---
title: "4 Every morning Quotes By William H. McRaven"
description: "4 Every morning quotes by William H. McRaven. Plus more from William H. McRaven and more Every morning sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/374/william-h-mcraven-13570_basic_my-wife-and-i-make-the-bed-every-morning_1441724.png"
---

> [My wife and I make the bed every morning, but it's a queen size bed today, as opposed to a rack, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/my-wife-and-i-make-the-bed-every-morning-but-it-s-a-queen-size-bed/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/374/william-h-mcraven-13570_basic_my-wife-and-i-make-the-bed-every-morning_1441724.png)

> [“With one final flip the quarter flew high into the air and came down on the mattress with a light bounce. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/with-one-final-flip-the-quarter-flew-high-into-the-air-and-came-down/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/william-h-mcraven-13570_attention-to-detail_with-one-final-flip-the-quarter-flew-hig_1801691.jpg)

> [“Over the past three years, I have been stopped on the street by great folks telling me their own stories: How they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/over-the-past-three-years-i-have-been-stopped-on-the-street-by-great/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/341/william-h-mcraven-13570_book_over-the-past-three-years-i-have-been-st_2813128.jpg)

> [If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/if-you-make-your-bed-every-morning-you-will-have-accomplished-the-2/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/466/william-h-mcraven-13570_accomplished_if-you-make-your-bed-every-morning-you-w_2826509.png)

## Other authors on Every morning

- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b013/author-joel-osteen-50643.jpg) Joel Osteen 7 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-morning/joel-osteen/)
- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b022/author-steve-jobs-87290.jpg) Steve Jobs 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-morning/steve-jobs/)
- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b019/author-paulo-coelho-74345.jpg) Paulo Coelho 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-morning/paulo-coelho/)
- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b017/author-mary-oliver-65135.jpg) Mary Oliver 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-morning/mary-oliver/)
- [Jarod Kintz 6 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-morning/jarod-kintz/)
- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b001/author-g-k-chesterton-224.jpg) G.K. Chesterton 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-morning/g-k-chesterton/)
- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b004/author-anne-lamott-13804.jpg) Anne Lamott 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-morning/anne-lamott/)
- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b020/author-ray-bradbury-77494.jpg) Ray Bradbury 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-morning/ray-bradbury/)
- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b011/author-henry-david-thoreau-41473.jpg) Henry David Thoreau 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-morning/henry-david-thoreau/)
- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b009/author-ernest-hemingway-33795.jpg) Ernest Hemingway 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-morning/ernest-hemingway/)
- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b004/author-amit-ray-12354.jpg) Amit Ray 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-morning/amit-ray/)

## More by William H. McRaven

> [“By 2003, I found myself in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now that I was a one-star admiral leading troops in a war zone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/by-2003-i-found-myself-in-combat-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-now-that-i/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

> [If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/if-you-want-to-change-the-world-start-off-by-making-your-bed/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

> [As ISIS begins to gain momentum beyond where they already are, it really does create - but you see the surge of refugees and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/as-isis-begins-to-gain-momentum-beyond-where-they-already-are-it/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

> [I am not running with Hillary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/i-am-not-running-with-hillary/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

> [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/the-common-people-and-the-great-men-and-women-are-all-defined-by-how/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

> [ Following is one of the most underrated aspects of leadership… I have seen many a good \[military unit\] underachieve, because someone...thought the commander was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/following-is-one-of-the-most-underrated-aspects-of-leadership-i-have/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

> [“After the war, Manor returned to New York University and finished his degree in 1947. Later that year he became an instructor at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/after-the-war-manor-returned-to-new-york-university-and-finished-his/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

> [Petraeus is the finest general I have ever worked for; Holly Petraeus is a great American hero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/petraeus-is-the-finest-general-i-have-ever-worked-for-holly-petraeus/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

> [Nighttime frequently increases alertness, and each mission should consider the ramifications of a night assault. Several of the most successful special operations were conducted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/nighttime-frequently-increases-alertness-and-each-mission-should/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

> [“for every failure, for every mistake, there were hundreds of successes: hostages rescued, suicide bombers stopped, pirates captured, terrorists killed, and countless lives saved.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/for-every-failure-for-every-mistake-there-were-hundreds-of-successes/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

> [“In life you will face a lot of Circuses. You will pay for your failures. But, if you persevere, if you let those failures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/in-life-you-will-face-a-lot-of-circuses-you-will-pay-for-your/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

> [“It is easy to blame your lot in life on some outside force, to stop trying because you believe fate is against you. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/it-is-easy-to-blame-your-lot-in-life-on-some-outside-force-to-stop/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

> [“You cannot paddle the boat alone. Find someone to share your life with. Make as many friends as possible, and never forget that your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/you-cannot-paddle-the-boat-alone-find-someone-to-share-your-life-with/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

> [“Making my bed correctly was not going to be an opportunity for praise. It was expected of me. It was my first task of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/making-my-bed-correctly-was-not-going-to-be-an-opportunity-for-praise/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

> [I think ninjas are probably quieter than SEALs, but we are better swimmers, and also better with guns and blowing things up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/i-think-ninjas-are-probably-quieter-than-seals-but-we-are-better/)

[William H. McRaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-mcraven/)

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                        "text": "“With one final flip the quarter flew high into the air and came down on the mattress with a light bounce. It jumped several inches off the bed, high enough for the instructor to catch it in his hand. Swinging around to face me, the instructor looked me in the eye and nodded. He never said a word. 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. Throughout my life in the Navy, making my bed was the one constant that I could count on every day. As a young SEAL ensign aboard the USS Grayback, a special operation submarine, I was berthed in sick bay, where the beds were stacked four high. The salty old doctor who ran sick bay insisted that I make my rack every morning. He often remarked that if the beds were not made and the room was not clean, how could the sailors expect the best medical care? As I later found out, this sentiment of cleanliness and order applied to every aspect of military life. Thirty years later, the Twin Towers came down in New York City. The Pentagon was struck, and brave Americans died in an airplane over Pennsylvania. At the time of the attacks, I was recuperating in my home from a serious parachute accident. A hospital bed had been wheeled into my government quarters, and I spent most of the day lying on my back, trying to recover. I wanted out of that bed more than anything else. Like every SEAL I longed to be with my fellow warriors in the fight. When I was finally well enough to lift myself unaided from the bed, the first thing I did was pull the sheets up tight, adjust the pillow, and make sure the hospital bed looked presentable to all those who entered my home. It was my way of showing that I had conquered the injury and was moving forward with my life. Within four weeks of 9/11, I was transferred to the White House, where I spent the next two years in the newly formed Office of Combatting Terrorism. By October 2003, I was in Iraq at our makeshift headquarters on the Baghdad airfield. For the first few months we slept on Army cots. Nevertheless, I would wake every morning, roll up my sleeping bag, place the pillow at the head of the cot, and get ready for the day.”",
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