10 Lessons for ONE Person

On May 17, 2014, Naval Admiral William H. McRaven, ninth commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command, delivered a commencement speech to the graduating class at the University of Texas. 

I make all of my students watch this video during their first week. Here is the link:

He opens his speech to highlight how ONE person can have a tremendous impact on many lives.

ONE single action, ONE single decision, can have an impact on future generations. 

ONE person, can change the world. 

I have worked with many Navy SEALs, and these 10 lessons stuck with me. It's worth 19 minutes of your life to watch the speech, the written version just isn't the same. 

10 Lessons to Change the World – Admiral William McRaven

1. Start off by making your bed. 

“If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right. Accomplishing 1 task will motivate you to accomplish another.” As simple as it sounds, doing this simple action will put you into a successful mindset to conquer the day. You will fail many times, but small victories help stabilize confidence. 

2. Find someone to help you paddle.

“You can’t change the world alone—you will need 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.” I have seen many people try to do it all on their own. "I'm tough, I can do this by myself." Yes, that is true, but to be truly successful in life, you need someone to watch your six, to get your back, to help you when you fall and someone who depends on you to be there as well. It's hard to find that right person, but never be afraid to tell someone how you feel. Tomorrow is never guaranteed and don't hold back your feelings. Too many people feel lost, helpless, and alone. There is always hope and there is always someone out there who will listen. 

3. Measure a person by the size of their heart, not the size of their flippers.

“Respect EVERYONE! Respect doesn’t cost a thing.” I have met and treated many Navy SEALs. I will be the first to say, most of them didn't look like Navy SEALs. In my mind, a Navy SEAL is a real life action hero, and action heroes usually look like Arnold or Hemswirth. But in reality, most of the Navy SEALs I've worked with, were much shorter and smaller than me. "It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." And some of the toughest men SEALs I've met, were scrawny. 

4. 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.” You will fail many times in life. Get up and keep moving forward. Life is full of failures, but don't neglect the achievements. Even if you put all your effort into a project, and it fails, don't lose faith. Just keep fighting. 

5. 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.” Life is full of trials and tribulations. Just because your problem is not as "devastating" as someone else, it doesn't minimize your problems. Everyone has problems, and those problems are relative to you. Even though you are not paralyzed from a spinal cord injury after an IED, doesn't mean your back pain and daily headaches aren't severely debilitating to you and your life. But don't be afraid to take life head on. It will get difficult, but you will survive the circus. 

6. Sometimes you have to slide down the obstacle head first.  

"Be a leader. Think outside the box." When everyone does something to avoid change, don't be afraid to do things differently. You may stand out, good or bad, but change leads to growth and understanding. If you want to really make a change, don't be afraid to be different and take life head on. 

7. 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.” – Stand up to bullies and punch them in the nose. There are sharks everywhere, some are obvious and others are sneaky. Navigating life as an adult brings many sharks your way, especially if you are different and stand out. If you are going to make a change, you will have to push yourself and do things that are different. Don't be afraid of those who throw shade. 

8. You must be your very best in the darkest moment.

“At the darkest moment of the mission—is the time when you must be calm, composed—when all your tactical skills, your physical power and all your inner strength must be brought to bear.” When life gets tough, you need to be at your best. All the training and education you put yourself through, will pay off when life gets hard. The worst case scenario can and will happen. Train today so you will be ready when that time comes. 

9. Start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud. 

“The power of hope can move mountains. The power of one person can change the world by giving people hope.”Mental toughness, faith, hope, spirituality… whatever you call it, it can make you unstoppable. When all hope is lost, and those around you are losing faith, be the shining light. Start singing and show your foes your toughness. 

10. DON’T EVER…EVER RING THE BELL! Don’t ever give up! Never ring the bell!

Every day, many people die by suicide.

Don't ever lose hope. 

Don't ever give up. 

There is help.

Suicide hotline: Dial 988 on any phone in the US

Conclusion:

“Start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often. Take some risks, step up when the times are toughest, face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden and never, ever give up!”