Start your day with a task completed

This book is about all the learnings and personal experiences of the author Admiral William McRaven during his time as a trainee and through out his journey at SEAL with close to 40 years of service.

The book has 10 small chapters each emphasis on the qualities one should possess or work on to change their own life and the world. Will discuss briefly on each of those in this summary.

Start your day with a task completed 🛏️✅

Explains the importance of making the bed in the SEAL training, making it in a perfect way. He did this at every stage of his career and life which always gave him a sense of accomplishment.

You can’t go it alone 🤝🚣

None of us are immune from life’s tragic moments. Like the small rubber boar we had in basic SEAL training, it takes a team of good people to get you to your destination in life.

He explained this by taking the example of how his life, friends, families and his boss helped him during the tragedy he had from the parachute accident.

The size of your heart matters ❤️💪

SEAL training was always about proving something. Proving that size didn’t matter. Proving that determination and grit were always mode important than talent.

Life’s not fair — Drive on! 🌊💨

In all of the SEAL training there was nothing more uncomfortable than being a sugar cookie (a punishment to roll on the sand). Explaining the sad store of Lieutenant Martin (Moki) as how he got paralyzed and how never complained about it. Sometimes no matter how hard you try, no matter how good you are, you still end up as a sugar cookie. Don’t complain, don’t blame it on your misfortune, stand tall, look to the future, and drive on.

Failure can make you stronger 🏊‍♂️🏅

Explains about how the “Circus” (punishment) made them stronger and allowed them to come first in their final swim test. “In life you will face a lot of circuses. You will pay for your failure. But, if persevere, if you let these failure teach you and strengthen you, then you will be prepared to handle life’s toughest moments.”

You must dare greatly 🌟🎯

“Life is a struggle and the potential for failure is ever present, but those who live in fear of failure, or hardship, or embarrassment will never achieve their potential. Without pushing your limits, without occasionally sliding down the rope headfirst, without daring greatly, you will never know what is truly possible in life.

Stand up to the bullies 🦈💪

In life, to achieve your goals, to complete the night swim, you will have to be men & women of great courage. That courage is within all of us, dig deep and you will find it in abundance. he explains this by taking the example of how they overcome the fear of bullies in the form of white sharks in the night swim & the fear and intimidation of Saddam Hussein was decreased over time in the prison.

Rise to the occasion 🌌💡

As some point we will all confront a dark moment in life. If not the passing of a loved one, then something else that crushes your spirit & leaves you wondering about your future. In that dark moment, reach deep inside yourself and be your very best. Explains this with multiple examples such as, training in the dark water and using the equipment called death ring, giving guard of honour to the fallen ones, airplane crashed etc.

Give people hope 🌈🤲

Hope is the most powerful force in the universe. With hope you can inspire nations to greatness. With hope you can raise up the downtrodden. With hope you can ease the pain of unbearable loss. Sometimes all it takes is one person to make a difference. He explains this by taking an example of how one man’s spirit made all the difference in the Hell Week training (toughest training week in SEAL). How John Kelly consoled the families of fallen in plain shoot incident in Afghanistan.

Never, ever quit 🔔🚫

Life is full of difficult times, but someone out there always has it worse than you do. If you fill your days with pity, sorrowful for the way you have been treated, bemoaning your lot in life, blaming your circumstance on someone or something else, then life will be long and hard. If on the other hand, you refuse to give up on your dreams, stand tall and strong against the odds, then life will be what you make of it — and you can make it great. Never, ever ring the bell.

Explains how we should ever quit by taking his training days about how Ranger Bates did make his comeback with prosthetic legs after loosing his legs an year ago by a mine blast.

Final takeaway 🎯📝

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