Ten Tips for a Positive Mindset — Make Your Bed (A Book Review) · 4:55am Feb 2nd, 2018
Make Your Bed
By Willam H. Mcraven (Reviewed by B)
Wisdom. Advice. Motivation.
The three points of the book, though sometimes sounding like tidbits, are profound in their message and execution. Each chapter is a point, supported by a relevant story from the admiral's days as a Navy Seal, each concise in getting its theme across.
The video that stole the Facebook feed for a week and became a sensation for a little while longer. The footage itself surmises most of the points in the book, making for a pleasant pick-me-up. After watching, if you don't have any more interest in the admiral nor his words, than this book is not for you.
There are ten chapters.
INSTALLMENT 2 | SELF-IMPROVEMENT
TEN TIPS FOR A POSITIVE MINDSET
Make your bed every morning. Doing so starts the day off with a task done, flooding you with a feeling of accomplishment, fueling you to accomplish more tasks. The consistency of making your bed every morning teaches routine and determination.
The little things matter in life. It's easy to feel uneasy from a messy room, unpaid bills, and general anxiety as a whole. But by taking care of the small things, of making our beds and cleaning our rooms, we learn that the little things do matter because they build up.
By controlling the small things, we learn how to manage the big stuff.
People who can do what needs to be done, primarily all by themselves, are praised in our society. A self-efficient person who seems to be in control of their fate brings out inspiration in us all.
But that's only the superficial story. No matter how talented we are, it will never save us from life's unpredictable tragic moments. We should strive for self-efficiency, to surpass our plateau, but every man has his limit.
Our limit is outside our control. There is no way to surpass limit, and to think otherwise is bring about unnecessary turmoil in our bodies and minds. Once we reach our peak, limit is what holds us back, and the way pass it is to diminish it.
By having a team, of people you can rely on, our limit is pushed further away. We can do more, relax more, and continue to lands previously inaccessible.
The weight of the world will drive you to insanity, but with that burden shared upon multiple shoulders, it doesn't feel like such a burden after all.
We all inherit different qualities. Some are tall and ugly. Others are short with the voice of an angel. Few go on to write My Little Pony fan-fiction (sad face.)
Point is, our stature is outside our control, so there is little point in obsessing over our features. Don't judge people on such things, but on that which is inside their control. The size of someone's will—the determination to overcome their defects and become more—will trump stature any day.
Shit happens.
It's sad but true. An injury that could easily have been avoided, a job termination despite a good record, expulsion from school for an act you did not commit.
Misfortune is uncontrollable, though our reactions are.
Negativity met with further negativity creates only further turmoil. Do not let what is outside your control zap you of the few things that are—your will and your passion. To combat misfortune, become used to laughing both at it and yourself—indignation stems taking both seriously.
Embracing humiliation destroyer ego and fosters good heartiness.
In the Navy Seals, there is a punishment known as The Circus: punishment for falling behind in the current training course. After the session, you are to report for more training on top of what is already done, and expected to show up for next day's course. Of course, you're beyond tired, guaranteed to lack behind, be placed in The Circus, and the hopeless cycle continues.
For many, the pain is too much, and they drop out. But by enduring that extra torment, on becoming more as to the situation demands, at the end of the training, you will find yourself in better shape than your peers.
Failure and pain shouldn't be feared; the only way to become more is to overcome that which holds us back. Even when our status merits disgrace and scorn, they are merely criticisms to be overcome.
You haven't failed because you've incurred unforeseen suffering, just a chance to boost your adaptability, as well as grow stronger than ever before.
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 possibly in your life.
That quote is all you should need in order to dare greatly.
Bullies. You will find them everything. They are not left behind at school, or work, nor some other third thing. You will always find yourself in the face of a bully, and if you do not dare to face them, then they will rule your life till the day you die.
Bullies rely on the faint of heart for their strength. With courage, we can show how little control they have over us and make them back down, opening the path ahead not only for just us, but for all who have dealt with the same foe.
Courage and will matter above all else.
It's what gives us power.
Dark days are upon us.
Everyone has a reason to feel like shit. Some have greater reasons than others, but at the end of the day, we each possess an infinite supply of materiel to make us feel terrible.
We also have an infinite supply of materiel to make us feel good.
Don't get me wrong. There will be times we can't feel good, hurtful words that will not fade, moments where we just break-down—it's natural to find an outlet for those feelings and emotions, to channel them out.
But you have to understand, negative and negative doesn't make anything better. Everyone feeling down doesn't do anything for society.
If you rise above that darkness, the misery in your soul and the pain in your heart, seeking brightness without reason—you will become the crutch other rely on. You will be the one to pull others out of their darkness, to comfort the weak and give them back their strength, to change the situation to the best it can be.
Stand proud, keep positive, and bring comfort to those who need it.
Near the end of Seal Training, they have a week, of coursed, dubbed Hell Week. I'll skip the details of the agony those men endure, but at the apex of it all, any remaining trainees are submerged in freezing mud for six hours.
It is a matter of fuckin' mental stamina at that point.
You have to think. You have to focus on something other than the pain, of the constant shivering. Same with working out, if you concentrate on nothing but the pain, you will quickly give into despair, and soon after, give up.
So these men, instead, decided to give into hope. One man began to sing, others joking about how warm the mud was—anything to trick themselves out of the agony. The act was unbearable in solitude, but by each man opening up, of connecting and talking, singing and giving hope, it gave them a better chance of seeing the morrow as champions.
In agony, you must sing, smiling broadly to trick yourself in enduring the pain.
It's trite, cliché, but ever still true.
Never give up.
Giving up denies the future possibility to yourself, from achieving your future potential. Giving up is a choice, one, most likely, you will come to regret. You become more by doing more, so denying the possibility of chance, of endeavours, only leaves you stranded in stagnation.
Welp. That's that done.
Hope you guys found a nugget in those rambles that will do you some good. The book itself is worth the read, but I'm not sure it's worth the twenty-five dollar price tag (Canadians pay higher prices for books for some reason).
It should also be noted you do not have to agree with what is written. I will admit that some points were trite, but the admiral says with such vigor that you can help but feel motivated by reading his words. So even if you don't agree with the points, at least the idea of the points can get ya past a hard day.
Anyhow. I better get back to writing/drawing/some other third thing. Been a pleasure writing for y'all, and I hope you continue to read what I write.
Have a good one, folks.
~ B_25 ~
3/5
I have that book. Haven't read it, but is sounds solid. You better share those drawings. I will never forgive you otherwise .