CONTENTS
1. Cover
2. Title Page
3. Dedication
4. Preface
5. CHAPTER ONE: Start Your Day with a Task Completed
6. CHAPTER TWO: You Can’t Go It Alone
7. CHAPTER THREE: Only the Size of Your Heart Matters
8. CHAPTER FOUR: Life’s Not Fair—Drive On!
9. CHAPTER FIVE: Failure Can Make You Stronger
10. CHAPTER SIX: You Must Dare Greatly
11. CHAPTER SEVEN: Stand Up to the Bullies
12. CHAPTER EIGHT: Rise to the Occasion
13. CHAPTER NINE: Give People Hope
14. CHAPTER TEN: Never, Ever Quit!
15. The University of Texas Commencement Speech
16. Acknowledgments
17. About the Author
To my three children: Bill, John, and Kelly.
No father could be prouder of his kids than
I am of you. Every moment in my life has
been made better because you are in the
world.
And to my wife, Georgeann, my best friend,
who made all of my dreams possible.
Where would I be without you?
PREFACE
On May 17, 2014, I was honored to give the commencement speech for
the graduating class from the University of Texas at Austin. Even though
the university was my alma mater, I was concerned that a military officer,
whose career had been defined by war, might not find a welcoming
audience among college students. But to my great surprise, the graduating
class embraced the speech. The ten lessons I learned from Navy SEAL
training, which were the basis for my remarks, seemed to have a universal
appeal. They were simple lessons that deal with overcoming the trials of
SEAL training, but the ten lessons were equally important in dealing with
the challenges of life—no matter who you are. Over the past three years, I
have been stopped on the street by great folks telling me their own stories:
How they didn’t back down from the sharks, how they didn’t ring the bell,
or how making their bed every morning helped them through tough times.
They all wanted to know more about how the ten lessons shaped my life
and about the people who inspired me during my career. This small book is
an attempt to do so. Each chapter gives a little more context to the
individual lessons and also adds a short story about some of the people who
inspired me with their discipline, their perseverance, their honor, and their
courage. I hope you enjoy the book!
CHAPTER ONE
Start Your Day with a Task Completed
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank my editor Jamie Raab for her patience and
understanding. You crafted a beautiful book that I know will stand the test
of time. I also want to thank all those great friends who agreed to be
mentioned in the book. Your courage in the face of tremendous adversity
inspired me more than you will ever know.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Admiral William H. McRaven (U.S. Navy retired) served with great
distinction in the Navy. In his thirty-seven years as a Navy SEAL, he
commanded at every level. As a Four-Star Admiral, his final assignment
was as Commander of all U.S. Special Operations Forces. He is now
Chancellor of the University of Texas System.
