Admiral William H. McRaven

As terrible as it sounds, every SEAL longs for a worthy fight, a battle of convictions, and an honorable war. War challenges your manhood. It reaffirms your courage. It sets you apart from the timid souls and bench sitters. It builds unbreakable bonds among your fellow warriors. It gives your life meaning.

If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.

If you want to change the world... measure a person by the size of their heart.

If you want to change the world... don’t be afraid of The Circus.

In my journey, I found that there was always someone better than me: someone smarter, stronger, faster, harder-working, more talented, more driven, more honest, more pious—just better than I was. It was humbling, but at the same time immensely reassuring. There were so many problems in the world that I could not solve, but maybe someone else could.

If you want to change the world... start singing when you’re up to your neck in mud.

If you want to change the world... don’t ever, ever ring the bell.

I learned that life is actually pretty simple. Help as many people as you can. Make as many friends as you can. Work as hard as you can. And, no matter what happens, never quit!

If you want to change the world... don’t back down from the sharks.

If you want to change the world... slide down the obstacle head first.

If you want to change the world... be your very best in the darkest moments.

Be the hero we need you to be—live the Hero Code.

For the next thirty-seven years, I would compare every tough situation I was in to the rigors of Hell Week. Throughout the rest of my career I was never as cold, or wet, or exhausted as I was in Hell Week, and therefore I knew whatever life threw at me, I could make it.

If you want to change the world... get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward.

If you want to change the world... find someone to help you paddle.