William H. McRaven

William H. McRaven is a retired U.S. Navy four-star admiral who served as commander of U.S. Special Operations Command. He delivered a widely viewed 2014 commencement speech that popularized the line 'If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed,' and later wrote the book Make Your Bed.

Quotes by William H. McRaven

Quotes: 1

If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. — William H. McRaven

Change the World by Starting With Your Bed

To start, lower the bar and raise the consistency. Choose a fixed cue such as after waking; make the bed in under two minutes; immediately piggyback one next action, like reviewing a three-item priority list; and celebrate the completion with a brief breath or smile to mark the reward. If travel or illness breaks the chain, resume without drama the very next morning. Over time, the ritual hardens into identity: I am the kind of person who finishes what I start. [...]

Created on: 9/11/2025