This is a fascinating autobiography of a real-life hero who is probably one of the most inspirational speakers I’ve heard if you look up on the Internet “First make your bed”. I’ve attached a video link here.
It’s a true autobiography and one of the best I have read of a man who is honest and candid and has taken part in some of the most hair raising and challenging special operations such as organising the capture of the former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and the killing of Osama bin Laden. He also had a horrendous parachuting accident which would’ve crippled most normal humans like us as his pelvis was ripped apart but he managed to make a recovery.
His write us says:
Admiral William H. McRaven is a part of American military history, having been involved in some of the most famous missions in recent memory, including the capture of Saddam Hussein, the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips, and the raid to kill Osama bin Laden.
Sea Stories begins in 1963 at a French officers’ club in France, where Allied officers and their wives gathered to have drinks and tell stories about their adventures during World War II – the place where a young Bill McRaven learned the value of a good story. Sea Stories is an unforgettable look back on one man’s incredible life, from childhood days sneaking into high-security nuclear sites to a day job of hunting terrorists and rescuing hostages.
Action-packed, humorous, and full of valuable life lessons like those exemplified in McRaven’s best-selling book Make Your Bed, Sea Stories is a remarkable memoir from one of America’s most accomplished leaders.
I loved the quote from Edmund Burke, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing“. Luckily for the world William McRaven is one of those good men who did something, and is filled with stories of other good men and women who did something. The stories filling these pages are amazing and the man has truly lived a full life, he is a brilliant story-teller, while there are also life lessons in each of these stories. A very interesting part of this book is the behind-the-scenes look at the control of Special Operations Forces throughout the world and the sheer scale of it.
If you are seeking some inspiration this is the book to read. Enjoy