University of Texas at Austin 2014 Commencement Address - Admiral William H. McRaven
Summary
TLDRThe commencement speech by a former Navy SEAL emphasizes the power of individual actions to change the world, drawing on lessons from his rigorous SEAL training. He encourages the graduating class of 2014 to start with small tasks, find support, face challenges head-on, and never give up. With perseverance and hope, they can influence millions and create a better world.
Takeaways
- 🎓 The commencement speaker humorously admits that despite the significance of the day, he doesn't remember the speaker from his own graduation, emphasizing the importance of making the speech meaningful and brief.
- 🌏 The speaker introduces the university's slogan 'What starts here changes the world' and challenges the graduates to consider the potential impact they could have on the world through the ripple effect of their actions.
- 🔄 The concept of change is presented as a collective effort, where each graduate could influence 10 people, and those people could influence others, leading to a significant global impact over time.
- 💪 Personal stories from the speaker's military experience illustrate how individual decisions can have far-reaching consequences and save lives, reinforcing the idea that one person can indeed change the world.
- 🛏️ The speaker shares the first of ten lessons from SEAL training: making your bed every morning as a simple act that sets a positive tone for the day and instills discipline.
- 🚣♂️ Teamwork is highlighted as essential for achieving goals, using the metaphor of a boat crew paddling through challenging surf, emphasizing that no one can change the world alone.
- 🏊♂️ Diversity and inclusion are celebrated through the story of the 'munchkin' boat crew, showing that success is not determined by physical size but by determination and unity.
- 👔 The importance of perseverance is underscored by the story of the uniform inspection, where despite best efforts, things may not always go as planned, and one must continue moving forward.
- 🤸♂️ The 'circus' serves as a metaphor for life's challenges, where failure is a part of growth, and resilience is built through overcoming difficulties.
- 🦈 Facing fears is addressed with the story of swimming with sharks, encouraging graduates to confront their fears and not back down from challenges.
- 🌌 The need for calm and focus in the darkest moments is conveyed through the story of underwater ship attacks, where success requires composure and skill even when visibility and conditions are poor.
- 🎵 The power of hope is exemplified by the story of singing in the mud flats during 'Hell Week,' showing that hope can provide strength in the most challenging times.
- 🔔 The 'bell' represents the option to quit at any time, but the speaker urges the graduates to never ring it, symbolizing the importance of perseverance and never giving up on their goals.
Q & A
What is the significance of the commencement speaker's reference to the university slogan 'What starts here changes the world'?
-The speaker uses the slogan to emphasize the potential impact each graduate can have on the world, suggesting that even small changes initiated by the graduates can have a ripple effect, ultimately affecting millions of lives.
How does the speaker illustrate the potential impact of the class of 2014 on the world?
-The speaker provides a mathematical example, suggesting that if each graduate influences 10 people, and those people each influence 10 more, the class could impact 800 million lives within five generations.
What personal anecdotes does the speaker share from his graduation day at UT?
-The speaker shares that he had a throbbing headache from a party the night before, mentions having a serious girlfriend whom he later married, and that he was getting commissioned in the Navy that day.
Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of making your bed every morning?
-Making your bed is presented as a simple daily task that instills a sense of accomplishment and encourages the completion of further tasks, reinforcing the idea that small, consistent actions can lead to significant outcomes.
What is the 'sugar cookie' drill in SEAL training, and what does it symbolize?
-The 'sugar cookie' drill involves running into the surf zone fully clothed, rolling in the sand, and staying in the wet, sandy uniform all day. It symbolizes the acceptance of failure and the need to keep moving forward despite setbacks.
What does the 'circus' represent in SEAL training, and what life lesson does it teach?
-The 'circus' is an additional two hours of calisthenics for those who fail to meet physical standards. It teaches the lesson that failure is a part of life, and building resilience and inner strength through these challenges is crucial.
How does the speaker describe the importance of teamwork in SEAL training?
-The speaker uses the example of paddling through the surf zone in a boat crew, illustrating that everyone must paddle in sync to succeed, emphasizing that no one can change the world alone and teamwork is essential.
What does the 'slide for life' obstacle represent, and what lesson does it teach about taking risks?
-The 'slide for life' is a challenging obstacle where a student broke the course record by sliding down head first, a risky move. It teaches that sometimes taking bold, calculated risks can lead to significant achievements.
What is the significance of the 'mud flats' during 'Hell Week' in SEAL training?
-The mud flats represent an extreme test of endurance and the will to continue despite the harshest conditions. The experience teaches the power of hope and unity in the face of adversity.
What is the 'bell' in SEAL training, and what does choosing not to ring it symbolize?
-The 'bell' is a symbol of quitting training. Choosing not to ring it symbolizes perseverance, determination, and the refusal to give up, even when faced with extreme challenges.
How does the speaker connect the lessons from SEAL training to the broader goal of changing the world?
-The speaker connects the lessons by highlighting the importance of small daily accomplishments, teamwork, resilience in the face of failure, and the courage to take risks. These lessons are applicable to anyone looking to make a positive impact on the world.
Outlines
🎓 Commencement Address: Inspiring the Class of 2014
The speaker begins with a heartfelt thank you to the university and its community, reflecting on his own graduation 37 years prior. He humorously admits to not remembering the commencement speaker from his graduation, and promises to keep his speech short and impactful. The speaker emphasizes the university's slogan 'What starts here changes the world,' and challenges the graduating class to consider the potential ripple effect of their actions, suggesting that their influence could reach 800 million people over generations. Drawing on his military experience, he provides anecdotes from Iraq and Afghanistan to illustrate the profound impact one person can have, and offers ten lessons from his time as a Navy SEAL to guide the graduates in their journey to change the world.
🛏️ The Discipline of Making Your Bed: A SEAL's Perspective
The speaker shares the first of his ten lessons from SEAL training: the importance of making your bed to perfection every morning. This seemingly trivial task sets the tone for the day, fostering a sense of accomplishment and encouraging a chain of completed tasks. It also underscores the significance of attention to detail in all aspects of life. The speaker highlights the correlation between mastering small tasks and the ability to handle larger challenges, suggesting that a well-made bed can serve as a daily reminder of the power of small victories and the potential for a better tomorrow.
🚣♂️ Teamwork and Perseverance: Paddling Through Challenges
The second lesson focuses on the power of teamwork and perseverance, illustrated through the experience of paddling through surf as part of SEAL training. The speaker explains that individual effort is not enough; synchronization and collective strength are required to overcome the challenging waves. He uses the metaphor of the 'munchkin crew' to demonstrate that success is not determined by size or appearance but by the collective will to succeed. The lesson emphasizes the importance of finding support and collaboration in life's journey to achieve goals that are greater than one's individual capabilities.
🦈 Facing Adversity and Embracing Change
This section of the speech delves into the lessons of handling adversity, drawing from the rigorous physical challenges of SEAL training, such as the 'circuses' that push trainees to their limits. The speaker discusses the importance of resilience in the face of failure and the value of pushing through difficult circumstances to build inner strength. He also shares the story of a trainee who broke a record by taking a risk, emphasizing the necessity of innovation and courage when faced with obstacles. The narrative includes overcoming fears, such as swimming with sharks, and the importance of standing one's ground in the face of intimidating challenges.
🌌 Overcoming Darkness: Inner Strength and Calmness
The speaker recounts the intense experience of underwater training, where SEALs must navigate in complete darkness, relying on their senses and training to complete their mission. This serves as a metaphor for the darker moments in life where one must draw upon inner strength, calmness, and composure to succeed. The story highlights the importance of being at one's best during the most challenging times and the necessity of maintaining focus and determination to overcome adversity.
❄️ Hell Week and the Power of Hope
Hell Week, a grueling part of SEAL training, is described as a test of physical and mental endurance with minimal sleep and constant stress. The speaker shares a story from his own training where, despite the extreme conditions and the pressure to quit, the trainees found solace and strength in singing together. This act of unity in the face of adversity demonstrates the power of hope and its ability to transform even the most challenging situations. The lesson is clear: hope can be a driving force for change and resilience.
🔔 The Bell of Quitting: Never Give Up
The final lesson is about the choice not to quit, symbolized by a bell in SEAL training that any trainee can ring to end their suffering and leave the program. The speaker encourages the graduating class to embrace the challenges of life and to never ring their own 'bell of quitting.' He concludes with a call to action for the class of 2014 to start their journey with the spirit of resilience, teamwork, and hope, promising that their efforts will create a better world for future generations.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Commencement Speaker
💡Change the World
💡Navy SEAL
💡Basic SEAL Training
💡Making Your Bed
💡Boat Crew
💡Munchkin Crew
💡Sugar Cookie
💡Circus
💡Slide for Life
💡Sharks
💡Hell Week
💡Mud Flats
💡The Bell
Highlights
Commencement speech by a former UT graduate and Navy SEAL, emphasizing the potential impact of the graduating class of 2014.
The speaker's recollection of his own graduation day, highlighting the insignificance of the commencement speaker's identity in the long term.
A humorous anecdote about the speaker's personal life, including his serious girlfriend and Navy commissioning, to connect with the audience.
The introduction of the university slogan 'What starts here changes the world' and the speaker's personal endorsement of it.
A mathematical illustration of how the graduating class could influence 800 million people over generations.
The importance of making a bed every morning as a metaphor for accomplishing small tasks that lead to bigger achievements.
The concept of teamwork and the story of the 'munchkin crew' to demonstrate the power of unity and perseverance.
The significance of not judging people by their appearance but by the size of their heart, using the 'munchkin crew' as an example.
The harsh reality of SEAL training and the importance of overcoming failure, symbolized by the 'sugar cookie' drill.
The 'circus' as a metaphor for life's challenges and the growth that comes from enduring them.
The story of breaking the obstacle course record by taking risks and innovating, encouraging graduates to be bold.
The analogy of dealing with 'sharks' in life and the importance of standing your ground.
The importance of calmness and composure during the darkest and most challenging moments, as illustrated by underwater missions.
The story of 'Hell Week' in SEAL training and the power of hope and unity in overcoming adversity.
The significance of the 'bell' in SEAL training as a symbol of quitting and the importance of never ringing it.
A call to action for the graduating class to start their journey of changing the world for the better, with specific advice on how to approach life's challenges.
Closing remarks with a final encouragement to the class of 2014 to embrace their potential to make a significant impact on the world.
Transcripts
thank you very
much thank
you well thank you president
Powers Provost fenves Deans members of
The Faculty family and friends and most
importantly the class of 2014 it
is it is indeed an honor for me to be
here tonight it's been almost 37 years
to the day that I graduated from UT I
remember a lot of things about that day
I remember I had a throbbing headache
from a party the night
before I remember I had a serious
girlfriend who I later
married that's important to Remember by
the way and I remember I was getting
commissioned in the Navy that day but of
all the things I
remember I don't have a clue who the
commencement speaker was and I certainly
don't remember anything they said so so
acknowledging that fact if I can't make
this commencement speech memorable I
will at least try to make it
short so the university slogan is what
starts here changes the world well I've
got to admit I kind of like it what
starts here changes the world tonight
there are almost
8,000 students or there are more than
8,000 students graduated from UT so that
great Paragon of analytical rigor
ask.com says that the average American
will meet 10,000 people in their
lifetime 10,000 people that's a lot of
folks but if every one of you Chang the
lives of just 10 people and each one of
those people changed the lives of
another 10 people and another 10 then in
five generations 125 years the class of
2014 will have changed the lives of
800 million people 800 million
people think about
it over twice the population of the
United States go one more generation and
you can change the entire population of
the world 8 billion people if you think
it's hard to change the lives of 10
people change their lives forever you're
wrong I saw it happen every day in Iraq
and Afghanistan a young army officer
makes a decision to go left instead of
right down a road in
Baghdad and the 10 Soldiers with him are
saved from a close in ambush in kahar
province Afghanistan a non-commission
officer from the female engagement team
senses that something isn't right and
directs the Infantry platoon away from a
500 lb IED saving the lives of a dozen
soldiers but if you think about it not
only were those soldiers saved by the
decisions of one person but their
children were saved and their children's
children Generations were saved by one
decision one person but changing the
world can happen anywhere and anyone can
do it so what starts here can indeed
change the world but the question
is what will the world look like after
you change it well I'm confident that it
will look much much better but if you'll
humor this old sailor for just a moment
I have a few suggestions that might help
you on your way to a better world and
while these lessons were learned during
my time in the military I can assure you
that it matters not whether you ever
served a day in uniform it matters not
your gender your ethnic or religious
background your orientation or your
social status our struggles in this
world are similar and the lessons to
overcome those struggles and to move
forward changing ourselves and changing
the world around us will apply equally
to
all I've been a Navy SEAL for 36 years
but it all began when I left UT for
basic SEAL training in Coronado
California basic Seal training is 6
months of long torturous runs in the
soft sand midnight swims in the cold
water off San Diego obstacle courses
unending calisthenics days without sleep
and always being cold wet and miserable
it is 6 months of being constantly
harassed by professionally trained
Warriors who seek to find the weak of
mind and body and and eliminate them
from ever becoming a Navy SEAL but the
training also seeks to find those
students who can lead in an environment
of constant stress chaos failure in
hardships to me basic SEAL training was
a lifetime of challenges crammed into 6
months so here are the 10 lessons I
learned from basic SEAL training that
hopefully will be of value to you as you
move forward in
life every morning in Seal training my
instructors who at the time were all
Vietnam veterans would show up in my
Barracks room and the first thing they
do is inspect my bed if you did it right
the corners would be square the covers
would be pulled tight the pillow
centered just under the headboard and
the extra blanket folded neatly at the
foot of the rack it was a simple task
mundane at best but every morning we
were required to make our bed to
Perfection it seemed a little ridiculous
at the time particularly in light of the
fact that we were aspiring to be real
Warriors tough battle hardened
seals but the wisdom of this simple act
has been proven to me many times over if
you make your bed every morning you will
have accomplished the first task of the
day it will give you a small sense of
Pride and it will encourage you to do
another task and another and another and
by the end of the day that one task
completed will have turned into many
tasks completed making your bed will
also reinforce the fact that the little
things in life matter if you can't do
the little things right you'll never be
able to do the big things right and if
by chance you have a miserable day you
will come home to to a bed that is
made that you
made and a made bed gives you
encouragement that tomorrow will be
better so if you want to change the
world start off by making your
bed during SEAL training the
students during training the students
are all broken down in a boat cruise
each crew is seven students three on
each side of a small rubber boat and one
Coxs in to help guide the dinghy every
day your boat crew forms up on the beach
and is instructed to get through the
surf zone and paddle several miles down
the coast in the winter the surf off San
Diego can get to be 8 to 10t high and it
is exceedingly difficult to paddle
through the plunging surf unless
everyone digs in every paddle must be
synchronized to the stroke count of the
coxen everyone must exert equal effort
or the boat will turn against the wave
and be unceremoniously dumped back on
the beach for the boat to make it to its
destination
everyone must
paddle you can't change the world alone
you will need some help and to truly get
from your starting point to your
destination takes friends colleagues the
goodwi of strangers and a strong coxen
to guide you if you want to change the
world find someone to help you
paddle over a few weeks of difficult
training my seal class would started
with 150 men was down to just 42 there
were now six boat Crews of seven men
each I was in the boat with the tall
guys but the best boat crew we had was
made up of the little guys the munchkin
crew we called them no one was over 5
foot5 the munchkin boat crew had one
American Indian one African-American one
Polish American one Greek American one
Italian ameran and two tough kids from
the Midwest they out paddled outran and
out swam all the other boat Crews the
big men in the other boat Crews would
always make good-natured fun of the tiny
little flippers the munchkins put on
their tiny little feet prior to every
swim but somehow these little guys from
every corner of the nation in the world
always had the last laugh sowing faster
than everyone and reaching the shore
long before the rest of us SEAL training
was a great equalizer nothing mattered
but your will to succeed not your color
not your ethnic background not your
education not your social status
if you want to change the world measure
a person by the size of their heart not
by the size of their
flippers several times a
week the instructors would line up the
class and do a uniform inspection it was
exceptionally thorough your hat had to
be perfectly starched your uniform
immaculately pressed your belt buckle
shiny and void of any
smudges but it seemed that no matter how
much effort you put into starching your
hat or pressing your uniform or
polishing your belt buckle
it just wasn't good enough the
instructors would find something wrong
for failing uniform inspection the
student had to run fully clothed into
the surf zone then wet from head to toe
roll around on the beach until every
part of your body was covered with sand
the effect was known as sugar
cookie you stayed in the uniform the
rest of the day cold wet and Sandy there
were many of student who just couldn't
accept the fact that all their efforts
were in vain that no matter how hard
they tried to get the uniform right it
went
unappreciated those students didn't make
it through training those students
didn't understand the purpose of the
drill you were never going to succeed
you were never going to have a perfect
uniform the instructors weren't going to
allow
it sometimes no matter how well you
prepare or how well you perform you
still end up as a sugar cookie it's just
the way life is sometimes if you want to
change the world get over being a sugar
cookie and keep moving
forward every day during training you
were challenged with multiple physical
events long runs long swims obstacle
courses hours of calisthenics something
designed to test your metal every event
had standards times you had to meet if
you failed to meet those times those
standards your name was posted on a list
and at the end of the day those on the
list were invited to a circus a circus
circus was 2 hours of additional
calisthenics designed to wear you down
to break your spirit to force you to
quit no one wanted a circus a circus
meant that for that day you didn't
measure up a circus meant more fatigue
and more fatigue meant that the
following day would be more difficult
and more circuses were likely but at
some time during SEAL training
everyone everyone made the circus
list but an interesting an interesting
thing happened to those who were
constantly on the list
over time those students who did two
hours of extra calisthenics got stronger
and stronger the pain of the circuses
built inner strength and physical
resiliency life is filled with
circuses you will fail you will likely
fail often it will be painful it will be
discouraging at times it will test you
to your very core but if you don't if
you want to change the world don't be
afraid of the circuses
at least twice a week the trainees were
required to run the obstacle
course the obstacle course contained 25
obstacles including a 10-ft wall a 30-ft
cargo net a barb wire crawl to name a
few but the most challenging obstacle
was the slide for life it had a
three-level 30ft tower at one end and a
onlevel tower at the other in between
was a 200t long rope you had to climb
the three- tiered Tower and once at the
top you grabbed the Rope swung
underneath the rope and pulled yourself
hand over hand until you got to the
other end the record for the obstacle
course had stood for years when my class
began in 1977 the record seemed
unbeatable until one day a student
decided to go down the slide for Life
head first instead of swinging his body
underneath the rope and inching his way
down he bravely mounted the top of the
rope and thrust himself forward it was a
dangerous move seemingly foolish and
Frau with risk failure could mean injury
and being dropped from the course
without hesitation the student slid down
the Rope perilously fast instead of
several minutes it only took him half
that time and by the end of the course
he had broken the
record if you want to change the world
sometimes you have to slide down the
obstacles head
first during the land Warfare phase of
training the students are flown out to
San Clemen Island which lies off the
coast of San Diego the waters sanini are
a breeding ground for the great white
sharks to pass SEAL training there are a
series of long swims that must be
completed one is the night swim before
the swim the instructors joyfully
briefed the students on all the species
of
sharks that inhabit the waters off S
Clen they assure you however that no
student has ever been eaten by a shark
at least not that they can
remember but you were also taught that
if a shark begins to Circle your
position stand your ground do not swim
away do not act
afraid and if the shark hungry for a
midnight snack darts towards you then
summons up all your strength and punch
him in the snout and he will turn and
swim
away there are a lot of sharks in the
world if you hope to complete the swim
you will have to deal with them so if
you want to change the world
don't back down from the
Sharks as Navy Seals one of our jobs is
to conduct underwater attacks against
enemy shipping we practice this
technique extensively during training
the Ship Attack mission is where a pair
of sealed divers is dropped off outside
an enemy Harbor and then swims well over
two miles underwater using nothing but a
depth gauge and a compass to get to the
Target during the entire swim even well
below the surface there is some light
that comes through it is comforting to
know that there is Open Water above
you but as you approach the ship which
is tied to appear the light begins to
fade the steel structure of the ship
blocks the Moonlight it blocks the
surrounding Street lamps it blocks all
ambient light to be successful in your
mission you have to swim under the ship
and find the Keel the center line and
the deepest part of the ship this is
your objective but the KE is also the
darkest part of the ship where you
cannot see your hand in front of your
face where the noise from the ship's
Machinery is deafening and where it gets
to be easily disoriented and you can
fail every seal knows that under the KE
at that darkest moment of the mission is
a time when you need to be calm when you
must be calm when you must be composed
when all your Tactical skills your
physical power and your inner strength
must be brought to
bear if you want to change the world you
must be your very best in the darkest
moments the ninth week of training is
referred to as hell week it is six days
of no sleep constant physical and mental
harassment and one special day at the
mud flats the mud flats are an area
between San Diego and Tijana where the r
water runs off and creates the Tiana SLO
a swampy patch of terrain where the mud
will engulf you
it is on Wednesday of hell week that you
paddle down in the mud flats and spend
the next 15 hours trying to survive this
freezing cold the howling wind and the
incessant pressure to quit from the
instructors as the sun began to set that
Wednesday evening my training class
having committed some egregious
infraction of the rules was ordered into
the mud the mud consumed each man Till
There Was Nothing visible but our heads
the instructors told us we could leave
the mud if only five men would quit only
five men just five men and we could get
out of the oppressive
cold looking around the mud flat it was
apparent that some students were about
to give
up it was still over8 hours till the sun
came up eight more hours of bone
chilling cold the chattering teeth and
the Shivering moans of the trainees were
so loud it was hard to hear
anything and then one voice began to
echo through the night
one voice raised in
song the song was terribly Out Of
Tune but sung with great
enthusiasm One Voice became two and two
became three and before long everyone in
the class was singing the instructors
threatened us with more time in the mud
if we kept up the singing But the
singing persisted and somehow the mud
seemed a little warmer and the wind a
little Tamer and the dawn not so far
away if I have learned anything in my
time traveling the world it is the power
of Hope the power of one person a
Washington a Lincoln King Mandela and
even a young girl from Pakistan Malala
one person can change the world by
giving people hope so if you want to
change the world start singing when
you're up your neck in
mud finally in Seal training there's a
bell a brass bell that hangs in the
center of the compound for all the
students to see all you have to do quit
all you have to do to quit is ring the
bell ring the bell and you no longer
have to wake up at 5:00 ring the bell
and you no longer have to be in the
freezing cold swims ring the bell and
you no longer have to do the runs the
obstacle course the PT and you no longer
have to endure the hardships of
training all you have to do is ring the
bell to get
out if you want to change the world
don't ever
ever ring the
bell to the class of 2014 you are
moments away from graduating moments
away from beginning your journey through
life moments away from starting to
change the world for the better it will
not be easy but you are the class of
2014 the class that can affect the lives
of 800 million people in The Next
Century start each day with a task
completed find someone to help you
through life respect everyone know that
life is not fair in you will fail often
but if you take some risks step up when
the times are the toughest face down the
bullies lift up the downtrodden and
never ever give up if you do these
things the Next Generation and the
generations that follow will live in a
world far better than the one we have
today and what started here will indeed
have changed the world for the better
thank you very much hook horns
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