by serving others. Of course, that got me thinking about how his lessons could be applied to activism.

Lessons From McRaven’s Make Your Bed Book and Speech

The last bit of McRaven’s speech is an excellent summary of his advice to students and all of us.

“Start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and you will fail often, but if you take some risks, step up when the times are toughest, face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden, and never, ever, give up…if you do these things, then the next generation and the generations that follow will live in a world far better than the one we have today. And what started here will indeed have changed the world, for the better.”

Here, I will dig deeper into these lessons and how they can be used in activism.

Find Your Passion

The first step on my 5-Step Activism Path is to find your passion. Finding the cause closest to your heart keeps you from getting overwhelmed. Focus your passion, get clear about your ideal life and world, and find the cause that means the most to you.

Activism Passion Lessons from McRaven’s Make Your Bed Book

In McRaven’s speech, he cites these numbers:

• About 8,000 students are graduating today.
• Each grad will meet 10,000 people in their lifetime.
• If each grad changes the lives of 10 people, and then they change the lives of 10 people, within 5 generations, 800 million people will be better because of the class of 2014.

Focus on the cause that resonates with you; your passion will make a difference, perhaps more far-reaching than you dreamed. Take small steps towards creating change. These small actions will make a difference.

Understand Your Gifts

The second step on my Activism Path is to understand your gifts. Gifts include your skills, knowledge, and personal motivation.

Everyone has things they do well. These are often talents that come naturally to you. If you know your best skills, you can match them to your activism work. Are you good at planning? Perhaps you can manage a campaign. Are you an artist? Lend your talent to graphic design for a nonprofit website.

McRaven’s Lessons about Using Your Gifts

Navy SEALs have ridiculous skills, but don’t discount the skills you bring to the activism table. These skills help you do your activism work easily, sometimes even doing work that no one else can do. For example, nonprofits always look for administrative, legal, and fundraising support.

McRaven stresses the need to rise to the occasion when faced with challenges. This is where your unique skills can make a difference. Whether organizing a town hall, educating others, or lobbying your elected representatives, you can capitalize on critical opportunities to make a lasting impact.

Another aspect of your gifts is understanding your personal motivation. That might be translating your values into positive change, enjoying the activism work, working with others, or feeling capable and learning.

McRaven underscores the significance of teamwork, strong relationships, and support networks. Forming partnerships, building coalitions, and fostering unity among diverse groups can amplify the impact of collective efforts.

Do Activism You Love

The third step on my Activism Path is to find an activism method you enjoy. If the thought of lobbying an elected official gives you anxiety, it isn’t the right activism method for you. On the other hand, if you love to write, consider an activism method that taps your power of the pen.

Activism Method: Lessons from McRaven’s Make Your Bed Book

McRaven shares many lessons about innovation and creativity. One of the ways these skills are used in my Activism Path is when choosing your activism method. Traditional activism, like protesting and lobbying, is essential, but not all of us find this easy or enjoyable.

Here is where you can be creative and innovative and discover the unique ways you can use your skills in activism. Love to quilt? Activist Karyl Chastain Beal used her craft to heal from the devastating impact of her daughter’s death by suicide. She created a quilt square to honor her daughter’s life, asked others to do the same, and put together the first of many remembrance quilts that are displayed to highlight suicide awareness.

Another choice on my 5-Step Activism Path is whether to be a solo activist or join up with others. In Make Your Bed, McRaven highlights the significance of teamwork and camaraderie. Activism, too, thrives on collaboration and unity. Building alliances with like-minded individuals, organizations, and communities magnifies the impact of collective efforts, whether you are a solo activist or working with others.

Another consideration in the choice of activism method is to evaluate your comfort with risk-taking. McRaven encourages taking calculated risks to achieve success. In activism, this translates into stepping out of one’s comfort zone and pursuing innovative approaches. By daring greatly, activists can initiate new conversations, challenge the status quo, and inspire others to join the cause.

Make an Impact

The fourth step on my 5-Step Activism Path is to make an impact. You may have a lot going on in your life. So, the time you spend on activism is precious. Make it count. Decide how you can make the most impact on your cause.

McRaven’s Lessons on Impact

McRaven’s example from his speech about the far-reaching impact of changing just 10 lives is enlightening. It is the power of one person to make a difference and influence others positively. And this is a good lesson for activists. You do not have to solve every issue in your community. But within your choices, take a thoughtful approach to which will make the most impact.

Activism is fundamentally rooted in the desire to create a better world for all. We must stand up against injustice. By focusing on the needs and concerns of marginalized communities, activists can channel their efforts toward solutions that address systemic issues. McRaven also underscores the power of optimism and spreading hope.

Stay Motivated

The last step in the activism path is to change the world. To do that, stay motivated over the long term. Set goals that will motivate you and celebrate your progress. And while you are working for the greater good, recognize any signs of stress and care for yourself.

Motivation Lessons from McRaven’s Make Your Bed Book

Goal Setting

Goal setting is a powerful aspect of good performance. In the 5-Step Activism Path, I show you how to set SMART goals to help you succeed. SMART goals are moderately difficult but attainable; research supports these types of goals as effective and motivating.

Stay Motivated

McRaven stresses the lesson to “never, ever give up.” I disagree with this lesson. Most activists work quite hard to achieve their activism goals. However, sometimes, you do have to give up and step back to refocus.

Discipline and persistence are excellent skills, of course. Indeed, we can learn from our failures to better navigate challenges, setbacks, and moments of doubt. The concept of learning from failure is a cornerstone of activism. Just as McRaven learned resilience from failed SEAL training, activists can turn setbacks into opportunities for growth. Analyzing failures supplies insights for refining strategies and increasing the effectiveness of future actions.

Celebrate

Celebrate progress and victories, no matter how small. Recognize the impact of your efforts and the efforts of your fellow activists. Acknowledging success can boost morale and energize the movement.

Lessons For Your Activism

Make Your Bed offers a treasure trove of insights that can guide you in making change. Draw inspiration from these lessons to forge your perfect path to making the world a better place. But first, make your bed.