Hey everyone, I’ve recently got the opportunity to listen to the commencement address by Admiral William H.McRaven on YouTube, and I feel it’s really worth sharing. Basically, he gives all of us 10 learning points that he learnt during his service, starting from basic SEAL training. It is up to you whether you choose to believe it and apply it, or simply dismiss them. You can listen to the commencement address on YouTube… I strongly encourage you to listen to it at least once.
Here are the 10 points that he mentioned:
1) If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.
2) If you want to change the world, find someone to help you paddle.
3) If you want to change the world, measure a person by the size of their heart, not the size of their flippers.
4) If you want to change the world get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward.
5) If you want to change the world, don’t be afraid of the circuses.
6) If you want to change the world sometimes you have to slide down the obstacle head first.
7) If you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks.
8) If you want to change the world, you must be your very best in the darkest moment.
9) So, if you want to change the world, start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud.
10) If you want to change the world don’t ever, ever ring the bell.
Out of the 10 points he shared, the first and last point resonates strongly with me. I strongly believe that our habits ultimately shape our future results and destiny. What we conceive in our mind will lead to our actions, and the sum of all the actions that we take form habits which will result in our future.
By starting with making your bed every morning, you have accomplished one positive task, and this also means that your day has just started off positively. We are often bombarded with circumstances which are often negative in nature throughout the entire day. It definitely helps to start off the day with something positive, something that we are in control of… which is our bed. It is often the little things that matter, and once you can accomplish the little things, you definitely can move on to the bigger things in life.
The last point on never ever ringing the bell is my personal favorite. Never ever give up on the things you want in life. If you decide to stop fighting for the things you want to achieve, then what is the point in living?
If you are reading at this point, I would like to congratulate you on your patience to bear with me and also the hunger to learn!
My overall conclusion from this commencement address is that ultimately, the 10 points mentioned above are some of the things you need to do to change your world. However, if for some reason you forget the entire speech, then simply remember this quote from Leo Tolstoy:
“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”
For if you have noticed, for every single advice he gave, from 1) to 10), all of them require you to CHANGE yourself FIRST.
Stay hungry, stay humble.
P.S: Want to get free EGOS24/7 e-shopping vouchers? Enter your email here and subscribe to boochengzong.com to receive e-shopping vouchers worth 25 USD!