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Make Your Bed by William McRaven | Book Summary

On May 17, 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven gave the “Make Your Bed” commencement speech at his alma mater, the University of Texas at Austin. He discussed the ten significant lessons he learned from his difficult Navy SEAL training.

Since then, he has encountered many people who wanted to know more. Thus, Admiral William McRaven was inspired to write the book, Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World , to detail the ten vital lessons:

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Make Your Bed by William McRaven

Small Things That Can Change Your Life… And Maybe the World

These lessons helped Admiral William McRaven overcome SEAL training and found that they applied to overcome life’s challenges. Each chapter of Make Your Bed provides more context and stories for each lesson from the original speech.

Download the PDF Book Summary for Make Your Bed

Chapter 1 – start your day with a task completed.

“If you want to change the world…start off by making your bed.”

Every day during basic SEAL training, William McRaven would wake up and make his bed properly. It was not an opportunity for praise but was expected by the training instructors. Making the bed right was important as this habit showed discipline and attention to detail. Throughout his Naval career, William McRaven could count on making his bed consistently every day.

When you make your bed first thing correctly, you eat that frog and start your day off right with a small task completed. It shows you that the small wins matter and will encourage you to endure the work that you have ahead of you throughout the day. By the end of the day, you will have accomplished many tasks. And when you return to the made bed, you will be reminded of the importance of this small task.

Chapter 2 – You Can’t Go It Alone

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

During SEAL training, the sailors are divided into boat crews of seven. The trainees have to work together to carry their raft on land or paddle it in the water to their destination. When someone often becomes sick or injured, the other teammates take on a greater share of the task. Like training, combat is so challenging that no one can endure it alone.

Later, William McRaven shares his story of a horrible parachute accident, which leaves him hospitalized for months. His boss helps him keep his career by finding a way to sidestep the required medical readiness evaluation. Throughout his career, William McRaven discusses the help received from those who had faith in him, saw his potential, and put their reputation on the line.

In life, you will deal with many obstacles and will need help to get over them. Thus, you build many strong relationships with friends, family, coworkers, mentors, etc. And always remember that your success depends on the help and guidance received from others along the way.

Chapter 3 – Only the Size of Your Heart Matters

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

In Make Your Bed, William McRaven discussed that Navy “SEAL training was always about proving something. Proving that size didn’t matter. Proving that the color of your skin wasn’t important. Proving that money didn’t make you better. Proving that determination and grit were always more important than talent.”

A year before his training, William McRaven recounts visiting the basic SEAL training facility in Coronado. While talking with someone about SEAL training, he saw a thin, quiet, reserved man looking at photos. This sight clouded McRaven with judgment of feeling better, stronger, and more prepared for SEAL training than this man. However, he found out that the man was Tommy Norris, who was one of the most decorated and toughest SEALs ever.

Your will to succeed depends on how much heart you have. Nothing else matters, including your size, race, ethnicity, educational level, or social status.

Chapter 4 – Life’s Not Fair—Drive On!

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

In SEAL training, one of the most painful punishments is being a sugar cookie. Instructors would punish trainees at whim, and they would have to get wet and then roll around in the sand. As many trainees strived for excellence, being punished was tough to accept, especially with no specific reason.

In Make Your Bed, William McRaven shares a story about Moki Martin, a SEAL instructor from his training days. Martin enjoyed long bike rides, but one day, he accidentally collided with another biker and was paralyzed from the waist down. Afterward, he did not complain and let his disability stop him. He drove on to live a full life.

“It is easy to blame your lot in life on some outside force, to stop trying because you believe fate is against you.” Sometimes, life’s not fair, and you will be a sugar cookie despite how much work you have done. Define yourself by how you overcome life’s unfairness. Do not complain or blame someone and move forward.

Chapter 5 – Failure Can Make You Stronger

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

One day during SEAL training, McRaven and his swim buddy finished last in a swim. Their punishment was enduring the Circus, which is an additional two hours of exercise that day. A Circus would cause more fatigue, making the next day harder with more Circuses likely to follow. Reoccurring Circuses forced many trainees to quit; however, McRaven and his buddy became much better swimmers and placed first in their final swim.

In July of 1983, William McRaven got fired from his squadron, leaving with a tarnished reputation. Fortunately, he was given another opportunity as the Officer in Charge of a SEAL platoon. McRaven used his previous failure as fuel to work hard and earn the respect of his men, which led him to succeed in the successive roles in his SEAL career.

In life, you will have failures and face Circuses. You will have to deal with the consequences, but you can overcome the failures. Your failures can educate, motivate, and strengthen you to be able to handle the difficult decisions to come.

Chapter 6 – You Must Dare Greatly

“If you want to change the world…slide down the obstacle headfirst.”

During SEAL training, the students had to run the obstacle course twice a week, with the most challenging obstacle being the “Slide for Life.” This step rope slide could be done either controllably slow by swinging underneath the rope or riskily fast by going headfirst on top. One day, William McRaven took the risk and went headfirst, finishing with a personal best time.

In Make Your Bed, William McRaven realized that risks were necessary to be a successful special operator. In 2004, William McRaven approved a risky hostage rescue mission that occurred during the day. The special forces team rescued the hostages, and the mission resulted in success.

Life will be difficult, and if you take risks, you may fail and deal with obstacles. You have to trust your abilities and overcome your fears to complete your work. Without daring greatly and getting out of your comfort zone, you will never achieve your full potential.

Chapter 7 – Stand Up to the Bullies

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

In SEAL training, students have to complete a four-mile night swim with the threat of many species of sharks. The instructors brief the trainees to deal with sharks by standing their grand and fighting them off if they try to attack. Since he wanted to be a SEAL so severely, William McRaven recalls that he gathered the courage to fight if necessary.

In Make Your Bed, William McRaven recounts his interactions with Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi president that was now a U.S. prisoner. Even as a prisoner, Hussein would instill fear in and intimidate. Iraqis that came to the room. However, McRaven felt that he had to stand up to Saddam and show him that he did not have power anymore.

Without clarity, other people will dictate your choices and path forward. Without courage, the bullies will take over and prey on the victims. Thus, you need to have a clear vision or goal for what you want to accomplish. Your vision will give you the courage to be a leader , overcome the obstacles, and stand up to the people in your way.

Chapter 8 – Rise to the Occasion

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

Towards the end of SEAL training, students have to swim underwater to a ship, plant a practice mine, and return to the beach without being detected. William McRaven recalls the instructors seeming as nervous as the trainees, because the dark, deafening sea significantly increased the risk of injury or death. In the darkest hour, the SEALs are trained to remain calm and maintain composure to complete their mission.

In Make Your Bed, William McRaven recounts the many sad moments of loss: “There is no darker moment in life than losing someone you love, and yet I watched time and again as families, as military units, as towns, as cities, and as a nation, how we came together to be our best during those tragic times.”

You will have dark moments in life, whether it is the death of a loved one or an intense tragedy. When these moments occur, you need to look deep within yourself and bring out your best. “You must rise above your fears, your doubts, and your fatigue. No matter how dark it gets, you must complete the mission. This is what separates you from everyone else.”

Chapter 9 – Give People Hope

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

The most challenging week of SEAL training or Hell Week is six days of no sleep, physical exercise, and harassment. On Wednesday of Hell Week, trainees spend all day in the freezing cold mudflats, being pressured by the instructors to quit.

During McRaven’s Hell Week, the class sang together to inspire and give each other hope. Later, he recalls a story of General John Kelley, who comforted and gave hope to the families of the fallen troops in a horrific helicopter firefight.

Hope is very powerful as it can inspire people and nations to greatness. In life, you will deal with loss and tragedy. And you can be the one to give hope that tomorrow will be better to ease the pain to lift yourself and those around you.

Chapter 10 – Never, Ever Quit!

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

SEAL training ends when you either complete it or quit by ringing the bell in the middle of the training compound. If you cannot endure the pain, harassment, and exercise, you can ring the bell, and it’s over. However, William McRaven never rang the bell and graduated.

In Make Your Bed, he states that this lesson of never quitting was the most important. Throughout his career, William McRaven would be inspired by individuals who would not give up. One story involves a severely injured soldier from a bomb blast who did not complain and eventually overcame the injuries.

You will have difficult moments in life; however, do not give up and trust the process . You can choose to fall prey to pity, discrimination, or sorrow. Or you can never give up on your dreams and yourself and overcome the obstacles.

“Remember… start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and 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—if you do these things, then you can change your life for the better… and maybe the world!

In his book, Make Your Bed , Admiral William McRaven provides ten powerful lessons from his SEAL training that will help you change the world. It encourages readers to take on life’s challenges and be willing to do even small things that can have a big impact.

As McRaven poignantly writes, “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.” McRaven gives the readers a good dose of motivation to get out there and cultivate success within our lives.

His thought-provoking book calls us to action – so get a copy of Make Your Bed now! If you need more inspiration or motivation, check out our post on productivity quotes .

Dev is a strategist, productivity junkie, and the founder of the Process Hacker !

I will help you scale and profit by streamlining and optimizing your operations and project management through simple, proven, and practical tools.

To get help for your business, check out my blog or book a call here !

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One thing that every 2014 graduate of the University of Texas has in common is that they were able to witness one of the most empowering and inspirational commencement speeches of our time.

Given by former Navy SEAL, Admiral William H. McRaven, this inspiring 20-minute speech offers timeless lessons that anyone can apply to their own life to overcome challenges, be more successful, and change the world.

Table of Contents

What Did Admiral McRaven Say in His Famous Speech?

In his speech, McRaven recognizes that while every person may be different, all of our struggles as humans are similar to each other. So while listeners may not be able to relate specifically to Admiral McRaven’s career in the Navy, his message is universal.

McRaven starts by focusing on the schools motto, “What starts here changes the world.” The motto in itself relays the message that graduating from the University of Texas is just the beginning of what’s to come.

Students graduate with the knowledge they have gained from their professors and peers, but once they leave, they have to apply those lessons to the real world.

No matter what career path you have chosen, you are sure to face challenges. You may decide that some are too big to overcome or too complicated to deal with.

However, McRaven uses UT’s motto to call people to action. Don’t settle for how things are or how they have always been if they can be improved. Make an effort today to create a change in the world.

Throughout the rest of his speech, McRaven recounts his life as a Navy SEAL following his own graduation from the University of Texas and the ten most important lessons that he learned from his initial six months of basic training.

You can view the full speech here:

This speech touched so many people that it led to the publishing of McRaven’s #1 New York Times Best Seller, Make Your Bed .

Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World

But what insight did Admiral McRaven gain during his time in the Navy and how can those lessons be implemented into everyone else’s life?

In this article, I will delve into the five biggest lessons that you can take away from this commencement speech to help you change the world, and I will reveal what Admiral McRaven is really telling people when he says to make your bed .

Lesson #1: Make Your Bed Every Morning

Starting your day off by completing a task will initiate your momentum to do the next task, and then the next, and so on. It will give you a sense of accomplishment that you will want to continue to feel throughout the day.

If you can’t complete a small and mundane task each morning such as making your bed, you can’t expect yourself to be able to complete more complicated tasks moving forward.

If you end up having an unproductive or otherwise negligible day, you will still come home and be reminded that you completed that one task, which can instill hope that you will have a better or more productive day tomorrow.

In your life, the small task that jumpstarts your day may not literally be making your bed. But the point is to find one task that you can make into a habit that will slowly start to get to the root of a problem you’re facing or inch toward a goal for which you’re reaching.

As long as you accomplish this task every day, you will be starting off on the right foot. Set this task up as a routine, so no matter what, this one thing gets completed every day.

Make sure the task you choose is meaningful to you and your team. While tucking in sheets may not feel meaningful to you, as a Navy SEAL heading to bed after a long day of training, a neatly made bed would provide meaningful comfort and a sense of reward.

What task do you do every day that provides value when all is said and done? Identify a task that you derive a clear value from when you look back at your previous state.

Lesson #2: You Can’t Change the World Alone

In McRaven’s speech, he describes rafting through the tall waves of the sea at night with three rowers on each side of the boat and one guide at the bow.

Apply this idea of team work to your life. You will always work with people who have various talents, but you need a balance of skills and abilities in order to succeed. Like Admiral McRaven, you want to be able to balance out those who can work at a faster pace with those who take more time, but produce high-quality work.

In order to make a difference, you also need to have the support of friends, family, co-workers, and others who share your vision. You need a strong team of people behind you to help you along your way.

This means it is important to nurture as many relationships as you can throughout life to ultimately be successful and to always recognize the role that other people played in your triumphs.

In turn, be willing to help out others who are on your team. Don’t prevent other people from learning or growing by keeping a task to yourself. Instead, be a leader and help your team along by encouraging everyone to grow and preventing just one person from taking on the entire load.

Consider your strengths and the progress your team could make together if you shared your expertise with them.

Lesson #3: Perfection Doesn’t Exist

While in training, Admiral McRaven underwent uniform inspections by his instructors, which he (and his fellow students) would fail on every occasion, no matter how hard they tried to prepare for it.

The instructors would always find something wrong with the students’ efforts, which would result in them having to endure a grueling run into the water, fully clothed, and a roll through the sand before spending the rest of the day in their dirty uniform.

Those who couldn’t accept the fact that their labor went unappreciated were the ones who didn’t make it through training. They were trying to reach a level of perfection that doesn’t exist.

People who focus on perfection hold unattainable standards for themselves and are overly concerned with how others perceive them. They don’t see mistakes as being an opportunity for growth , but rather a sign of failure.

Because of this, perfectionists rarely realize their full potential. Admiral McRaven’s advice here is to get over your failures and move on.

Lesson #4: Don’t Be Afraid of the Challenges That You Face

Whether it is a failure of some sort, an obstacle that you have to overcome, or an unexpected turn of events, don’t be afraid to face the things that try to break you down on your path to success.

Realize that these hurdles are most often opportunities to gain strength and resilience, which will make success more likely in the end.

Everyone will face challenges at times that may even make you want to quit. However, recognizing your ability to fight through these tough times will help you advance past subsequent barriers as your strength continues to multiply.

Furthermore, prepare yourself for the possible challenges you may face by doing small things each day that will make challenges in the future seem less intimidating.

For example, if you have a personal goal of reducing expenses , how often are you taking the time to review your spending ? How are you preparing yourself to face an unexpected bill? You have to take little steps to help make any potential challenges more approachable, no matter what line of work you’re in.

Lesson #5: Be Your Best In Your Darkest Moments

One thing that is certain is that you will face dark moments during your life. You will experience the death of a loved one and other events that leave you questioning the future. It is often difficult to imagine your life improving during these testing times.

While you may feel like you’ve lost the hope of deriving joy from life again, it is during these most difficult times that you dig deep inside yourself and bring out your best self.

Moving forward despite your feelings of helplessness will give you the necessary chance to come out on the other side and begin your journey of healing.

During these times, focus on the things you have rather than the things that you need. Capitalize on your strengths to help you get through these dark moments and remember that you have more inner strength than you will probably ever realize.

Final Thoughts on the Make Your Bed Speech

While few people have first-hand experience enduring the infamously difficult training that is required to become a Navy SEAL, Admiral McRaven offers lessons in his commencement speech that are universally applicable.

Everyone can relate to his message that even if you work as hard as you possibly can, you will still face failure at times. The key to being successful and changing the world, however, is to keep getting back up.

You have a choice each time you fail to either quit or find a lesson from the failure and move on. In order to change the world, you have to never, ever give up .

And if you're looking for more small habits that can change your life forever that only take five minutes or less to complete, watch the video below:

Connie Mathers is a professional editor and freelance writer. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. When she is not writing, Connie is either spending time with her daughter and two dogs, running, or working at her full-time job as a social worker in Richmond, VA.

Finally, if you want to take your goal-setting efforts to the next level, check out this FREE printable worksheet and a step-by-step process that will help you set effective SMART goals .

Make Your Bed Summary

1-Sentence-Summary: Make Your Bed encourages you to pursue your goals and change the lives of others for the better by showing that success is a combination of individual willpower and mutual support.

Favorite quote from the author:

Table of Contents

Video Summary

Make your bed review, audio summary, who would i recommend the make your bed summary to.

In 2014 Admiral William H. McRaven gave the commencement address at the University of Texas at Austin. While encouraging the students to improve the world , he gave many life lessons that could be of help. He had learned most of them during his Navy SEAL training – 6 months of runs in the sand, obstacles courses, unending calisthenics and continuous harassment by veterans, who wanted only the strongest to get to the end of it. 

As a cadet, McRaven learned that success doesn’t depend on social status, race or religion. It’s not how good your parents were to you or which school you went to that determines your future. It’s a combination of the little actions and help from others that makes people successful.

The admiral’s speech went viral on Youtube and later became a book .

In Make Your Bed: Small things that can change your life… and maybe the world , McRaven stresses that life is unfair, as everybody knows. In fact, what defines great men and women is how they deal with life’s unfairness. People like Helen Keller, Nelson Mandela, Stephen Hawking are just a few examples.

Here are my 3 favorite lessons about leveraging self-discipline and teaming up for a meaningful life:

• Making your bed first thing in the morning can lead to many tasks completed by the end of the day.
• If you want to change the world, never ever ring the bell.
• Find someone to help you paddle if you want to make a real difference in the world.

Do you want to be prepared for life challenges? Let’s see what we can learn from a Navy veteran who has held impressive key roles inside and outside the military!

If you want to save this summary for later, download the free PDF and read it whenever you want.

Lesson 1: Making the bed can boost your productivity and even give you hope in the bad days.

As a US SEAL cadet, McRaven had to make his bed to perfection first thing after waking up.

If he failed to follow the bed-making code, he had to perform the sugar cookie ritual, which has nothing to do with treats, as you can imagine. It’s more about diving into the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean and then rolling around on the beach until you are covered with sand head to toe. But why is making your bed so important?

While it may seem trivial when big assignments are waiting for you outside, starting off with this small task makes you feel a little proud and ready to deal with the rest of your tasks. And if you have a miserable day, coming back to a bed made – by you – will make you feel tomorrow will be better.

After a serious injury, McRaven spent many months lying on a hospital bed that had been wheeled into his government quarters. When he was finally able to stand up unaided, the first thing he did was adjusting the bed. 

It was his way of showing that he was recovering and moving forward.

Lesson 2: If you want to make a difference in life, never give up, learn from failures and keep improving yourself.

During the SEAL training , McRaven and his fellows had to withstand uncountable challenges of strength and courage . Giving up at any time was very easy: they just had to ring a bell hanging in the center of the compound and they would be free, immediately.

Never ring the bell if you want to achieve big goals in life.

You may have heard of the Circus, another legendary punishment known to make many cadets quit the SEAL training. It’s two hours of additional calisthenics, paired with non-stop harassment by SEAL combat veterans.

During the training, McRaven was part of a swim team that constantly came in last place and had to face the Circus many times a week. At the moment of the graduation test though, they came in first: all those hours of calisthenics had made them stronger. 

Life is full of Circuses. You fail, you keep training yourself, you get stronger .

Once McRaven’s team had to swim 4 miles in the dark. Scary enough in itself, but that night there were even reports of big white sharks near the coast. Since it was the only way to complete the SEAL training, they swam anyway.

If you want to achieve your full potential in life, don’t let fear stops you.

Lesson 3: Life is a struggle. To accomplish great things you need to fight. But you can’t do it alone: you need teammates.

SEAL cadets also have to overcome Hell Week, 7 days of endurance tests when many of them call it quits.

During their Hell Week, McRaven and his fellows had to spend a whole night sitting, covered in cold mud. In the middle of the test, some of them seemed ready to give up . Then one man began to sing. One by one the others followed him. Suddenly the mud felt less cold and the dawn closer.

Sometimes life gets very hard: the loss of someone you love, a disease or something you are not prepared for may crush your spirit. These are the moments when you need to dig inside yourself and bring out all your strength . But you also need the help of your friends and family.

Years ago the author was badly wounded in a parachute accident and he had to go through months of recovery and rehabilitation. He’s sure he would have surrendered to self-pity and depression if his wife hadn’t been there to support him.

In McRaven’s view, life is like a small rubber boat: you cannot paddle it alone. It takes a team of good people to get you where you want to go. So, as he says,

“Find someone to share your life with. Never forget that your success depends on others.”

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The 17-year-old discouraged about what he can do in life since he lives in a poor neighborhood, the 36-year-old who doesn’t like his life and blames it on his parents, and anyone who feels unlucky, demotivated or just lazy.

Last Updated on December 5, 2022

Clara Lobina

Clara is a SEO content strategist, writer, and proofreader from Sardinia, Italy. She is a cofounder, head of content, and COO of Botteega, a delivery service for local goods from high-quality shops and farmers. Clara wrote a total of 16 summaries for us. When she's not working on her own or her client's blogs, she teaches and does yoga. My favorite project of hers is Come L'Acqua — "Like Water" — a personal growth and mindfulness blog (in Italian).

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Sam Thomas Davies

Make Your Bed by William H. McRaven

Hardcover | Audiobook  |  Get My Searchable Collection of 100+ Book Notes

Rating: 3/5

The Book in Three Sentences

• Make Your Bed is based on Admiral William H. McRaven’s commencement speech for the graduating class from the University of Texas at Austin.
• In it, McRaven shares the ten lessons he learned from Navy SEAL training.
• They are simple lessons that deal with overcoming the trials of SEAL training, but the ten lessons are equally important in dealing with the challenges of life—no matter who you are.

Want a Free Copy of My Summary?

Make your bed summary.

• Start your day with a task completed
• You can’t go at it alone
• Only the size of your heart matters
• Life’s not fair—drive on!
• Failure can make you stronger
• You must dare greatly
• Stand up to the bullies
• Rise to the occasion
• Give people hope
• Never, ever quit!

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

Nothing can replace the strength and comfort of one’s faith, but sometimes the simple act of making your bed can give you the lift you need to start your day and provide you the satisfaction to end it right.

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

You cannot paddle the boat alone. Find someone to share your life with. Make as many friends as possible, and never forget that your success depends on others.

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

If you want to change the world … get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward. (If a Navy SEAL fails to follow basic requirements (such as making their bed perfectly), they’re instructed to roll around on the beach until they’re covered head to toe with wet sand—referred to as a “sugar cookie”).

The common people and the great men and women are all defined by how they deal with life’s unfairness:

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!

If you want to change the world … don’t be afraid of The Circus. (In Navy SEAL training, “The Circus” is another two hours of additional calisthenics, combined with non-stop harassment by SEAL combat veterans who want only the strong to survive the training.)

In life, you will face a lot of Circuses. You will pay for your failures. But, if you persevere, if you let those failures teach you and strengthen you, then you will be prepared to handle life’s toughest moments.

True leaders must learn from their failures, use the lessons to motivate themselves, and not be afraid to try again or make the next tough decision.

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

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 your life.

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

In life, to achieve your goals, to complete the night swim, you will have to be men and women of great courage. That courage is within all of us. Dig deep, and you will find it in abundance.

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

Advice from one of McRaven’s chief petty officers: “Tonight, you will have to be your very best. You must rise above your fears, your doubts, and your fatigue. No matter how dark it gets, you must complete the mission. This is what separates you from everyone else.”

At 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 and leaves you wondering about your future. In that dark moment, reach deep inside yourself and be your very best.

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

We will all find ourselves neck deep in mud someday. That is the time to sing loudly, to smile broadly, to lift up those around you and give them hope that tomorrow will be a better day.

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

Of all the lessons McRaven learned in SEAL training, this was the most important. Never quit. It doesn’t sound particularly profound, but life constantly puts you in situations where quitting seems so much easier than continuing on. Where the odds are so stacked against you that giving up seems the rational thing to do.

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 circumstances 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!

Recommended Reading

If you like Make Your Bed , you may also enjoy the following books:

• The 7 Habits of Highly-Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
• Ego Is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday
• The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday

Buy The Book: Make Your Bed

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Make Your Bed Book Summary, Review, Notes

“Make Your Bed” by Admiral William McRaven is an uplifting and inspiring book that draws on the author’s experiences as a Navy SEAL and his training to give readers tips for getting ahead in life. McRaven’s hard-won collection of life lessons includes lessons on taking risks, not giving up, and working with others .

The book’s main idea is that making your bed every morning is a good way to start building the habits and self-discipline you need to do well in anything. The author says that these seemingly small steps can lead to big changes if taken with a positive attitude and a willingness to work hard.

Book Title— Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life… And Maybe Even the World. Author— Admiral William McRaven Date of Reading— May 2023 Rating— 9/10

Table of Contents

What is being said in detail, chapter 1.   start your day with a task completed dealing with inner conflict.

McRaven explains his fundamental opinion that people with solid foundations and ideas follow regular routines.

Discipline and organization are the cornerstones of trustworthiness and success. It’s the opposite for McRaven, who recalls his time guarding Saddam Hussein following his capture by US forces and says that Hussein “never made his bed.”

Navy SEALS are typically obliged to report to morning drills at a specified time and to go to sleep at a specific time. Arriving one minute late for morning workouts might result in hours or even days of punishment. 

Consequently, after a few days in camp, a Navy SEAL realizes that deviating a little from what is demanded of him can mean misfortune. Self-discipline needs that you always adhere to your strategy regardless of the distractions .

The same is true for anybody desiring success. When things don’t go according to plan, it’s important to stick to your strategy, even if it means finding a new way to accomplish your goals.

While you are aware that you should continue and adhere to your plans and goals, a part of you, may, at some point, wish to throw in the towel and give up. 

However, there is a part of you that desires to continue pushing until you attain your objectives. This internal struggle is referred to as “inner conflict,” and it is the primary impediment to self-discipline.

The first step toward developing self-discipline is to learn and recognize how to resolve internal conflict.

When it comes to Navy SEALs, they have instructors who are always pushing them, making sure that they don’t have any time to think about their own thoughts and feelings. Either they follow the rules, or they will be punished or removed from the institution.

You, on the other hand, do not have Navy SEAL instructors, so you must learn how to be your own mentor. You can do this by “recognizing your opponent.”

There are usually two opposing sides in any battle. The reason you are frequently unsure which side to take is that there is not always a right or wrong answer. Part of your wishes to preserve your energy and stay stress-free, which is good for your health on all levels, body, mind, and spirit alike, because you would be at peace.

However, the force driving you to follow through on your plans and accomplish your goals realizes that in order to sustain happiness and peace of mind for an extended period of time, you must first work to accomplish your goals in the short term. That part of you knows that if you work hard now, you’ll have plenty of time later on to relax.

Now, while you are in the midst of internal conflict, you should learn to discern which side to listen to, and you must listen to the side that makes the most logical case.

You must avoid making rash decisions at all costs.  Navy SEALS are well-known for not making abrupt, impulsive judgments because the decision, may put them in serious trouble. 

You must adopt a similar mindset and recognize that each and every decision and action you take has a substantial impact on your life and future, and that each and every choice must be thoroughly evaluated.

CHAPTER 2. YOU CAN’T GO IT ALONE

While training as a SEAL, McRaven and his small raft crew were required to carry their rubber raft with them at all times. The rest of the team had to work harder if one member was slacking off. There were always others to help and support one another if one member was ill or weak.

McRaven was reminded of this lesson many years later when he was injured during a parachute jump. The long and difficult recuperation was made easier by his wife’s constant support and her ability to keep him from sinking into self-pity. Whether in civilian or military life, we all rely on the assistance and support of those around us.

He still remembers that during these times, the other members of the crew would step up to the plate. In order to keep digging, the others would paddle even harder. 

Members of the group would donate some of their own food to aid the sick or injured person’s recovery. Afterwards, when the crew member was feeling better, he would do the same for the other person in return.

This test demonstrated to them that they could not complete SEAL training on the basis of their own strength. They discovered that they would be unable to survive fighting on their own. 

You can’t get through the tough moments all by yourself, and this lesson applies to regular life as well. You need the help of those who are close to you. Twenty-five years later, McRaven still held this philosophy.

As a leader , you must play a variety of roles. Even if you’re leading a small group or a large-scale organization, these responsibilities tend to be present. Management is an example of one of these roles. As a matter of fact, management is so important that it is almost regarded as a synonym for leadership.

Management is defined as the process of dealing with people and things, according to the dictionaries. While management is present at all levels of the hierarchical system, it is of particular importance to those in positions of leadership. Here are a few of the reasons why good management is a powerful weapon in the battle against leadership difficulties.

CHAPTER  3. ONLY THE SIZE OF YOUR HEART MATTERS

During SEAL training, it looked as if everyone was attempting to prove something to the rest of the group. He relates an incident that happened before he became a SEAL, when he was in college and participated in the ROTC program. 

On an informal visit to a SEAL training center in Coronado, one of the officers introduced him to someone he had previously seen in the hallway.

McRaven was taken aback to see the slender, almost frail-looking man in a facility known for extraordinarily strong and powerful special operations soldiers. It wasn’t until he met this gentle-appearing man that McRaven recognized he needed to stop looking at appearances when developing judgments of what people were capable of doing.

The size of your heart is the most important factor in determining your worth.

Make a plan for the next five to ten years and stick to it! Do you aspire to be the company’s financial director? Do you aspire to be the boss of your own company? Do you want to generate passive income?

There are no two people’s objectives that are exactly alike, and if you create goals based on what other people have set, you’ll be disappointed and they won’t be sufficient to keep you motivated. You’ll be more likely to stick with your objectives if you think about what you want your life to be like and create specific goals to get there.

If you only think about the things you want in life, such as “I want to have a car.” That sort of thinking will make the path more difficult. This is because it looks like a big goal that would be hard to reach. 

However, if you break down this aim and establish a goal like, “I’m going to save $5,000 this year toward purchasing my own car at the end of the year,” your goal becomes smaller and more manageable. You should break down your long-term goals into smaller ones once you have set down all of your long-term life goals.

Starting with five-year, one-year, monthly, weekly, and daily goals is a great way to organize your priorities. Every single day, you should be actively working towards those goals in order to keep attention and the essential amount of discipline that would enable you to achieve them.

To achieve your goals, you must have a clear picture of the steps you need to take. Break down those actions into smaller, more manageable parts. If, for example, you want to buy a house in the next few years but your wage only covers the cost of a car, you’ll need a better career and possibly additional sources of income.

Although, multitasking can be a good thing, but it isn’t always beneficial. One step at a time from your list of possible courses of action should be your primary focus. 

If you’re working on your resume first, devote all of your time and energy to it, and then go on to something else only once you’ve completed that task. If you’re looking for a job this week, don’t switch gears until you’ve found one that works for you.

When you concentrate on a single task at a time, it’s much easier to keep your mind organized and your self-control strong. The more tasks you have, the more likely it is that you will procrastinate and have internal conflict, which can stop you from getting things done and making progress.

To truly develop mental toughness, you must keep raising the bar. Beginning SEAL training, a Navy SEAL is given a series of less and more challenging tasks to perform, which gradually get tougher. Setting the bar higher and higher is the only way to build true mental toughness.

CHAPTER  4. LIFE’S NOT FAIR-DRIVE ON!

It’s easy to blame outside forces for one’s misfortune, to give up, and to believe that it’s pointless to try to change the course of destiny. It’s easy to believe that your upbringing and education shape your destiny. 

Nothing could be more false. Admiral William H. McRaven recalls the uniform inspections in this chapter in order for us to understand this point.

While he was on the Navy Seal, uniform inspections were done meticulously. The belt buckle had to be polished and free of scuffs, and the cap had to be perfectly starched. Nevertheless, despite the trainees’ best attempts, their attire was never considered enough. They were often criticized by their professors.

As a result of the uniform check, the soldier who didn’t pass was punished with the “sugar cookie.” This practice consisted of jumping into the ocean in full uniform. Afterwards, they had to roll in the sand until every inch of his body was completely covered with sand. The rest of the day would be spent sandy, wet, and freezing.

In truth, the goal of this exercise was to demonstrate that no matter how much work is put into achieving a flawless uniform, it is still unattainable. When bad luck strikes , you have to embrace the fact that you may be a part of the problem. The learner can be subjected to this apparent torment at any time to serve as a reminder to them that life isn’t always fair or easy.

By the time McRaven was assigned the sugar cookie penalty, it had been given to him by an instructor called Moki Martin, a clever and skilled soldier who later became disabled in an accident on his bike. Moki never questioned why this occurred to him; he simply adapted to the shift in his life and moved on. 

Self-pity and remorse have no value in the long run. A successful person does not question what cards they have been dealt; instead, they play the hand with the best of their abilities and see what comes out of it.

Next, McRaven shows us how to anticipate things and expand our creative brainpower. He discusses the types of projects that we should be planning. As well as when and how they should be planned.

Typical Planning Steps

• Make a Detailed Strategy
• Thinking Outside the Box
• Set a Date in Your Calendar
• Organize Your Living Areas

Finally, if you’ve developed the habit of directing your energy in the appropriate direction, it’s time to commit to excellence. It’s not enough to accomplish your goals and be successful at them. 

In order to grow, you must invest in yourself. You’ve already achieved one of the many goals you set for yourself. Becoming the best version of yourself is a matter of “Being All That You Can Be!”

CHAPTER  5. FAILURE CAN MAKE YOU STRONGER

During their Navy training, William H. McRaven and the other trainees had to regularly demonstrate their physical talents on a variety of challenging tests. They were all meant to test the candidates’ mental toughness as well as their physical endurance and stamina. The duration and number of repetitions for each exercise were clearly stated.

As a result, if a candidate was unsuccessful, they were added to a list. A “Circus” was planned for everyone on the list at the end of the day. A “Circus” was two extra hours of calisthenics aimed at persuading candidates to resign. 

A “Circus,” in addition to showing that the trainee was not up to the task that day, also suggested that he would be even more tired, which meant that the next day would be even more tough, increasing the likelihood of another Circus.

During the training, however, everyone, without exception, ends up on the Cirque’s list at some point. Even more astounding for individuals who were always on that list was how much stronger they were by completing an additional two hours of calisthenics a day over the course of time. 

This Circus build inner strength and physical toughness with their grueling workouts. You will become more resilient if you experience failure.

It’s common for people to wait until it’s too late before they notice that their negative self-talk is having an effect on their behavior.  As humans, we all encounter difficulties at one point or another. It’s impossible to prevent it.

With experience and habits, we may overcome our human nature’s tendency to avoid problems and find the easy way out of difficult situations. We must first understand it in order to overcome it.

In a variety of situations, we feel the need to flee from the difficulties that confront us. The author sorted them into three groups based on how challenging they were to overcome.

• Challenges that we’ve already failed at
• New challenges that we are unfamiliar with
• Challenges we’ve overcome in the past.

Negative thoughts can manifest in a slew of different ways. One of the most common is mentally replaying a poor event in the same situation. All the bad things that happened as a result of your failure, including being laughed at, are still fresh in your mind. 

It’s all part of our built-in defense system. As a result, they will ensure that we avoid any obstacles that could potentially “hurt” ourselves. As a result, our task is to battle these natural tendencies and confront these obstacles head-on, hopefully defeating them.

It’s the only way we can learn and grow that we have to face and overcome obstacles over and over again in order to keep progressing. If you do this enough, you’ll become addicted to it because life gets boring and monotonous when there are no new challenges to overcome.

CHAPTER  6. YOU MUST DARE GREATLY

It was mandatory for Navy SEAL recruits to complete the “Combat Course” at least twice a week while they were in basic training. A three-meter-high wall, a nine-meter-sided net, and barbed wire were among the twenty-five obstacles in the course.

A thirty-meter rope crossing between nine-meter and three-meter towers was the most demanding test for the author. Rather than clambering up the tallest tower, you had to grab a rope and hang from it like a koala, then pull yourself up to the three-meter tower with your arms until your arms gave out from the strain.

There was a speed record in place for this race that had been established years earlier. As if it couldn’t be topped. However, one day, a student made a radical reversal in their course of action. 

As opposed to hanging from the end of the rope, he decided to climb it and pull himself over to the other end. His training would be effectively finished by an accidental fall from such an altitude. 

He didn’t hesitate, however, and ended up breaking the record by a long shot. In the weeks following the incident, McRaven admitted that he had conquered his fear and made it to the other side of the rope headfirst for the first time.

People who are emotionally healthy and conscious of their thoughts and behaviors are better able to deal with the stresses and anxieties that are a normal part of daily life. 

If you poison it with bad ideas, the body quickly deteriorates and becomes immersed in disease and worry. Negative thoughts are rooted in and stem from the mind, and they are clearly communicated when the body is unwell.

People that are susceptible to negative thoughts are those who are constantly afraid.

A clean body is the result of a clean mind and heart. Thought is the root of both action and life. Hence, every action is based on a thought. Only if you are aware of your feelings and how you control them, can you improve your emotional well-being.

Meditation and other relaxation techniques might help you put your emotions back into balance.

CHAPTER  7. STAND UP TO THE BULLIES

The Navy SEALs are the first people who need to keep their emotions, particularly their anxieties, in check because they’re constantly exposed to life-threatening situations. 

The Navy SEALs are the ideal people to learn from when it comes to mastering terror control. They use a strategy called “The Big Four,” which has four components: goals, visualization, positive self-talk, and reactivity regulation.

In war, this level of bravery defies all concepts of patriotism and instead reflects the purity of the fearless spirit and is the ultimate epitome of sacrifice and loyalty to the soldier beside you in combat.

Setting goals is as prevalent among successful individuals as breathing is among those who aren’t. The distinction between average, successful people and Navy SEALs is that the SEALs’ goals are very explicit and specific, as opposed to general or ambiguous. 

How precise can you be? Their goals are separated into micro, short-term, intermediate, and long-term objectives.

Consider the Navy SEALs’ BUDS training program as an illustration of how exact they can be in defining goals. Rather than seeing the program as a six-month commitment, the most successful candidates broke it down into smaller, more manageable parts. 

A good illustration of this is their early morning 90-minute grinder sessions, which take place before they eat their breakfast. Before they think about anything else, they concentrate solely on completing the 90-minute program. So much so that they even further divide it up into sets, on which they concentrate solely. 

By breaking down their goals into smaller, more manageable chunks that are both specific and basic, they are better able to concentrate on a single objective at a time. 

As a result, Navy SEALs have a unique ability to keep track of and deal with their own problems because they set short-term goals and then work these goals into larger ones that are more long-term.

Why not use it in your personal life as well? Make a daily to-do list of the things you have to get done. Instead of looking at your schedule on a daily basis, look at it on a task-by-task basis. Concentrate your efforts and attention on a single task at a time , as the successful Navy SEAL candidates do. 

Put off starting a new task until you’ve finished the existing one completely. The mind of a Navy SEAL, on the other hand, is trained to be relentless in the pursuit of a goal through this method.

CHAPTER 8. RISE TO THE OCCASION

As part of their training to become SEALs, trainees learn how to attack enemy ships with submarines. With only a depth gauge and a compass, one of the tasks involves swimming more than three kilometers underwater to reach the destination. 

Even from a great distance, you can still see the lights of the nearby harbor. But as soon as they get close enough to have a look, the lights go out. The metal frame of the ship shuts out the moonlight, the street lighting, and the ambient light.

The trainees’ task is to  locate the ship’s keel in the darkest and most remote portion of the ship. To do so, they’ll have to dive beneath the ship. When the machinery starts up, the noise level quickly rises to unbearable levels. With so much going on, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle.

Every Navy SEAL knows that if you want to rely on your tactical and physical skills, you have to remain calm under the keel, where it is darkest. That is the place where the inner strength of everyone is revealed. To make a difference in the world, you must give your all, even when things look gloomiest.

Admiral William H. McRaven believes that facing and overcoming one’s anxieties, doubts, and exhaustion are critical. Everything depends on him finishing his assignment successfully, regardless of what occurs.

According to recent findings, the brain functions similarly to a muscle. Depending on how much effort you put into it, its condition either improves or worsens. Even if the brain does benefit from “exercise,” it’s not something we’re used to thinking of as a necessity. Here are the actions you can take to accomplish that.

• Battle-proofing

Emergency conditioning, or “battle-proofing,” is the process of training your brain to handle the stress of combat. While lying in their bunks, Navy SEALs try to imagine they are in the thick of battle. It’s important for them to picture the sights, smells, physical exertion, and tiredness that they might see and smell in the middle of a fight, as well as other things.

Furthermore, the more details you include in your imagined experience, the more deeply embedded it is in your brain. So, whether you’re running a race or fighting in a battle, the more vividly you’ve visualized it, the better prepared you are for the event.

The term “trigger” can refer to a variety of things, but in this context of Navy SEAL mental fitness, the trigger is that which you have decided to focus on in order to kickstart all of your training. Think about what you want your trigger to be before you do anything else. 

This image can serve as a reminder of whatever is most important to you right now. You’ll save the use of your trigger for those moments when it’s absolutely critical, or in the case of the SEALs, if it’s life or death. When you use the trigger, your mental and physical strength are brought together, and you are ready to face anything that comes your way.

• Changing your story

A productive person will either make the appropriate phone call, take the appropriate action, or simply stand by and do nothing at all. There will be occasions when any of these options will be the best reaction, but losing your calm is rarely the appropriate thing to do.

• Waiting for the next best answer

While it’s important to pay attention to your gut feelings, there’s a vast difference between following your instincts and acting on impulses. 

Taking action on the spur of the moment, when adrenaline is pumping, is nearly always a mistake. It is very, very likely that you will choose the smarter option if you take your time, slow down, and wait for your instinctual, smart answer.

This is what Navy SEALs are trained to do. They work very hard to avoid acting on a hunch or a gut feeling. As the situation worsens, this becomes increasingly critical. It’s up to you whether or not to go with the second idea that pops into your head or stick with your initial plan. In the end, it’s up to you. The most crucial thing is to decide on the best next step.

CHAPTER  9. GIVE PEOPLE HOPE

Hell Week, the most difficult week of SEAL training, includes six days of no sleep, strenuous physical activity, and verbal and physical abuse. Instructors put trainees under extreme stress on the mudflats on Wednesday of Hell Week, forcing them to give up and leave.

They would be exposed to six days of torment and little sleep during Hell Week. This week was designed to pick out individuals who didn’t have what it takes to be a SEAL, and they were expected to perform at a high level.

This training portion of a SEAL’s journey is a life-altering experience. There are many benefits to mental testing, even for individuals who fail to make it through training. An individual will be able to take the required measures to become the best version of themselves. 

It’s impossible to return to one’s pre-training self. In the end, they’ll be better equipped to deal with anything that comes their way. This will have a long-term impact on their well-being.

That same mental strength may be develo ped and strengthened by people who are not interested in attending SEAL training. The mental strength it will require to achieve one’s goals is something we rarely consider when setting goals for ourselves. 

Whether or not you run 20 minutes a day to lose 30 pounds is a mental decision that must be made only if you are determined to do it. To achieve a goal takes more than a few tweaks to your daily routine; it also demands mental preparation.

People realize that they live the way they do because it’s convenient for them. It doesn’t matter if we aren’t progressing, losing weight, or becoming a better version of ourselves; our daily routines have made us happy. 

To be successful, one must be willing to adapt to new situations. What is effective today may not be effective in the future.

When confronted with the demon of comfort, it is challenging yet rewarding to take a risk. Their perception of themselves prior to Hell Week is vastly different from who they are today. 

That previous version was never going to be good enough or successful enough for us to move on with it. The newly retrained SEAL is fully capable of completing any mission.

The objective is to make you realize that standing still does not work. Get out of your comfort zone, improve yourself, and pursue the dreams you’ve had for a long time. There is a glimmer of optimism, and it is conceivable for things to change. 

Don’t ever forget this. However, in order to achieve transformation, it requires a great deal of mental preparation. Because it’s hard, don’t be discouraged, because the rewards are enormous. In the best-case scenario, you’ll be able to look back on this time and see a completely different person.

When it comes to survival, William H. McRaven believes that we all have the ability to overcome our obstacles. We all have the potential to serve as role models for others. By clinging to hope, it is possible to alleviate the agony of loss.

CHAPTER  10. NEVER, EVER QUIT

SEAL training is well known for being the most physically demanding training available in the United States Armed Forces. In addition to extreme physical and mental stress, it tests one’s ability to function under severe sleep deprivation while dealing with extreme pain, sub-zero temperatures, and a positive attitude towards fellow recruits. 

It also tests one’s ability to function under extreme physical and mental stress. Recruits will consume up to 7,000 calories per day throughout this exercise and still lose weight.

They have made the decision that their dream of becoming a Navy SEAL will not come to pass, though it gives them instant relief. Even if you put in the effort to try and have made progress so far, the small sense of pleasure that comes from ringing the bell is tempered by the disappointment of failing.

They’re one day closer to achieving their goal for every day they don’t ring the bell, and they’re one step closer to achieving their goal. Resilience and perseverance , as well as the refusal to give up in the face of adversity, are demonstrated by this gesture. 

The Navy SEAL mindset is to resist the temptation to constantly succumb to failure, no matter how difficult the situation seems. Despite this, it is clear that this is not an easy task, as evidenced by the fact that 80 percent of SEAL applicants do not complete the training.

Although you are unlikely to be put through the same brutal physical and mental tests that SEALs receive during their training, the concept of ringing the bell can still convey an important message. 

You must make the decision to never wear a bell in your normal life. Do not give up or deny yourself the opportunities to achieve the goals you want so much. Don’t take the easy way out and deprive yourself of more substantial benefits.

Keep in mind that you yourself are your biggest impediment and at the end of the day, you will be responsible for most of your failures. Senior officers are available to keep SEAL candidates in check and on track to complete the program, but this is a privilege most of us don’t have on a regular basis, which is a significant disadvantage. Instead, you must maintain your determination and drive to maximize your potential and achieve success.

Most Important Keywords, Sentences, Quotes

Chapter 1. start your day with a completed task..

“If you want to change the world… start off by making your bed.”

“Making my bed correctly was not going to be an opportunity for praise. It was expected of me. It was my first task of the day and doing it right was important. It demonstrated discipline. It showed my attention to detail, and at the end of the day it would a reminder that I had done something well, something to be proud of, no matter small the task.”

“In battle soldiers die, families grieve, your days are long and filled with anxious moments. You search for something that can give you solace, that can motivate you to begin your day, that can be a sense of pride in an oftentimes ugly world. 

It is daily life that needs this same sense of structure. Nothing can replace the strength and comfort on one’s faith, but sometimes the simple act of making your bed can give the lift you need to start your day and provide you the satisfaction to end it right.”

CHAPTER 2. You Can’t Go It Alone.

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

“I learned early on in SEAL training the value of teamwork , the need to rely on someone else to help you through the difficult task.”

“No SEAL could make it through combat alone and by extension you need people in your life to help you through the difficult times.”

“You cannot paddle the boat alone. Find someone to share your life with. Make as many friends as possible, and never forget that your success depends on others.”

CHAPTER 3. Only the Size of Your Heart Matters.

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

“SEAL training was always about proving something. Proving that size didn’t matter. Proving that the color of your skin wasn’t important. Proving that money didn’t make you better. Proving that determination and grit were always more important than talent. I was fortunate to learn that lesson a year before training began.”

“In 1969, Tommy Norris was almost booted out of SEAL training. They said he was too small, too thin, and not strong enough. But much like the young sailor in my class, Norris proved them all wrong and once again showed that it’s not the size of your flippers that count, just the size of your heart.”

CHAPTER 4. Life’s Not Fair – Drive On!

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

“Because, Mr. Mac, life isn’t fair and the sooner you learn that the better off you will be.”

“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!”

CHAPTER 5. Failure Can Make You Stronger.

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

“In life you will face a lot of Circuses. You will pay for your failures. But, if you persevere, if you let those failures teach you and strengthen you, then you will be prepared to handle life’s toughest moments.”

“I realized that the past failures had strengthened me, taught me that no one is immune from mistakes. True leaders must learn from their failures, use the lessons to motivate themselves, and not be afraid to try again or make the next decision… You can’t avoid The Circus. At some point we all make the list. Don’t be afraid of The Circus.”

CHAPTER 6. You Must Dare Greatly.

“If you want to change the world… slide down the obstacle headfirst.”

“That obstacle course is going to beat you every time unless you start taking some risk.”

“It was a simple lesson in overcoming your anxieties and trusting your abilities to get the job done. The lesson would serve me well in the years to come.”

“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 your life.”

CHAPTER 7. Stand Up to the Bullies.

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

“Our goal, which we believed to be honorable and noble, gave us courage, and courage is a remarkable quality. Nothing and nobody can stand in your way. Without it, others will define your path forward. Without it, you are at the mercy of life’s temptations. 

Without courage, men will be ruled by tyrants and despots, without courage, no great society can flourish. Without courage, the bullies of the world rise. With it, you can accomplish any goal. With it, you can defy and defeat evil.”

“Bullies gain their strength through the timid and faint of heart. They are like sharks that sense fear in the water. They will circle to see if their prey is struggling. They will probe to see if their victim is weak. If you don’t find the courage to stand your ground, they will strike. 

In life to achieve your goals, to complete the night swim, you will have to be men and women of great courage. That courage is within all of us. Dig deep, and you will find it in abundance.”

CHAPTER 8.  Rise to the Occasion.

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

“Tonight, you will have to be your very best. You must rise above your fears, your doubts, and your fatigue. No matter how dark it gets, you must complete the mission. This is what separates you from everyone else.”

“At 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 and leaves you wondering about your future. In that dark moment, reach deep inside yourself and be your very best.”

CHAPTER 9. Give People Hope.

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

“Once again, we had learned an important lesson: the power of one person to inspire those around him, to give them hope. If that one person could sing while neck deep in mud, then so could we. If that one person could endure the freezing cold, then so could we. If that one person could hold on, then so could we.”

“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 unbreakable loss. Sometimes all it takes is one person to make a difference.” 

As last statements he continues with, “We will all find ourselves neck deep in mud someday. That is the time to sing loudly, to smile broadly, to life up those around you and give them hope that tomorrow will be a better day.”

CHAPTER 10. Never, Ever Quit!

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

“If you quit, you will regret it for the rest of your life. Quitting never makes anything easier.”

“Of all the lessons I learned in SEAL training, this was the most important. Never 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 circumstances 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!”

“Remember… start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often. But if you take some risks, set up when times are toughest, face down the bullies, lift the downtrodden, and never, ever give up-if you do these things, then you change your life for the better… and maybe the world!”

Book Review (Personal Opinion):

Although the concepts discussed in Make Your Bed are not particularly groundbreaking, Admiral McRaven’s anecdotes and examples are inspiring and instructive. Since I had almost no prior knowledge of the Navy, I was genuinely interested in most field experiences.

A lot of times, the best advice is also the easiest. In my perspective, that is the book’s main premise. The author’s ten lessons are useful to everyone looking to succeed and improve oneself . Even though they may seem obvious, it’s helpful to be reminded of them occasionally.

Most readers won’t take longer than a few hours to finish this. The book was fairly easy to understand thanks to the author’s clear and concise writing style.

Rating: 9/10

This Book Is For:

• People who want to change their lives for the better and to find purpose.
• People who want to learn to make tough decisions with determination, compassion, honor, and courage.
• People who want to achieve more, even during difficult moments.

If You Want to Learn More

Here is the video of Admiral William H. McRaven’s 2014 Commencement Speech at the University of Texas. University of Texas at Austin 2014 Commencement Address – Admiral William H. McRaven.

How I’ve Implemented the Ideas from The Book

After experiencing a lack of motivation and a feeling of purpose in my life, I began making my bed every morning, even if I was rushed or fatigued. 

Making my bed was difficult to get into at first, but in the long run it provided me a sense of control and order, which transferred to other aspects of my life. I discovered that I was more motivated to do other duties and set and attain goals.

During a particularly difficult period at work, the lessons from the book came in handy. I was dealing with a difficult project and felt overwhelmed, but I reminded myself of the value of perseverance and little, incremental efforts. I was able to complete the project successfully and with a stronger sense of accomplishment by being disciplined and focused.

One Small Actionable Step You Can Do

If you want to use some of the ideas from “Make Your Bed,” one small step you can take is to make your bed every morning. It might seem like a small thing, but it can give you a sense of success and organization that can help you in other parts of your life. 

Also, setting specific goals or tasks for the day ahead can help you stay focused and inspired.

Bruno Boksic

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Make Your Bed

30 pages • 1 hour read

Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...and Maybe the World

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-2

Chapters 3-4

Chapters 5-6

Chapters 7-8

Chapters 9-10

Key Figures

Index of Terms

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Summary and Study Guide

Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…and Maybe the World  is a work of self-help psychology by Admiral William H. McRaven. The book is a continuation and expansion of a commencement speech McRaven delivered at the University of Texas at Austin in 2014, which went viral on the internet. Formerly a high-ranking officer of the US Navy and Commander of US Special Operations Command, McRaven relates his experiences in Navy SEAL training to the challenges of living a good life in everyday circumstances. The book consists of 10 aphoristic lessons that McRaven contends apply to people in all walks of life. The Epilogue contains the actual speech delivered at the University of Texas commencement ceremonies, which the rest of the book elaborates on.

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McRaven begins his book with an aphorism about starting small, or “making your bed,” to change the world. His rationale is that though spirituality and faith can endow individuals with resilience and peace, simple actions like making your bed form a kind of praxis that cumulatively contributes to human flourishing. The simple habit of making one’s bed as a planned and successful activity sets the day off on the right path, cultivating a mindset of positivity and order that carries over into the rest of one’s life. McRaven then analogizes life to a body of water that we must traverse and tells his readers to find a partner to help paddle. You can have one or even multiple life partners, romantic or not; it is only important to remember that success is contingent on interlocking social networks.

McRaven’s third aphorism turns to the treatment of others; he suggests that the only productive way to evaluate someone is by their compassion. In his fourth aphorism, McRaven tells readers to toughen up and persevere even when pressure mounts or situations seem hopeless. He bluntly terms people who give up “sugar cookies” and explains that during Navy SEAL training, cadets who ignore basic commands or forget their duties are told to roll in sand until it covers their entire body, like a sugar cookie. McRaven qualifies his assessment, conceding that some people remain sugar cookies despite hard work. Still, he argues that one of the best lessons you can learn is that life isn’t fair, and it’s how you respond to life that truly counts. He insists that the only way to face the future is to not blame our situations on other people, instead constantly aspiring to push through the failures and setbacks that inevitably come with life.

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McRaven brings up other examples of punitive Navy experiences, including the “Circus,” which consists of several hours of calisthenics, during which SEAL veterans harass cadets. He states that Circuses are everywhere in adult life, but are always possible to get through. He also advocates for extreme risk-taking. In his view, since struggle and suffering are inevitable, developing a mindset of fear in response to obstacles only closes off opportunities for learning to surmount them. Moreover, taking risks is the only workable strategy for coming to know the limits of the self. McRaven writes that everyone has a huge wealth of innate courage that just needs to be coaxed out.

Next, McRaven reiterates advice he originally received from his chief petty officer. One evening before a difficult task, the officer told his recruits to be their best and to overcome their psychological doubt, fear, and exhaustion, crediting the ability to do so with allowing people to succeed on difficult missions. McRaven states that thinking of every challenge as an obstacle that can be overcome is useful even in dark moments, such as following the death of a family member.

McRaven’s final exhortation is never to quit. He employs the analogy of “ringing the bell,” which, during Navy SEAL training, signals that a cadet is too exhausted to complete a mission. McRaven contends that life is all about rejecting the bell and pressing onward through situations that seem too daunting. Even when ringing the bell seems the rational choice, self-improvement requires rejecting the “end” of existential challenge.

McRaven’s book, while presented in the context of military training, is focused on the general art of living. Since most things in life are beyond and outside our control, what matters is knowing what we truly have power over and how we conduct ourselves as we travel through the vicissitudes of life. In a way, daily life is a kind of combat against the forces that continuously push up against our desires; success will come if we handle them in an appropriate way.

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Make your Bed Summary

Summary By: Hugo Cavendish

Summary In A Rush: In Make Your Bed , Admiral McRaven reveals how the simple discipline of tidying your sheets can kickstart a day of accomplishment and offers profound life lessons drawn from his Navy SEAL experiences.

Read Time: 4 minutes

Memorable Quote by the Author:

When it comes to self-help books, many tout complex solutions requiring extensive life overhauls. Yet, retired Admiral William H. McRaven ‘s “Make Your Bed” suggests that the path to profound change starts with the simple act of tidying your sheets.

The book’s central premise is that monumental changes can begin with small, everyday acts of discipline, like making your bed. By completing this task first thing in the morning, you’re setting a positive tone for your day. It’s a small win that fuels your motivation and prepares you for bigger challenges.

You’ll also learn about the importance of trust and the power of teamwork from McRaven’s experiences as a Navy SEAL. Never underestimate the strength of your relationships. In challenging times, having a reliable support system can make all the difference.

Lastly, McRaven encourages you to embrace your ‘circus’, or the tough times in life. Instead of shying away from them, view these setbacks as opportunities for growth. They shape your character and make you stronger.

In essence, ‘Make Your Bed’ is a practical guide that teaches you to appreciate the little things, lean on your support system, and face adversity head-on. It’s a small book with big lessons.

Key Themes & Topics

First, you’ll find the concept of your bed as a daily battleground. You see, it’s not just about having a neat bed, but rather about cultivating a mindset of discipline and order from the very start of your day.

Next, the importance of the buddy system is highlighted. Life’s no solo journey, and this book emphasizes how crucial it’s to have a reliable support system, be it a spouse, a friend, or a mentor. It’s not just about relying on your comrades during a covert mission but understanding that every facet of life, be it personal or professional, thrives on genuine bonds of trust. This section of the book is an ode to the relationships that bolster us in times of turmoil and triumph alike.

Finally, McRaven’s anecdotes are filled with instances where defeat could easily have been the endgame. Yet, time and again, he explains how setbacks are merely setups for remarkable comebacks. By showcasing real-life examples from his SEAL training days, like the grueling “The Circus” or the dreaded “sugar cookie challenge,” McRaven underscores that failures, when approached with the right attitude, can be the stepping stones to unparalleled growth.

Key Takeaway #1 – How Making Your Bed Sets the Day’s Tone

There’s a surprising amount of power contained in the simplest task of making your bed each morning. It’s not just about tidiness. It’s about starting your day with a small, completed task that sets a positive tone for the rest of the day. It’s a subtle yet potent reminder that you’re in control, even when life gets chaotic.

McRaven, in his book, likens this to a boxer landing his first punch. By making your bed, you’re landing that first punch against the day’s challenges. You’re signaling to yourself that you’re ready, capable, and prepared to face whatever comes next. It’s a small act of defiance against procrastination and disorder, a declaration of self-discipline.

And let’s not forget the end-of-day reward. After a long, tiring day, there’s something comforting about returning to a neatly made bed. It’s an invitation to rest, to recharge, and to prepare for another day of victories, no matter how small they may be.

Key Takeaway #2 – The Underrated Power of Reliable Companionship

Don’t brush off the buddy system as child’s play, for it can often be your lifeline in overcoming life’s toughest ordeals. In ‘Make Your Bed’, McRaven’s parachute mishap is a stark example of how life can throw you into a tailspin and how having a trustworthy companion can pull you back from the brink.

Imagine yourself in McRaven’s boots. Your parachute fails mid-flight, you crash land, and the world blurs into a haze of pain and disorientation. Now, add to that, the crippling solitude of facing this ordeal alone. Harrowing, isn’t it? But, McRaven wasn’t alone. His wife, Georgeann, was his rock, his anchor amidst the storm.

You see, life’s a bit like that parachute jump. It’s full of highs and lows, and sometimes the parachute fails. It’s during those plunges that a buddy can make a world of difference. They can be your safety net, your sounding board, your cheerleader.

Key Takeaway #3 – Facing Your Circus: Turning Trials into Triumphs

You’ve got to remember that embracing your circus, the ordeal following a setback, isn’t just a punishment but also a chance for growth, and it’s how you react that really shapes your character. When you’re thrown into the midst of chaos, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, to want to throw in the towel. But it’s precisely in these trying moments that you have an opportunity to show what you’re made of.

McRaven’s ‘circus’ refers to the punishing extra training a SEAL endures after failure. It’s grueling, it’s relentless, but it’s also transformative. You see, every time you face your circus, you’re pushing the boundaries of your endurance, resilience, and determination. You’re learning more about your strengths, your weaknesses, and the lengths you can go to overcome adversity.

How To Implement These Lessons In Your Life?

While it might seem daunting at first, once you start integrating these lessons into your daily routine, you’ll begin to see significant improvements in your discipline and resilience. Start small. Tomorrow morning, make your bed . This small act not only injects a dose of discipline into your day but also offers the comforting reward of a tidy bed to return to at night.

Cultivate your relationships , too. Whether it’s a partner, a friend, or a mentor, having someone you trust and can lean on is crucial . They’re your safety net in the high-wire act of life.

Lastly, reframe your challenges . When life throws you a curveball, don’t duck. Catch it, examine it, learn from it. View setbacks as opportunities for growth , not as harbingers of doom. Remember, it’s how you respond to adversity that really shapes your character.

Book Reflections

There have been countless mornings where I’ve been tempted to leave my bed in a tangle, rationalizing that I’m just too rushed or that it doesn’t genuinely matter. Yet, every time I surrender to that temptation, the day ahead feels a tad more disjointed, as if that initial act of disorder sets a precedent.

McRaven’s reflections served as a poignant reminder that rituals, no matter how trivial they may seem, often carry a weight and significance far beyond their apparent simplicity.

And it’s not just about the physicality of having a neat bed to return to; it’s the symbolism it carries. Each time I straighten those sheets and fluff those pillows, it’s a small assertion of control, a declaration that in a world filled with unpredictability, here is one thing I can set right. It’s a gesture of self-care, a nod to order in the face of life’s often tumultuous nature.

To some, it may still seem like an overemphasis on a mundane chore. But to me, inspired by McRaven’s words, it has become a foundational habit. It’s a gentle reminder that before I step out into the world and face the day’s challenges, I’ve already accomplished one task, and with that momentum, who knows what else I can achieve?

Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

I’d say it’s perfect for anyone seeking change, but feeling daunted by the magnitude of it all. It’s for the person who’s ever felt like they’re drowning in the chaos of life, needing just one thing they can control. It’s for the anxious soul, seeking a slice of tranquility amidst the daily tumult.

Don’t let the title fool you; it’s not just for the neat freaks. Even if you’ve never made your bed before, McRaven’s wisdom is still applicable. It’s not about the act of bed-making itself, but about the discipline, the routine, the small victory that starts your day.

And if you’re someone who’s ever faced adversity, felt the sting of failure, or been knocked down by life’s unexpected punches, you’ll find solace in McRaven’s poignant tales. His experiences remind us that setbacks aren’t roadblocks, but rather stepping stones to success.

Bed Tester Resume Example

Sashika Dilshan

Complete resume guide for a bed tester, ask from a senior bed tester (best tips and secrets), bed tester resume example (text version).

No hidden costs. Download your ATS-Friendly resume in PDF for absolutely FREE after creating!

Bed Tester Resume

No need to start from the beginning. Edit this resume sample with your information and keywords from the job posting.

How to Arrange Personal Information in Bed Tester Resume Header?

The resume header is the place to enter your contact information such as name, location, job title, contact number, and email address. Also, personal profile URLs can include in the resume header. But they are not mandatory to mention.

The recruiters will be comfortable in reading if you only mention your first and last name except for the full name, also city and state instead of the full address. Because that provides a professional look for your resume. Also make sure to add action verbs to increase your chances of catching recruiters attention and getting your resume noticed.

Usually, this position can be called a bed tester, professional sleeper, or mattress product tester. However, you must mention the job title given in the job advert as the job title of your bed tester resume.

When you add your contact number ensure you are adding one mobile number which is very personal to you. Also, the hiring managers will create a positive image on you, if you enter a professional email address to the resume.

How Do the Social Media URLs Impact a Professional Sleeper Resume?

Do you have a LinkedIn , Twitter, or Facebook account? Can you prove your unique skills or career history via those personal profiles? If yes, you can link the accounts with your resume header.

Also, if you conduct a Youtube channel on sleeping habits, tips for perfect sleeping, or any other related topic to sleeping, bed, pillow, or mattress testing, do not forget to add the URL of your youtube channel in the resume header.

What to Include in the Bed Tester Resume Summary?

The resume summary represents the applicant’s top achievements, unique skills, competencies, abilities, and best educational qualifications.

Usually, they draw the attention of the recruiters while they are scanning the resume within just 6-7 seconds. That means if the recruiters are impressed with the qualities that are mentioned in the resume summary they tend to follow the whole resume.

Therefore you can write the resume summary by using an active voice and the relevant and formal action verbs and keywords. Furthermore, if you use years, percentages, amounts, and numbers to quantify your achievements the attention of the recruiters will be grabbed by your resume automatically.

Example from an Expert

Bed tester with 10+ years of experience in reputable mattress companies. Expert in writing creative reports with interpreting the experience of noise disruption, room lightings, and comfort of normal napping and specific napping under various conditions such as having drugs, eating foods, drinking beverages that are recommended by the mattress designers. The ability to process different testing methods helps to choose the best mattress, blanket, or pillow.

What Do the Recruiters Want to See in the Sleeper Resume Work Experience Section?

Usually, you should mention your career history under the work experience section. But it is better to mention the history of the most similar job positions to your target job. Because the recruiters love to see the recent and relevant achievements from your professional sleeper resume.

However, mention the job title, work duration, company name, and location with at least 3-4 bullet points of your prior career achievements. But never mention the duties or responsibilities of a sleeper instead of your accomplishments.

Work Experience

[TEXT VERSION]

Bed Tester – 2010/Jan to 2014/Dec Restonic Mattress Corporation, Washington

• Created 20+ reports adding the experience of mattresses.
• Interviewed more than 20 people to collect sleeping tips and routines.
• Tested more than 20 beds per day by sleeping more than 20 minutes per bed.
• Bounced, lied down, and sat in the perfect pose and position to recommend the best mattresses that have strong edges and no dips.

How to Develop the Best Career Achievements as a Bed Tester?

Though the duties and responsibilities of a bed tester should not be listed in the work experience section, the career achievements mean What you did and achieved as a bed tester. In other words, they reveal the awareness and engagement of the applicant with the related industries.

Further, the relevant and formal action verbs, keywords, key phrases, and quantified metrics such as percentages and years will increase the value of your achievements. So try to use them as much as possible.

However, professional sleeper jobs go beyond the ability to sleep. Some facts help you to enhance the value of your accomplishments. We have mentioned some below.

Perfect understanding about the beds

Especially, if you have a perfect understanding of the features of a good mattress, and pillows, you can express your feeling and experience perfectly. That is a preferred and extra qualification that makes your resume unique. So try to convince your knowledge related to beds. You can use the following information too.

Ability to ready any sleeping method

The awareness of different testing methods of sleeping is a must for a bed tester. You may have faced one or more tests before. So explain them in your resume. Also, attempt to explain your experience and the results that you got.

The practice of all sleeping types

There are three different kinds of sleepers. They are back sleepers, side sleepers, and front sleepers. If you can represent any type of sleeper, that will be a great chance to get more interview opportunities. So try to reveal your practice and experience in different types of sleeping styles in your achievements.

Capability to eat and drink anything the client recommend

The bed testers have to eat some foods, drink some beverages, and have any drug the scientists recommend to get. For example, the caffeine contained foods or supplements such as pain relievers, weight loss pills, diuretics, and cold medicines. So you need to come up with some examples you have faced successfully. That fact can impress your hiring authorities.

Expert in sleeping under any condition

The scientists do various types of experiments from the bed testers. Those experiments are conducted based on different conditions. They are various places far from home, with wires attached to the body, while someone is watching you and under different temperatures and lights. Those factors can help you to build the best achievements as a bed tester. So, do not forget to develop perfect achievements using the relevant situations you have faced in prior jobs.

Knowledge of mental and physical disorders of bad sleeping

Sometimes bad sleep causes some mental conditions such as anxiety and depression. Also, it causes some physical disorders such as aching and hurting body parts such as the neck, and shoulders. Awareness about those disorders is very important to a bed tester. Because then he can explain his real experience to the client. So, you can bring up some mental or physical disorders that happened because of the uncomfortable mattress or pillows.

What is the Minimum Educational Qualification of a Bed Tester?

A high school diploma or a Technical Certificate is the minimum educational qualification for a bed tester. But the recent statistics have proved that the applicants with different levels of education qualifications have applied for this job post.

Here are the percentages of bed testers at different educational levels.

• High School Diploma or Technical Certificate holders – 55%
• Associate’s Degree holders – 16%
• Bachelor’s Degree holders – 24%
• Master’s Degree holders – 5%
• JD, MD, Ph.D., or Equivalent qualification holders – a very few percentages

The differentiation of the salary based on the applicant’s educational qualification may be the reason for those statistics.

Therefore provide a complete and believable set of information about your degree or diploma in your resume. That means mentioning the degree or diploma type, studied duration, university or institution name, and location under the education section.

Furthermore, if there is any relevant coursework under your degree you can mention them too. Mention your GPA only if it is higher than 3.0. Then the value of your resume will be increased.

Here are the templates of high school diploma holders and degree holders separately.

High School Diploma – 2014/Jan to 2016/Dec Elkhorn High School, Omaha

Bachelor’s Degree in English – 2012/Jan to 2015/Dec Stanford University, Stanford

• Relevant Coursework:- American Literature, British Literature, World Literature, Creative Writing, Rhetoric and Grammar

Additionally, if you have experience more than 3 years as a bed tester you can apply for the Quality Control Inspector position.

7. What are the Bed Tester Skills to Include in the Resume?

Each recruiter is fond of hiring the most skillful applicants. Therefore, as a well-organized applicant, you should enter at least 8-10 a perfect cover letter . However, the skills should be relevant to some extent with the working field of the applicant.

Especially, the duties and responsibilities of the bed tester are uncommon. Also, the main and basic skills that are required from a bed tester are uncommon. If you are dreaming to be a bed tester you should hold the following soft skills and abilities.

Body Fitness:- This is the main thing to be a bed tester. Especially the applicant should not have sleeping disorders, back paining, junction pain, or aching. Because Then he can not test the mattress well. Therefore reveal that you are a healthy person.

Oral and written communication skills:- After the sleeping session, the bed testers have to answer the questions of clients via a written report or verbally. Also, he is responsible to express his real experience. So both written and oral communication ability is a must to be a professional sleeper.

Decision-making skills:- Test should have perfect knowledge and awareness to make the correct decisions. Especially to select the perfect sleeping method according to the situation. Therefore decision-making ability is very essential for a bed tester.

Time Management skills:- Managing just time is possible. But managing sleeping time may be impossible. But the tester must be able to sleep and wake up within the given time range. Sometimes the time maybe just 15 minutes. Same as the sleeper has to sleep for more than 10 hours.

Cooperative skills:- Usually mattress testing is teamwork. So the applicant must work with the peer sleepers, scientists, and other technical workers in collaboration. Also, the teamwork skill is a must to engage with the industry.

However, refer to your job advert thoroughly. If the hiring managers require technical skills from the applicant, do not forget to mention them in your skills section and achievements in work experience or other sections.

What are the Differences of a Bed Tester Fresher Resume?

How to Write a Resume Objective for a Professional Sleeper?

The fresher, school, college, intern, entry-level, or applicants with no experience try to explain their future plans by using an objective statement instead of a resume summary. Because if you are an entry-level applicant you may have no relevant experience to mention.

But the recruiters want to know what the applicants can do for their company to achieve the official goals. So try to explain the advantage of your skills, abilities, knowledge, and educational qualifications to achieve the company’s desires within a tiny paragraph.

Do you want to make the resume objective stand out? Then add the relevant action verbs, keywords, and numeric values to your resume as much as possible.

Is the Sleeping Your Hobby?

If you are very famous among others as a great sleeper, and if sleeping is the major thing you do during your leisure time, you can mention it under the ‘ Interests & Hobbies ’ section. Also, you can create some achievements you have got from the hobbies related to the job position. You may learn about the advantages or disadvantages of sleeping, mattress, and pillows.

Can You Communicate in Different Languages?

If yes, you can enter an extra qualification in your professional sleeper resume. Because the majority of bed testers’ experience affects mattress productions and other scientific processes. A bed tester is responsible to explain what he feels during the sleep perfectly. So, the bilingual or multilingual ability enhances the value of the applicant.

But do not list down only the names of languages. You need to mention the competency level of each language under the ‘ Languages ’ section as follows.

English – Native Speaker

• Spanish – Very Good Command
• Chinese – Good Working Knowledge
• French – Working Knowledge

Quiz #01:- What is the Importance of a Job Advert for a Bed Tester?

The bed tester jobs can spread throughout different sectors. According to the job position the skills and qualifications required from the applicants can be different. Tailoring your bed tester resume based on the job advertisement is a job-winning secret.

The job advertisement is the best source to find out the powerful words for your resume. Mainly they are keywords, key phrases, and action verbs.

Keywords and key phrases represent the skills, qualifications, people, objects, and processes related to the bed tester position.

As the main duty of the bed tester is sleep you may think there are no actions or duties that are done by a bed tester. But it is wrong. You can find out many suitable action verbs for your resume.

After selecting those words you must use them in your resume content in a meaningful way.

List of common Action Verbs

• Facilitated
• Investigated
• Interviewed

Quiz #02:- Why Should a Professional Sleeper Submit an Impressive Cover Letter?

Sometimes the cover letter is a supplement to the job application. Sometimes the recruiters do not request a cover letter from the applicants. However, you can write a perfect cover letter and submit it with your bed tester resume. Because a perfect cover letter can impress the recruiters and draw their attention to your resume.

The action verbs, keywords, and key phrases enhance the value of your bed tester cover letter. For more cover letter tips read the full guide on ' How to write an impressive cover letter '

Quiz #03:- How to Mention the Professional Sleeper Salary in a Resume?

63912$ is the average bed tester salary per year. But how much do bed testers make per hour is dependent on their experience, talent, and location. Hence you need to research professional sleeper salary per hour to find out the real salary range in your area. Then you can mention it in the resume header, only if the recruiters ask your salary expectation.

Otherwise, you do not need to add the salary expectation to your bed tester resume, because the recruiters will think that your motivation is money.

Quiz #06:- How Do the Recruiters Select a Bed Tester?

Levi Sebastian

Experienced bed tester.

+(310) 0000 000

[email protected]

Fort Pierce, Florida

Punctual bed tester with 10 years of experience in large-scale mattress companies. Expert in recommending the best pillows, bed base, bed frame, mattress, and mattress pads using normal bed testing, bunk beds testing, and high bed testing methods. Provided more than 50 reports about the comfort, noise disruption, and room lighting by sleeping under any condition such as with wire attachments, having suggested drugs, eating required foods, and drinking the appropriate beverages.

Senior Bed Tester

Symbol Mattress Inc, New York – 2015/Jan – Present

• Processed the different 5 bunk beds tests to find out the best one.
• Slept at least 5 different types of beds with wires attached circumstances more than 6 hours per day.
• Used at least 1 drug such as alcohol or caffeine and different kinds of foods or beverages to test the mattresses.
• Created 30+ detailed reports on room lighting, comfort, noise disruption, and feelings.

Sleep Innovations, Washington – 2010/Jan to 2014/Dec

• Wrote more than 50 creative reports including the experience of the mattresses.
• Collected the different information about the sleep tips and habits by interviewing the people.
• Conducted the best bed frame, bed base, mattress, mattress pads, and pillow testing methods, and interpreted the results.
• Spent 3+ months with the bed testings that were far away from home.

High School Diploma – 2007/Jan to 2009/Dec

Bentonville High School, Bentonville

• Communication skills
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• Decision-making skills
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• Memorization skills
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• Power napping (20 minutes+)
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• Bunk beds testing
• Sleeping under any condition
• Knowledge of Hybrid, Latex, Memory Foam and Coils Mattress

Russian – Working Knowledge

German – Good Working Knowledge

Chinese – Very Good Command

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How to make your bed like a hotel would — types of sheets and how many pillows you need

Here’s how to upgrade your bed with a luxury hotel makeover

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Whether you’re travelling on vacation or on a business trip, one of the perks about staying in a fancy hotel is the luxury of a great night’s sleep. 

Be it the crisp, smooth sheets, plump pillows, and of course, the super comfy mattress, the bed is the centrepiece of any hotel room. Not only should it offer much comfort, but it should be inviting and presentable. 

And if you enjoy spending time in a well-prepared, luxury bed, why not create that hotel feel at home? From investing in the right mattress for you, to knowing what type of bedding to buy, you can capture the same feel and luxe quality of a hotel room. In fact, all that would be missing is room service!

We spoke to some experts on how to make your bed like a hotel would if you're looking to get the luxury look at home.  

1. Invest in the right mattress 

One of the essential things of a hotel bed is optimum comfort — and making sure you have one of the best mattresses can make all the difference to your sleep.This will provide the right support for your body type and sleep position, super comfortable and will relieve any tension from ailments.   

Depending on your sleep style, there are several types of mattresses, including memory foam , hybrid , cooling and organic. In fact, many luxury hotels opt for h ybri d mattresses which are firm, more breathable yet cozy, or memory foam mattresses that offer extra bounce and warmth for guests.

Alternatively, if your mattress is relatively new, or you want to upgrade your guest room , you can opt for one of the best mattress toppers instead. These are essentially a strong layer of foam that offer additional support to your existing mattress — especially if it’s worn, or you have back problems. What’s more, these can instantly change the overall feel of your bed by making it softer, firmer, cooler or warmer. 

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However, it’s not recommended to use a mattress topper as a mattress for long-term use .

Nectar Mattress: <a href="https://nectar.xovt.net/c/221109/473932/8338?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nectarsleep.com%2F" data-link-merchant="nectarsleep.com"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> from $349 at Nectar Sleep During Sleep Awareness Week, you can save up to 40% on a range of memory foam and hybrid mattresses at Nectar Sleep. We rate the Nectar Memory Foam as the <a href="https://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-mattresses" data-link-merchant="tomsguide.com"" data-link-merchant="nectarsleep.com"">best mattress for most sleepers with a smaller budget seeking a breathable and supportive all-foam bed to relieve pressure on joints, reducing aches and pains. A queen is now reduced to $649, with a lifetime warranty and a year's sleep trial.

2. Ditch your colorful bedding for all-white sheets 

The general rule of thumb is to stick to a predominantly white bedding, to achieve that luxurious hotel look. So that means swapping out your floral, bold or geometric-patterned bedding for crisp, crease-free, white sheets. 

The main reason for hotels using white bedding is so it won’t hide any stain, and will alert the guest as to how clean and fresh the sheets are. In addition, white is often associated with luxury, because of how they look super clean and feel.  

“Almost all hotels use crisp, white sheets—no fussy patterns or colors,” says Marisa Cohen , health writer for Hearst publications. “Why? It creates a sense of the bed always being clean, fresh, and calm, not to mention making you feel like you’re sleeping in a cloud.”  

What’s more, white is the perfect, neutral backdrop if you want to add colorful accessories, such as throw pillows or a bed runner. To maintain your pristine linen, you may also want to check out how to make white sheets brighter in 3 simple ways.

3. Get good quality sheets 

In addition to having all-white bed linen, make sure you invest in good quality sheets. Most hotels tend to use either 100% cotton or Egyptian cotton to achieve the super soft, luxury feel. 

“Luxury sheets can be made from a variety of materials, including cotton, linen, bamboo, and silk,” agrees Christina Heiser , the senior content manager at Saatva. “Cotton, though, is far and away the most popular material for sheets because it has an incredibly soft feel, offers excellent breathability, and tends to be very durable.

Natural cotton that hasn’t been heavily dyed is the most eco-friendly and safest for people with sensitive skin. Sheets made from synthetic materials, like polyester, won’t be as soft and breathable or as long-lasting — and they could irritate your skin.”

In addition, hotel bedding is usually around the 300-thread count mark, which is sufficient for a good night’s sleep. And while higher thread count sheets and pillows are more tightly woven, making them softer, smoother, and more durable, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they are better for your sleep. 

“The ideal thread count for sateen cotton sheets is between 300-600, while the ideal thread count for percale cotton sheets is between 200-400,” agrees Heiser. “Anything higher than that traps body heat and can cause you to sleep hot. Saatva’s sateen sheets have a 300-thread count, while our percale sheets have a 200-thread count. This results in optimal softness and breathability.” 

So if you’re a hot sleeper, and tend to sweat at night, it’s best to opt for a lower, and more comfortable, thread count for bedding.  

4. Layer your bedding  

If you’ve wondered how housekeeping can change a hotel bed in just minutes, it’s actually not that hard (with practice). 

Generally, hotels use two, oversized flat sheets rather than a fitted sheet. First, start with your flat sheet that is tucked around the mattress, before adding another flat sheet which lays between the guest and a lightweight/waffle blanket. 

Next, a third sheet, (the top cover), is used on top of the blanket, which is usually a  fluffy down or down alternative comforter. Down comforters offer that exceptional warmth, extra comfort and luxury for a cozy night.

While this may sound like an excessive number of layers, the "weight" is intended for warmth. Similar to having one of the best weighted blankets , this will add to your quality of sleep and ease stress — essentially, providing the experience of a hug from under the weight.

You might also want to check out how to put on a duvet cover in 4 easy steps.

5. Choose the right pillows 

Alongside the perfect mattress, the best pillows can make all the difference to the quality of sleep. And while luxury hotels are praised for their plump, supportive pillows, there are so many different types to choose from. 

These range from down pillows, feather, and down-alternative pillows to ones suitable for side or back sleepers. Typically, hotels stick with 100% duck or feather-down cushions, as these offer ultra warmth and soft comfort. However, if you suffer with any allergies, bamboo or synthetic down alternatives can be just as plush and luxurious. 

Another dilemma is whether it’s better to sleep on one pillow or two? “In general, most people can sleep well with one pillow under their head,” says Brittany Leitner , author for Sleep Enlightened. “In certain cases, you may benefit from an additional pillow, such as one between your knees if you’re a side sleeper or under your pelvis if you’re a stomach sleeper.”

Also, if you or a partner snores, check out our article looking at whether anti-snore pillows work and if should you buy one?  

More from Tom's Guide

• 9 tips to make your guestroom feel like a hotel  
• Try these 9 Feng Shui bedroom tips to get a better night’s sleep  
• Should your bed face the door? Here's what the experts think  

As the Homes Content Editor, Cynthia Lawrence covers all things homes, interior decorating, and garden-related. She has a wealth of editorial experience testing the latest, ‘must-have’ home appliances, writing buying guides and the handy ‘how to’ features. 

Her work has been published in various titles including, T3, Top Ten Reviews, Ideal Home, Real Homes, Livingetc. and House Beautiful, amongst many.

With a rather unhealthy obsession for all things homes and interiors, she also has an interior design blog for style inspiration and savvy storage solutions (get rid of that clutter!). When she’s not testing cool products, she’ll be searching online for more decor ideas to spruce up her family home or looking for a great bargain!

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The No. 1 AI mistake job seekers make, from a career expert: So many people use ChatGPT 'in exactly the wrong way'

As a leader at the education nonprofit Khan Academy, I was thrilled when ChatGPT came out in November 2022. It meant we could use generative AI to provide personalized tutoring to more kids than ever.

But as a hiring manager and cofounder of a career development business who's trained first-gen students at CUNY and MBAs at Harvard Business School alike, I was heartbroken to see that so many job seekers were using these tools in exactly the wrong way. 

They forgot that no matter how exciting this new technology is, humans are still in charge of the hiring process. Which is why having a robot write your resume is a recipe for disaster.

But given that I wrote the literal book on using ChatGPT in your job search , I know you can still turn to AI to make your resume shine. Used properly, it can help you land the interview — and ultimately the job. 

The wrong way to use AI for your resume

In my experience, most job seekers using ChatGPT or other AI platforms begin with a prompt like "Generate a marketing resume." This might seem like a great place to start, but it's the biggest mistake you could make. Here's why: 

The results are massively generic 

Take this summary, for instance:

As a hiring manager, the first thing I'm always looking for is evidence of specific accomplishments. When I scan this, though, my first thought is "Wow — this candidate is great at buzzwords, but not so great at actual marketing." 

That's hardly the first impression you want to make when employers spend seven seconds , on average, reviewing your resume!

ChatGPT and other AI tools are going to make stuff up 

As if that wasn't bad enough, check out what comes next under a single job listing under the experience section:

Not only do these bullet points lack specificity (with no clear projects or outcomes), but the sheer range of skills covered is literally unbelievable. As in, I've never met a marketer in my two-decade career who did all of these things in one job.

So my human BS detector immediately assumes the worst: This isn't a resume, this is a hallucination!

The right way to use AI for your resume

OK, you get the picture: Having AI generate your resume from scratch can be a fast track to rejection. But if we know that human reviewers want specificity and credibility, we can actually leverage AI to help us with those exact things.

1. Start with a draft resume written by a human (i.e., you)

Instead of asking AI to generate your resume, start with your own first draft, even if it's in rough shape. That way, you can at least be specific and accurate about what you actually did, even if those accomplishments need a little polishing.

2. Identify and incorporate missing keywords

Go right to the source of truth. The job description was created by the hiring team to spell out the skills they're looking for — and it contains the exact keywords you want to match.

Here's where you turn to AI. Enter the following prompt: 

• Which keywords from the below job description are missing from my resume? 
• Here's the job description: [Paste the job description here] 
• And here's my resume: [Paste the text of your resume here]

Once you've got a list of missing keywords, identify the ones you have experience with and prompt the AI to help you incorporate them: 

Suggest three ways to incorporate [keyword] into my resume.

3. Quantify achievements and demonstrate results

The best predictor of future performance is usually past performance, which means recruiters and hiring managers want to see real results, not just hallucinations.

So get a little nudge in the right direction with a prompt like: 

Suggest three ways to add more quantitative impact to the following bullet point: [Paste your bullet point here]

Now, it's tempting to copy and paste the bullets your AI platform suggests straight into your resume. But make sure you're editing the text to match your actual accomplishments. For instance, maybe you generated $300,000 in donations, not $500,000 like the AI spit out, or your organization actually measures growth quarterly rather than monthly.

4. Review, review, review!

Always proofread your resume before submitting it. If you've used AI, it's all the more important to review every last word and number to make sure everything's 100% accurate. 

The last thing you want is to be sitting in a final-round interview and have your prospective boss's boss's boss ask you about a resume bullet the AI fabricated and you forgot to update!

Jeremy Schifeling is the founder of  The Job Insiders , which provides career technology training for hundreds of top universities and business schools. He is also the author of " Career Coach GPT: The Complete Guide to ChatGPT Resume, Cover Letter, Interview, and Job Search Success " and shares his latest career and AI hacks on LinkedIn .

Want to land your dream job in 2024?  Take  CNBC's new online course How to Ace Your Job Interview  to learn what hiring managers are really looking for, body language techniques, what to say and not to say, and the best way to talk about pay. CNBC Make It readers can save 25% with discount code 25OFF.

Plus,  sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter  to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.

How to Make Your Bed Feel Like a 5-Star Hotel Mattress

T here's just something special about a high-end hotel bed. From the plush mattress to the crisp, expertly tucked white sheets, these beds truly take comfort and indulgence to another level. It might even make you wonder how to re-create that luxurious hotel experience at home.

There are several ways to make your bed feel more luxurious -- some of which are simpler than you'd think. Below, we'll divulge some hotel-quality mattress secrets and luxury bedding tips to transform your mattress and elevate your bedroom experience.

Opt for high-quality bedding

Not only does high-quality bedding usually feel softer and lavish, but it can also help you get a better night's rest -- especially if you're a hot sleeper. High-thread count sheets made of natural fabrics (like cotton, linen and bamboo) are cozy but breathable, helping you stay comfortable while you sleep.

If you have allergies , you might want to look into buying well-made, hypoallergenic bedding to help you breathe easier at night. Cotton, bamboo and silk are three of the best anti-allergy bedding materials. It's also important to wash your sheets and pillowcases every one to two weeks to get rid of allergens .

Of course, high-quality bedding tends to cost more than other types -- but if you're looking for a luxury experience, it may be worth the price.

Skip the fitted sheet

Many hotels don't use fitted sheets at all. Instead, they use tightly tucked flat sheets. There are a few reasons for this, but hotels typically choose flat sheets over fitted sheets because they're easier to wash, press and fold. Durability is also a factor since fitted sheets have elastic corners, which can make them wear down quicker than flat sheets.

Want to replicate this hotel bed strategy at home? The first step is to buy a flat sheet one size larger than your mattress. So, if you have a queen-size bed, you'd need to buy a king-size top sheet. Then, lay the sheet on your mattress (on top of the cover and topper) and tuck it underneath with hospital corners . After that, you can add your usual flat sheet and comforter .

Layer your bedding the right way

Strategically organizing your bedding is another great way to make your bed feel like a hotel bed. Ideally, you'd start with a plush and luxurious mattress that suits your sleeping style and body type . If that's not an option right now, you can simply add a cushiony topper to your existing bed. Either way, don't forget to add a cover to protect your mattress or topper.

From there, put a fitted sheet or flat sheet on the mattress, then add a top sheet. To create an extra-plush and high-end look, tuck a cover-less duvet around the bottom half of your mattress. Then, top it off with a fluffy decorative duvet, pulling it up high enough to cover the first duvet.

Use plenty of plush pillows

Cushy pillows are another key component of a hotel-worthy bed. For the most luxurious look, you'll want to use a mix of pillow shapes and pillowcase designs. This adds texture and depth to your mattress, which makes it look more inviting and sophisticated.

Start with two or three square Euro pillows at the head of your bed, then place a couple of sleeping pillows in front of them. You can use decorative shams, standard pillowcases or a combination of the two. Finish it all off with a few decorative throw pillows in different sizes and styles.

Consider all-white linens

Having crisp, all-white linens is one of the easiest ways to recreate that high-end hotel look at home. Hotels typically use white sheets because they don't hide stains, proving that they have a high standard of cleanliness. Besides that, white linens look sleek and serene and create a peaceful ambiance in any room.

With that said, light-colored linens may be a bit harder to take care of than their dark counterparts. Spills and stains are more obvious on white sheets, so you'll need to be diligent about cleaning them.

Add a soft mattress topper

Mattresses can be expensive, and not everyone has the budget for a high-end model. Fortunately, a plush mattress topper can make it feel like you have a luxurious hotel mattress at home -- without breaking the bank.

There are a few things to consider when looking for a mattress topper . First, if you have any allergies, opt for a breathable, chemical-free topper that's made with hypoallergenic materials, like natural latex foam or wool. 

It's also important to factor in your preferred sleeping position because that impacts how soft or firm your mattress should be. For instance, back sleepers usually need a firmer sleeping surface, while people who sleep on their side require something a bit softer.

Use two duvets

As we've mentioned, doubling up on duvets is a great way to make your bed appear fluffier and more luxurious. There are a couple of ways to do this, with the first being the tuck method we described above. This is the better option if you or your partner sleeps hot because you can easily remove one of the duvets before you go to bed.

Another way to use the dual-duvet strategy is simply by inserting two duvets into one duvet cover. The benefits here are twofold: You'll get a super-fluffy, luxurious look while also keeping yourself extra warm on chilly nights.

Read more: Best Duvet Covers

Be sure to have a sturdy frame and headboard

From a practical point of view, a bed frame helps extend the lifespan of your mattress and promotes better airflow while you sleep. But from an aesthetic perspective, a sturdy frame -- like a platform or canopy bed frame -- can (literally) elevate the look of your bed and pull your entire room together.

Similarly, using a headboard makes your bed look more polished and adds a decorative flair to your space. Hotels commonly have upholstered or leather headboards, which often extend up most of the wall toward the ceiling. If you're the DIY type, you could try to re-create this look to give your room that sophisticated hotel vibe.

Regularly maintain your bed

To make sure your mattress lasts as long as possible, it's important to look after it. (A few upkeep tips: use a mattress protector, don't eat or drink in bed, and spot-clean stains immediately). Depending on your mattress brand and model, you might also need to rotate it every few months to prevent it from sagging in certain spots. Check your manufacturer's instructions for more specific instructions.

You'll also want to take care of your bedding so it stays in good shape and helps protect your mattress. Generally speaking, this means washing your sheets every week to get rid of dead skin, dust mites and bacteria.

Read more:   How Often Should I Wash My Sheets and Pillowcases?

More From Forbes

Top 10 ways to make money online in 2024, from research.

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AI makes it easier to start making money online, whether directly through offering AI services or ... [+] through using it to simplify your content creation and research efforts

There has never been an easier time to make money outside of a regular job, than in 2024. The opportunities and AI-powered tools that are available to freelancers and others seeking to make money online are endless—and you can do it, even with inflation and the rising costs of living.

Regardless of one's skill set, there is literally something to suit every professional. From the comfort of your laptop, you can do work that is highly flexible and can be performed on the go, or in between your regular job. And if you work remotely in your main job, you have even more time which you can dedicate to making money online.

However it's important to remember that there is no such thing as "get rich quick." Any scheme or website that promises you the ability to make money fast as an absolute guarantee, is most likely a scam. To make a considerable amount of money, you need to ensure you put your research and expertise to work, just like with any other job.

When looking for ways to make money online, be cautious and watch out for scammers. Never concede to sharing sensitive or personal financial information, unless of course you are using a legitimate freelance site such as Upwork, for example. And remember, if it sounds too good to be true, trust your gut—it most likely is.

With that caveat in mind, below is a list of 10 of the best side hustle opportunities that enable you to make money from home, according to research and analysis of sites including Upwork and Shopify.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, 1. start affiliate marketing.

Affiliate marketing is an excellent way to create a passive income stream, and it works best when you have a solid content marketing strategy. To get started, write or record video content on something you're passionate about, and build a strong audience and following first.

The ideal number of followers and repeat content viewers you need will depend on the platform you're using, and the requirements of the brands you will be acting as an affiliate for. You can incorporate affiliate links across your website, and/or social media accounts.

But you'll need to ensure that the products you are promoting are ones that actually resonate with your audience. Otherwise, you are spamming them and delivering low value, and people will easily be able to read through it, which reduces your credibility because you're wasting their time.

2. Launch A Dropshipping Store

Dropshipping is an excellent way to make money in your free time while working from home, mostly due to its convenience in selling products without ever needing to store inventory. You can set up a store on a platform such as Shopify, for example, and you would merely be responsible for developing the business model so that you can attract and engage customers, and of course, make sales.

Your suppliers would ship the product directly to your customers, so this takes away the need for purchasing storage space or piling up your garage with items. This model is also highly flexible as you can quickly adapt to market changes with minimal loss.

Establish partnerships with brands so you can make money and represent them through affiliate ... [+] marketing, influencer marketing, or both

3. Make Money As A Social Media Influencer

The global influencer marketing market size has more than tripled since 2019, hitting a record estimate of $24 billion in 2024. This can be attributed to the rise of online and social media usage during and after the pandemic.

With more than half of the global population having social media accounts, it only makes sense for avid marketers to collaborate and establish partnerships with social media influencers as part of their brand and product awareness campaigns. This is where you would come in.

To begin with, you need is a strong passion or interest, and your personality. Create a unique personal brand on a platform such as YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram, and as your follower count grows, your social media presence and social capital will become more valuable to brands looking to partner with you. You can eventually join influencer platforms where brands are looking for partnerships, such as Aspire.io, or Open Influence.

4. Become An Online Tutor

The online tutoring market is projected to reach $21.8 billion by 2030, so it's clear to see that demand for online tutors is on the incline. As an online tutor, you can teach any in-demand subject using video-conferencing tools, and even join freelance teaching platforms to create a profile and advertize your services.

5. Edit And Proofread AI Content

Not too long ago, content writing, editing, and proofreading was touted as an excellent way to make money online. However, the state of things has changed considerably because of AI, and now there are AI tools which can generate content easily and within seconds, such as Jasper AI or ChatGPT, which means anyone relying on this as a side hustle is at risk of being replaced. However, even these tools do have their limitations and, used on their own, can be factually inaccurate, have grammatical errors, or appear to be unnatural and robotic.

As an AI content proof-reader or editor, you can fact-check content that has been generated by AI, for business clients, and soften the tone so it reflects their brand voice and is free from error.

Below is another five ideas you can explore to make money online:

• Write and self-publish e-books
• Launch a podcast and get sponsorships/sell advertizing space
• Become a virtual assistant
• Sell crafts and handmade items on Etsy
• Deliver consulting services

Selling handmade items and crafts on Etsy can rake up a considerable fortune

Ultimately, boosting your income online isn't at all difficult to achieve. Find a section of your market that is underserved, and make your mark. With your internet and laptop, you can develop new skills, share them with the world, and make more money in the process.

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The Best Way to Edge a Flower Bed and Suppress Weeds in 4 Steps

Get a beautiful garden border with no weeds in 4 steps

The Spruce / Jayme Burrows

• Working Time: 1 - 2 hrs
• Total Time: 1 - 2 hrs
• Skill Level: Beginner
• Estimated Cost: $50-150

There are several ways you can spruce up your yard aesthetics, but one of the best beginner-friendly landscape design ideas is with flower bed edging.

Garden edging is a fabulous way to make your flower bed pop with its various styles, shapes, and designs—and bonus, it's also an excellent way to suppress weed growth.

Edging components, like mulch, separate your flower bed from the rest of the yard and block the sunlight necessary for weeds to grow. On top of the yard aesthetics and weed suppressing, garden edging is also important to distinguish between the flower bed and the lawn so your yard stays intact while you're mowing .

With its many benefits, you might be thinking that creating an edge is difficult. But, creating an edge is easy and can be done in as little as four steps.

When Is the Best Time to Edge Your Flower Bed?

Technically, you can edge your flower bed whenever, as long the ground isn't frozen. But, most gardeners find late spring or early summer the best time of year, since peak growing season is coming to a halt. This is also the time of year when the soil is the easiest to work with for edging purposes.

What You'll Need

Equipment / tools.

• Garden spade
• Garden shears

Instructions

How to edge a flower bed to suppress weeds.

Funky Junk Interiors

Outline the Edge

You will need to cut the outline of the edge along your flower bed, and you can use either a shovel or an edge hog tool.

An edge hog tool will easily cut the line of the soil, saving some time and effort. Though an edge hog makes it easier to outline the edge, you can use a shovel for a budget-friendly edging option.

Whether you're using a shovel or edge hog, here's how to outline your edge:

• Shovel: Jab the tip of your shovel into the ground along the edge of your flower bed. Do this down your flower bed until you reach where you want your edge to stop.
• Edge Hog: Push the edge hog along the edge of your flower bed until you reach the end.

Remove the Turf

Once the outline is made, take a garden spade to deepen the cut and remove the turf. Removing the turf is essential for edging a lawn to separate your garden bed from the rest of the yard.

With the garden spade, deepen the cut to between four to six inches and pull up the turf at a 90-degree angle. This angle is important for later steps.

Trim the Grass

Trimming the grass is an optional step, but it provides an added sharpness to your edge that boosts the aesthetic of your flower bed.

To do this, use a pair of hand shears to trim your lawn at the outline. Cut the grass vertically instead of horizontally to preserve the 90-degree angle you made in the previous section. Cut along the entire outline of the edge to add sharpness to your flower bed.

Remember to trim your edge multiple times during the warmer months while the grass is growing to keep your edge neatly groomed.

Fill With Mulch

The final step is to add mulch to the edge of your flower bed. The mulch is used to suppress the weeds by blocking sunlight and add a richness in color to the aesthetics.

After determining how much mulch you'll need , lay down two to three inches of product in your flower bed and bring it all the way to the edge to create a downward slope. The top layer of the mulch should line up with the top of the yard and begin the gentle downward slope.

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