Admiral McRaven addresses the University of Texas at Austin Class of 2014

Summary

The commencement address by a former Navy SEAL emphasizes the transformative power of individual actions. Drawing on his 36 years of service, he shares ten life lessons from SEAL training, illustrating how small daily tasks, teamwork, resilience, and courage in the face of adversity can collectively change the world for the better. He challenges the graduating class of 2014 to embrace these principles, predicting their potential to positively impact 800 million lives.

Takeaways

• 🎓 The commencement speaker emphasizes the significance of the graduating moment, despite the fact that details of past commencements are often forgotten.
• 🌟 The University's slogan 'What starts here changes the world' is highlighted as a powerful idea that resonates with the potential impact of the graduating class.
• 🔄 The potential ripple effect of each graduate positively influencing 10 lives, and the subsequent generational impact, is underscored as a means to change the world significantly.
• 💪 The transformative power of individual decisions, as illustrated by military examples, is presented to demonstrate how one person can make a profound difference.
• 🌐 The idea that changing the world is not confined to any specific location or person, and that everyone has the capacity to do so, is a central theme.
• 🛏️ Making your bed every morning is given as a metaphor for accomplishing small tasks that can lead to a sense of pride and momentum for larger achievements.
• 🚣‍♂️ The importance of teamwork and collaboration is conveyed through the boat crew exercise, emphasizing that no one can change the world alone.
• 🌈 The 'munchkin crew' story illustrates that success is not determined by physical attributes but by determination and willpower.
• 👔 The 'sugar cookie' exercise demonstrates the acceptance of failure as a part of life and the importance of resilience in the face of adversity.
• 🤸‍♂️ The 'circus' experience in SEAL training is used to highlight the value of pushing through pain and fatigue to build inner strength and resilience.
• 🎢 Taking risks and innovating, as shown by the student who set a new record on the obstacle course, is encouraged as a way to overcome challenges and achieve more.
• 🦈 Facing fears, such as swimming with sharks, is likened to confronting the 'sharks' in life, with advice to stand one's ground rather than back down.
• 🌌 The need to perform at one's best during the most challenging times, symbolized by the dark underbelly of a ship, is stressed as crucial for success.
• ❄️ The power of hope, as demonstrated by the singing during 'Hell Week', is shown to be a force that can make difficult situations more bearable and bring people together.
• 🔔 The brass bell in SEAL training symbolizes the option to quit, with a message to never give up, no matter how hard the circumstances.

Q & A

What was the speaker's graduation experience from UT 37 years ago?

The speaker graduated from UT with a throbbing headache from a party the night before, a serious girlfriend whom he later married, and was getting commissioned in the Navy that day.

Why does the speaker mention the commencement speaker from his graduation?

The speaker mentions the commencement speaker to illustrate that he doesn't remember who it was or what they said, setting the expectation that his speech will be short and impactful.

What is the University's slogan and what does the speaker think of it?

The University's slogan is 'What starts here changes the world.' The speaker admits that he kind of likes it.

How does the speaker quantify the potential impact of the graduating class of 2014?

The speaker calculates that if each graduate influences 10 people, and those people each influence another 10, within five generations they could impact 800 million lives.

What is the significance of the 'sugar cookie' experience in SEAL training?

The 'sugar cookie' experience is meant to teach trainees to accept that no matter how hard they try, they may still face failure and must continue moving forward.

What is the importance of making your bed every morning according to the speaker?

Making your bed every morning is a small task that gives a sense of accomplishment and encourages a chain of other tasks to be completed throughout the day.

How does the speaker describe the 'munchkin crew' and their significance?

The 'munchkin crew' was a diverse group of smaller individuals who outperformed others in SEAL training, demonstrating that success is not about physical size but willpower.

What is the purpose of the 'circus' in SEAL training?

The 'circus' is an additional two hours of calisthenics for those who fail to meet standards, designed to test resilience and the ability to endure hardship.

Why did the speaker emphasize the importance of dealing with 'sharks'?

The speaker uses 'sharks' as a metaphor for challenges and obstacles that one must face without fear in order to achieve their goals.

What lesson does the speaker draw from the night swim with sharks during SEAL training?

The lesson is to stand your ground and not back down from intimidating challenges, using strength and courage to overcome them.

How does the speaker describe the importance of being your best in the darkest moments?

The speaker emphasizes that during the most difficult times, it is crucial to be calm, composed, and to utilize all your skills and strength to succeed.

What is the significance of 'Hell Week' in SEAL training?

'Hell Week' is a grueling part of SEAL training designed to test the limits of physical and mental endurance, with the goal of building resilience and teamwork.

What does the bell in SEAL training represent and its significance?

The bell represents the option to quit training at any time. Its significance lies in the message that to change the world, one must never give up, no matter how hard the challenges.

What is the speaker's final message to the graduating class of 2014?

The speaker's final message is to start each day with a completed task, find support, respect everyone, take risks, face challenges head-on, and never give up, in order to create a better world.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Commencement Address and Life's Ripple Effect

The speaker begins by expressing gratitude and acknowledging the honor of speaking at the commencement ceremony. Reflecting on his own graduation from UT 37 years prior, he humorously admits to not remembering the commencement speaker, emphasizing the importance of making an impact rather than just being memorable. He connects the university's slogan, 'What starts here changes the world,' to the potential influence of the graduating class of 2014. Using the concept of exponential personal influence, he illustrates how even small changes can have a global impact over generations. Drawing from his military experience, he provides real-world examples of how individual decisions can save lives and change the course of future generations. The speaker concludes this section with a rhetorical question about the future state of the world post their influence and offers general life advice drawn from his time as a Navy SEAL.

05:00

🛏️ The Discipline of Making Your Bed and Teamwork

The speaker shares the first lesson from his SEAL training: the importance of making your bed every morning as a simple yet powerful act of discipline. He explains how this small task can set a positive tone for the day and reinforce the significance of attention to detail. He then transitions to the concept of teamwork, using the metaphor of a boat crew in SEAL training to illustrate the necessity of synchronized effort and mutual support in achieving goals. He emphasizes that changing the world is not a solitary endeavor and encourages the graduates to seek and value collaboration in their future endeavors.

10:06

🏊‍♂️ Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Diversity

The speaker recounts the story of the 'munchkin crew,' a diverse and small group of SEAL trainees who, despite their size, outperformed others through sheer determination and teamwork. This narrative serves to underscore the power of will and the insignificance of superficial differences in the face of shared goals. He advises the graduates to measure people by the size of their heart, not their外在 appearance or background, highlighting the theme of inclusivity and the potential for unity in diversity.

15:08

🔍 The Pursuit of Excellence and Dealing with Setbacks

This section delves into the relentless pursuit of perfection and the inevitability of setbacks, as illustrated by the uniform inspection ritual during SEAL training. The speaker explains how the instructors would always find fault, leading to a 'sugar cookie' punishment, and how this experience taught him to accept that not all efforts will be appreciated. He encourages the graduates to persevere despite such setbacks, embodying resilience and the ability to move forward without being deterred by life's unfairness.

🏋️‍♂️ The Strength Found in Adversity and Innovation

The speaker describes the grueling physical challenges of SEAL training, including the 'circus,' a punishing session of extra exercises for those who failed to meet the standards. He points out that those who faced these challenges regularly actually grew stronger, both physically and mentally. He also shares a story of a trainee who broke the obstacle course record by taking a daring and unconventional approach, emphasizing the value of innovation and courage in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

🗺️ Facing Fears and the Importance of Hope

The narrative continues with the story of a night swim amidst shark-infested waters, where the trainees were taught to confront their fears head-on. The speaker advises the graduates not to back down from the 'sharks' of the world, symbolizing the various fears and challenges they will encounter. He also discusses the psychological impact of working in total darkness during underwater missions, highlighting the need for calmness and focus during life's most challenging moments.

❌ The Power of Perseverance and Unity in Hardship

The speaker recounts the experience of 'Hell Week,' a particularly brutal phase of SEAL training characterized by extreme conditions and the constant threat of quitting. He shares a poignant moment when the trainees, faced with the prospect of leaving the mud if only five would quit, chose instead to sing together, finding strength and hope in unity. This story illustrates the power of hope and the collective spirit in overcoming adversity.

🔔 The Symbol of Surrender and the Call to Endurance

In the final paragraph, the speaker introduces the 'bell' from SEAL training, a symbol of surrender that any trainee could ring at any time to quit. He uses this symbol to impart a final lesson to the graduates: to never give up, no matter the difficulty. He concludes his address by reminding the class of their potential to change the world and to live by the principles of discipline, teamwork, resilience, courage, hope, and perseverance.

Keywords

💡Commencement Speaker

A commencement speaker is an individual chosen to address the graduating class at a graduation ceremony. In the script, the speaker humorously admits not remembering the commencement speaker from his own graduation, emphasizing the importance of making the current speech impactful despite its potential to be forgotten.

💡What Starts Here Changes the World

This is the slogan of the University of Texas, as referenced in the script. It encapsulates the idea that the education and experiences students have at the university can have a profound, world-altering impact. The speaker uses this slogan to inspire the graduating class to recognize their potential to effect change on a global scale.

💡Influence

Influence refers to the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something. The speaker illustrates the concept of influence by suggesting that if each graduate positively impacts 10 people, the cumulative effect over generations could change the lives of millions.

💡Navy SEAL

Navy SEALs are the U.S. Navy's primary special operations force and a part of the United States Special Operations Command. The speaker is a Navy SEAL, and he uses his experiences and the rigorous training he underwent to impart life lessons that are applicable to the audience, emphasizing perseverance, teamwork, and leadership.

💡Basic SEAL Training

Basic SEAL training is a six-month program designed to prepare candidates for service as Navy SEALs. It is characterized by extreme physical and mental challenges. The speaker references this training to highlight the importance of discipline, resilience, and the ability to lead under pressure.

💡Making Your Bed

Making your bed is a simple daily task that the speaker mentions as a metaphor for accomplishing the first task of the day. It symbolizes the importance of starting each day with a small victory that can build momentum for further achievements, reinforcing the idea that even small actions can contribute to larger goals.

💡Boat Crews

In the context of SEAL training, boat crews are groups of students who work together to navigate challenges, such as paddling through surf. The speaker uses the concept of boat crews to illustrate the necessity of teamwork and collective effort in achieving goals and making an impact on the world.

💡Munchkin Crew

The 'munchkin crew' is a term used by the speaker to describe a boat crew composed of smaller individuals who, despite their size, outperformed others. This concept is used to emphasize that success is not determined by physical appearance or social status but by determination and the collective strength of a group.

💡Sugar Cookie

In SEAL training, 'sugar cookie' refers to a punishment where a student, having failed an inspection, must run into the surf and roll in the sand, remaining in their wet and sandy uniform for the rest of the day. The speaker uses this term to discuss the inevitability of failure and the importance of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity.

💡Circus

A 'circus' in SEAL training is an additional two hours of grueling physical exercise assigned to those who fail to meet certain standards. The speaker discusses the 'circus' to convey that failure and the resulting challenges can build inner strength and resilience, which are crucial for making a difference in the world.

💡Slide for Life

The 'slide for life' is an obstacle in the SEAL training course that involves sliding down a rope from a tower. The speaker recounts a story of a student who broke the course record by taking a risk and going down head first, illustrating the idea that sometimes, in order to make a significant impact or achieve a goal, one must be willing to take risks and think unconventionally.

Highlights

Speaker's commencement speech at UT, reflecting on personal graduation memories and the insignificance of the speaker's role in the grand scheme of life.

Introduction of the University's slogan 'What starts here changes the world,' and the speaker's personal endorsement of its message.

The concept that the graduating class of 2014 could potentially influence 800 million people through a ripple effect of personal impact.

The idea that changing the world can happen anywhere and by anyone, emphasizing the power of individual decisions.

The speaker's military background and its relevance to the lessons he shares, transcending beyond military service to universal life lessons.

The importance of making your bed every morning as a metaphor for accomplishing tasks and fostering a sense of pride and momentum.

The significance of teamwork and collaboration in achieving goals, illustrated through the SEAL training boat crew paddling exercise.

The story of the 'munchkin crew' as an example of overcoming size and physical limitations through determination and teamwork.

The lesson of not judging people by their appearance but by the size of their heart, as demonstrated by the munchkin crew's success.

The harsh reality of training where no matter how well one prepares, setbacks and challenges are inevitable, symbolized by the 'sugar cookie' experience.

The concept of 'circuses' in SEAL training as a metaphor for life's failures and the importance of resilience and not giving up.

The story of breaking the obstacle course record by taking risks and innovating, highlighting the value of thinking outside the box.

The analogy of dealing with 'sharks' in life, using the SEAL night swim and shark encounter as a lesson in courage and perseverance.

The importance of calmness and focus during the 'darkest moments' of a mission, as illustrated by the underwater ship attack training.

The power of hope and unity demonstrated during 'Hell Week' in SEAL training, where singing together in the mud helped overcome adversity.

The final message to the class of 2014 to never give up, symbolized by the SEAL training bell that no one should ever ring.

A call to action for the graduating class to start their journey with the potential to change the world for the better, emphasizing the impact they can have.

Transcripts

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you, President Powers, Provost Fenves, Deans, members of the faculty, family and

friends and most importantly, the class of 2014.

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 throbbing headache from a party the night before.

I remember I had a serious girlfriend, whom 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, acknowledging that fact, if I can't make this commencement speech memorable, I will

at least try to make it short.

The University's slogan is, "What starts here changes the world."

I've got to admit, I kinda like it.

"What starts here changes the world."

Tonight there are almost 8,000 students, there are more than 8,000 students graduating from

UT.

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 changed 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: eight

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 close-in ambush.

In Kandahar province in Afghanistan, a non-commissioned officer from the Female Engagement Team senses

something isn't right and directs the infantry platoon away from a 500-pound IED, saving

the lives of a dozen soldiers.

But, if you think about it, not only were these soldiers saved by the decisions of one

person, but their children were saved.

And their children's children.

Generations were saved by one decision, by 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 am confident that it will look much, much better.

But if you will humor this old sailor for just a moment, I have a few suggestions that

may help you on your way to a better a 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 have 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 six months of long, torturous runs in the soft sand, midnight

swims in the cold water off San Diego, obstacles courses, unending calisthenics, days without

sleep and always being cold, wet and miserable.

It is six months of being constantly harassed by professionally trained warriors who seek

to find the weak of mind and body 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 and hardships.

To me, basic SEAL training was a lifetime of challenges crammed into six months.

So, here are the 10 lesson's 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 Viet Nam veterans,

would show up in my barracks room, and the first thing they would inspect was my bed.

If you did it right, the corners would be square, the covers 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 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 will never be able to do the big things right.

And, if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made—that

you made—and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.

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

During SEAL training the students...during training the student are broken down into

boat crews.

Each crew is seven students—three on each side of a small rubber boat and one coxswain

to help guide the dingy.

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 10 feet 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 coxswain.

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 good will of strangers and a strong coxswain 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, which 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 five-foot-five.

The munchkin boat crew had one American Indian, one African American, one Polish America,

one Greek American, one Italian American, and two tough kids from the Midwest.

They out-paddled, out-ran 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 and the world, always

had the last laugh, swimming 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 and 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 and 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 fine something wrong.

For failing the 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 a 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 was 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 mettle.

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 was two 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 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 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-foot wall, a 30-foot cargo

net and a barbed wire crawl, to name a few.

But the most challenging obstacle was the slide for life.

It had a three-level, 30-foot tower at one end and a one-level tower at the other.

In between was a 200-foot-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 fraught 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 Clemente

Island, which lies off the coast of San Diego.

The waters off San Clemente 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 brief the students on all the species of sharks

that inhabit the waters off San Clemente.

They assure you, however, that no student has ever been eaten by a shark—at least

not that they can remember.

But, you are 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 practiced this technique extensively during training.

The ship attack mission is where a pair of SEAL divers is dropped off outside an enemy

harbor and then swims well over two miles, under water, 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 a pier, 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 centerline and the deepest part of the ship.

This is your objective.

But the keel 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 get to

be easily disoriented and you can fail.

Every SEAL knows that under the keel, at the darkest moment of the mission, is the 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 all 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 area between San Diego and Tijuana where the water runs off and creates

the Tijuana slues, a swampy patch of terrain where the mud will engulf you.

It is on Wednesday of Hell Week that you paddle down to the mud flats and spend the next 15

hours trying to survive the 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 'til 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 over eight hours till the sun came up, eight more hours of bone chilling

cold.

The chattering teeth and 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—Washington, 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 to your neck in mud.

Finally, in SEAL training there is a bell.

A brass bell that hangs in the center of the compound for all the students to see.

All you have to do to quit is ring the bell.

Ring the bell and you no longer have to wake up at 5 o'clock.

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 and that you will fail often, but if take you take some risks,

step up when the times are 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 'em horns.