“If you wanna change the world, start off by making your bed.” Admiral William McRaven made this simple, yet motivational statement in his commencement speech for the University of Texas at Austin in 2014.

As an experienced United States Navy admiral and commander, Admiral McRaven has certainly changed the world in ways much bigger than making his bed. However, he assures the college graduates that making their beds will lead to greater things.

Admiral McRaven explains that by making your bed in the morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. This accomplishment will then encourage you to “complete one task and another and another.”

Although Mr. Cole Smith does not make his bed in the morning, he sees Admiral McRaven’s philosophy working in his own life.

“When I get to school, the first thing I do is make a to-do list for the day,” said Smith. “I always pick the easiest thing to do first; accomplishing that simple task catapults me into doing the bigger things.”

Life as a high schooler can get overwhelming. Balancing classes, social life, family life, extracurriculars, work, and more can often seem impossible. In these times, it may be helpful to examine your own life to see if you are “making your bed.”

Smith encourages his students to “Get 1 percent better everyday.” Statistics show that if you get 1 percent better every single day, then you will ultimately improve your style of life by 1.27 times each month. Smith explained that this self-improvement does not need to be anything drastically life-changing.

Whether or not you make your bed in the morning, perhaps choose one thing that makes you feel accomplished. For some this could be making a cup of coffee, listening to a podcast, writing a to-do list, journaling, or, of course, making your bed.

Admiral McRaven jokes, “Even if you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made.”