William H. McRaven
Retired U.S. Navy admiral who led U.S. Special Operations Command and later the University of Texas System.
Speeches2014 Commencement Address at the University of Texas at Austin
Why William H. McRaven matters
A retired four-star admiral who led all U.S. special operations forces and oversaw the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden. His 2014 commencement address, widely known as "Make Your Bed", made him one of the most-quoted voices on discipline and resilience.
The journey
McRaven was born in 1955 in North Carolina and grew up in San Antonio, Texas. He earned a journalism degree at the University of Texas at Austin in 1977 while in Naval ROTC, then graduated from SEAL training in January 1978. He spent more than 37 years in the Navy, commanding special-operations units at every level, including combat service in Afghanistan and Iraq.
He led the Joint Special Operations Command from 2008 and U.S. Special Operations Command from August 2011 to 2014, and he is credited with organizing the May 2011 raid on bin Laden. Injuries were part of the path: he broke his pelvis in a parachute accident during training in 2001.
After retiring in 2014 he became chancellor of the University of Texas System in 2015, and stepped down in 2018 citing health issues and family. His address to the UT Austin graduating class has since been watched tens of millions of times, and he has written several best-selling books.
- 1978Graduates from SEAL training.
- 2008Takes command of the Joint Special Operations Command.
- 2011Oversees the raid that killed Osama bin Laden; becomes commander of U.S. Special Operations Command.
- 2014Delivers the UT Austin commencement address; retires from the Navy.
- 2015Becomes chancellor of the University of Texas System.
Sources for this profile
- William H. McRaven · Wikipedia
- William H. McRaven · Council on Foreign Relations
- Admiral William H. McRaven · LBJ Presidential Library
Written in our own words from the sources above. This profile is a draft and has not yet been reviewed by a person. How we source
Quotes
If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed.
Verified source2014 Commencement Address at the University of Texas at Austin · Watch at 5:22 · UT News, The University of Texas at Austin
5:22 of 19:29All quotes from this speech →
As delivered If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. And by the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed.
Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.
Verified source2014 Commencement Address at the University of Texas at Austin · Watch at 5:41 · UT News, The University of Texas at Austin
5:41 of 19:29All quotes from this speech →
As delivered Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter. If you can't do the little things right, you will never be able to do the big things right.
And, if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made — that you made — and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.
Verified source2014 Commencement Address at the University of Texas at Austin · Watch at 5:55 · UT News, The University of Texas at Austin
5:55 of 19:29All quotes from this speech →
If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.
Verified source2014 Commencement Address at the University of Texas at Austin · Watch at 6:09 · UT News, The University of Texas at Austin
6:09 of 19:29All quotes from this speech →
You can’t change the world alone — you will need some 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. If you want to change the world, find someone to help you paddle.
Verified source2014 Commencement Address at the University of Texas at Austin · Watch at 6:57 · UT News, The University of Texas at Austin
6:57 of 19:29All quotes from this speech →
As delivered You can't change the world alone—you will need some 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 you. If you want to change the world, find someone to help you paddle.
If you want to change the world, measure a person by the size of their heart, not the size of their flippers.
Verified source2014 Commencement Address at the University of Texas at Austin · Watch at 8:30 · UT News, The University of Texas at Austin
8:30 of 19:29All quotes from this speech →
As delivered If you want to change the world, measure a person by the size of their heart, not by the size of their flippers.
But if you want to change the world, don’t be afraid of the circuses.
Verified source2014 Commencement Address at the University of Texas at Austin · Watch at 11:21 · UT News, The University of Texas at Austin
11:21 of 19:29All quotes from this speech →
If you want to change the world, you must be your very best in the darkest moment.
Verified source2014 Commencement Address at the University of Texas at Austin · Watch at 15:31 · UT News, The University of Texas at Austin
15:31 of 19:29All quotes from this speech →
As delivered If you want to change the world, you must be your very best in the darkest
The power of one person — Washington, Lincoln, King, Mandela and even a young girl from Pakistan, Malala — one person can change the world by giving people hope. So, if you want to change the world, start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud.
Verified source2014 Commencement Address at the University of Texas at Austin · Watch at 17:32 · UT News, The University of Texas at Austin
17:32 of 19:29All quotes from this speech →
If you want to change the world don’t ever, ever ring the bell.
Verified source2014 Commencement Address at the University of Texas at Austin · Watch at 18:22 · UT News, The University of Texas at Austin
18:22 of 19:29All quotes from this speech →