Make Your BedMake Your Bed
Score Modern
What it's about
Inspired by the commencement speech Admiral William H. McRaven gave that went viral, this short book shares ten lessons from his Navy SEAL training and career, starting with the simplest: make your bed. Small things can have a big impact.
Why it's worth reading
It spent 156 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's a popular graduation gift.
You'll love it if you liked
Atomic Habits
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ckGood to know
It's very short and can be read in under an hour.
By the numbers
- Readers11 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller61 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz26 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #74 of the 85 self-help and business books we rank
- #109 of the 119 science and ideas books we rank
- #1195 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #2208 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Practical, Thought-provoking
If you like this, read next
Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It
Thinking, Fast and Slow
The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine
Outliers: The Story of Success
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
Maybe You Should Talk to SomeoneExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Science and ideas booksTop 25 · 119 ranked
Self-help and business booksTop 25 · 85 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,573 ranked
Books of the 2010sTop 25 · 736 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 309 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedQuick answers
Is Make Your Bed worth reading?
Yes. It spent 156 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #2,208 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 61.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Make Your Bed about?
Inspired by the commencement speech Admiral William H. McRaven gave that went viral, this short book shares ten lessons from his Navy SEAL training and career, starting with the simplest: make your bed. Small things can have a big impact.
How long does it take to read Make Your Bed?
About 4 hours (144 pages), or about 8 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Make Your Bed?
If you liked it, try Atomic Habits by James Clear, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth or The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson.