The BEST William H. McRaven Books & Quotes of All Time

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Contents

1. Who Is William H. McRaven?

2. The Best William H. McRaven Books of All Time

3. More Books Like William H. McRaven's Books

4. Best William H. McRaven Quotes

5. Wish There Was a Faster/Easier Way?

Who Is William H. McRaven?

William H. McRaven (born November 6, 1955) is a retired United States Navy four-star admiral who served as the ninth commander of the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) from August 8, 2011 to August 28, 2014. From 2015 to 2018, he was the chancellor of The University of Texas System and is the author of several books (see e.g., Make Your Bed). Learn more about William H. McRaven

The Best William H. McRaven Books of All Time

Why these best William H. McRaven books and not others? To stay objective, I rank all my book recommendations by a combination of what’s most loved (Goodreads rating), what’s most popular (Goodreads review count) and what’s proven timlessly relevant (first publication date).

This isn’t a whimsical list. It’s a data-driven, crowdsourced collection of the best William H. McRaven books ever published as decided by book lovers like you.

And if you think something's missing? I LOVE book recommendations so if there are any other books by William H. McRaven that you think deserve mentioning, email me and I’ll be sure to include them in the next round of updates.

Until then, here are the best William H. McRaven books of all time...

Best William H. McRaven Books: Sea Stories

1. Sea Stories - William H. McRaven

My Life in Special Operations

Published 2019 // 352 pages // Rated 4.4 over 6,800 reviews on Goodreads

Best William H. McRaven Books: Make Your Bed

2. Make Your Bed - William H. McRaven (FREE Summary)

Little Things That Can Change Your Life... And Maybe the World

Make Your Bed became a best seller by breaking down how you can change your life and change the world into ten simple steps that start with simply making your bed - by former US Navy SEAL, Admiral William McRaven.

Published 2017 // 144 pages // Rated 4.0 over 88,100 reviews on Goodreads

3. Spec Ops - William H. McRaven

Case Studies in Special Operations Warfare: Theory and Practice

Published 1996 // 432 pages // Rated 4.2 over 600 reviews on Goodreads

Best William H. McRaven Books: The Hero Code

4. The Hero Code - William H. McRaven

Lessons Learned from Lives Well Lived

Published 2021 // 176 pages // Rated 4.3 over 1,500 reviews on Goodreads

See all William H. McRaven's books on Amazon
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Best William H. McRaven Quotes

Here are some of the best William H. McRaven of all time...

"It is easy to blame your lot in life on some outside force, to stop trying because you believe fate is against you. It is easy to think that where you were raised, how your parents treated you, or what school you went to is all that determines your future. Nothing could be further from the truth. The common people and the great men and women are all defined by how they deal with life’s unfairness: Helen Keller, Nelson Mandela, Stephen Hawking, Malala Yousafzai, and—Moki Martin. 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!"

- William H. McRaven, Make Your Bed

"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."

- William H. McRaven, Make Your Bed

"None of us are immune from life’s tragic moments. Like the small rubber boat we had in basic SEAL training, it takes a team of good people to get you to your destination in life. 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."

- William H. McRaven, Make Your Bed

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

- William H. McRaven, Make 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 my discipline. It showed my attention to detail, and at the end of the day it would be a reminder that I had done something well, something to be proud of, no matter how small the task."

- William H. McRaven, Make Your Bed

"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 tough decision."

- William H. McRaven, Make Your Bed

"Hope is the most powerful force in the universe."

- William H. McRaven, Make Your Bed

"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."

- William H. McRaven, Make Your Bed

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Arthur Worsley
I founded TAoL to discover and share the best wisdom on how to live long and prosper. Before that I studied Psychology, Philosophy & Physiology at Oxford and consulted at McKinsey. Still curious? Learn more or take my FREE productivity quiz.