If You Want To Change The World, Start Off By Making Your Bed

William H McRaven, a former navy SEAL who spent 34 years in service shares the one lesson that has stuck with him to this day. And it is a simple one: make your bed, first thing in the morning.

McRaven's training in Coronado, California, consisted of what anyone would expect from a navy SEAL training. As he told The Guardian, their sleeping arrangement were "a simple steel bed on which there is a mattress, two sheets and a grey blanket."

When they woke up in the morning, they were all expected to make their bed. But there was a catch. It had to be done properly, otherwise they "would be sent on a 10-mile run." That simple task became so important and took on a powerful meaning.

Making my bed taught me the importance of getting my day off to a good start.

William H McRaven in The Guardian

The benefits are undeniable

As McRaven says in his famous speech, making your bed would have made you "accomplish the first task of your day" and will also give you "a sense of pride." Not only that, but it will encourage you to do another task. Just that small action will trigger a chain reaction of productivity.

If you can’t do the little things right, you can’t do the big things right. And if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that’s made.

William H McRaven

Then, the #MakeYourBedChallenge was created

McRaven's moving speech motivated millions of people. Little did we know the extent of its power until we were challenged by a member of our own Goalcast community to take on the #MakeYourBedChallenge.

The challenge is simple. Here's how it goes:

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

• Make your bed first thing in the morning and snap a picture of your finished work!
• Post your pic to Instagram (main feed or story) and tag 5 friends you want to challenge. Be sure to include the hashtag: #MakeYourBedChallenge
• Tag @goal.cast for a chance to be featured

Here's how Goalcasters rose to the challenge:

Help us spread the word!

Now, we want to keep this challenge going and here's where you come into play. This one small task will change the person who receives the challenge, but also the world, for the better. By participating, you'll be helping the movement. You can challenge as many people as you like!

So get started and spread the word with us!