“Make Your Bed”
Last week my twelve-year-old granddaughter, Grace, was grand champion of her school’s speaking competition. Her speech was originally delivered on May 19, 2014 at the Commencement Exercises for the University of Texas at Austin by Admiral William McRaven, it was titled “Make Your Bed”. The overall theme of the speech was “if you want to change the world.” Amongst ten principals, the one that stands out is the importance of accomplishing the little things. Making your bed in the morning is a little task that begins your day, with a task accomplished you make room to accomplish another task and another and another. The further benefit of making your bed is after a long day you will come home to a perfectly made bed --- a bed that you made. The refrain of the speech is – if you want to change the world start by making your bed. The video of this powerful speech is well worth the search and Admiral McRaven is the Admiral we all imagine Admirals to be.
Grace accomplishes a lot during the day – making her bed, attending classes, tests, homework, athletics, community service, chores, homework, socializing and finally bed.. If you are looking for a reason to be positive about the future look no further than the twelve-year-old Graces of the world. I dare say she and her companions accomplish more in a day than the self-absorbed old folks that occupy positions of power.
We live in an accomplishment-oriented world. “What did you do today?” might be the first question asked of us. It might follow a “hello” or “how are you,” but it is definitely in the top three of queries to begin a conversation. It can sometimes feel invasive or at a minimum a competitive question that might even evolve into judgement. I recently returned from a trip and for some reason the time adjustment has been a bit challenging which is somewhat new for me. Nevertheless, I have been sensitive to the question of what did you do today because I have not done much. I do make my bed, so that is a plus. I have not been very social and do not have much to show for my day. I have a pretty good list of things that need to be done and more importantly that I want to complete.
So, is myself assessment overly critical? Perhaps it is the world we live in where accomplishment defines us as worthy of occupying the space we occupy. Living in a comparative world I see many around me working demanding jobs, working multiple jobs just to get by, or seeking better jobs without much success. They dont have the luxury of comparative accomplishment. They are just doing. If you are not accomplishing you feel left out of the race. The race to prove that the space we occupy is being put to good use and that we are worthy of that space.
One other problem with the daily accomplishment thing ---- why do I feel so unaccomplished when I see powerful leaders claiming they have accomplished much when in fact they have accomplished little. They have made proving they have accomplished something their accomplishment. I feel less accomplished this week and feel I have squandered my time in the space I occupy. I won’t change the world today but those pretenders made it worse. I don’t like measuring myself against them. However, I measure myself daily.
True accomplishment is within one’s self. It is, indeed, the little things that define you and your level of accomplishment. Feeling whole and understanding that you do all you can do everyday is enough. There is no comparison to be made. You do your best because you are your best. Be prideful in whatever you bring as long as you bring your authentic self. When you accomplish the little things the big things just come along for the ride.
Grace and the other Graces greet each day ready to accomplish. They are just doing…. They don’t dwell on yesterday. Every day is another day of achievement and that is why the world will be a better place as long as they keep doing the little things. They will change the world because they will support their friends, learn from their mistakes, they don’t judge others, they have hope and happy to start the next day.
Grace and other Graces will change the world ……because….
They Make Their Bed