Cooper Arnold

11/28/22

ACCT 6219

Gary Dixon

If You Want to Change the World

How does one change the world? Many people probably assume that you have to be a

superhero-like individual who will do anything and give everything to save the world from some

massive calamity. That assumption is simply not the truth. SMU previously used in our

marketing campaign the phrase “world changers shaped here.” Last time I checked SMU was not

pushing out superheroes. Anyone can change the world with the right mindset and qualities.

William McRaven certainly believes that. He begins every chapter with “If you want to change

the world…” This acts as the framing device for the ten lessons he seeks to teach the reader.

McRaven’s style of writing was personable and easy to connect with. By introducing each

vignette with some rigor of his SEAL’s training and then taking a step back to a larger issue, this

allowed for the reader to learn a new quality and then see a real-world example of that quality. I

will not be able to cover every chapter and its corresponding virtue; however, the lessons from

each chapter apply both to my personal life and my upcoming professional career, whether I

know it yet or not.

The first chapter begins with the namesake of the book. Making one’s bed is an essential

element to the morning. As McRaven explains, it’s an easily accomplished goal that gets your

day going on the right foot. I used to never make my bed, and I never saw a reason to. What was

the point if I was just going to mess it up again that night? That reasoning was emblematic of
some larger issues in my life concerning apathy. Apathy seemed like an easier way to deal with

problems as opposed to confronting issues. After some personal realizations, I sought to change

some things about my life. I knew I was not going to become a new person in twenty-four hours,

but I wanted to create some good habits. I downloaded a habit building app, and the first

suggestion was making your bed. So, I did; and I kept making my bed every morning. It had a

noticeable impact on my life. I felt like I had accomplished something. It made my work better.

There were times where I faltered and forgot or was too rushed; however, I would still pick the

habit back up. This simple act helped me break away from being uncaring about my living space

and expanded into more areas of my life. I currently am on a sixteen-day streak of making my

bed every morning and do not plan on breaking it soon.

The second chapter goes into the importance of the people closest to you. He relates this

to his experience on the small boat; and how if one rower was failing, the others could pick up

the slack for him. He then zooms out and talks about his horrific injury. He also goes into depth

about how his wife was able to help him find the strength to bounce back. These were very

impactful stories to me because I have people in my life who helped me out when I needed it

most. I have a very tightknit group of friends that I have known since middle school. I consider

these guys to be my brothers and have helped me make some big life decisions, namely the

decision to come to SMU. It was going to be a radical change and one I wasn’t sure I was ready

for. My friends were the ones to help push me to go and take a chance. It was the best decision I

ever made, and it was, in part, thanks to my friends standing by me. This chapter is all about the

people you surround yourself with. In business and life, you must have people you trust around

you. If you are worried about the person next to you or questioning their ability to effectively

work nothing will ever get done. Therefore in any job or setting, you must “find someone to help
you paddle” your figurative boat. If you have a strong and trustworthy team, you will go far in

any venture.

Chapter Nine starts with “Give People Hope.” A very simple command. Yet as I read this

chapter sitting in the airport waiting for my return flight to Dallas after thanksgiving break, I

began to sob. On a very personal note, I lost my grandmother this weekend. She was the rock of

my mom’s family, and I was incredibly close with her. Her funeral is this upcoming Saturday,

and it is weighing on my mind. As I read the story of John Kelly comforting the families of those

fallen soldiers, I wanted to be the one that gave my family hope; I wanted to be someone that

my mom and sister can lean on. It will be hard. It may not be as hard as the mudflats that

McRaven experienced, but it will be hard nonetheless. However, this book has given me the

inspiration to be that hope for my family. I will strive to be the source of hope on that mournful

day. As McRaven said, “Hope is the most powerful force in the universe.” With hope, the

saddest things in the world seem manageable. With hope, you know that one day things will get

better. I have hope that everyone will remember my grandmother as the beautiful and strong

woman that I knew.

Beginning the day with an easy win, surrounding yourself with good people, and giving

people hope are easy ways for anyone to change the world. You don’t have to be a superhero to

change the world; you just need to start cultivating qualities like these. Taking McRaven’s

lessons to heart can allow for an individual to form positive thinking and a good character that

will help them exceed in all that strive to do.