When Admiral McRaven delivered this motivational speech, we never expected to listen to it so many times. Almost 18 million people have watched and made their beds.

“Life is a struggle and the potential for failure is ever-present, but those who live in fear of failure, or hardship, or embarrassment will never achieve their potential. Without pushing your limits, without occasionally sliding down the rope headfirst, without daring greatly, you will never know what is truly possible in your life.” ― William H. McRaven

US Navy Admiral William H. McRaven is one of the most decorated commanders in the United States military. He’s also a well-known inspirational speaker and author, using his lessons learned in Navy SEAL training and over his career to help others.

In this commencement speech at the University of Texas at Austin, Admiral McRaven delivers a stunning, emotional, and motivational speech that shocks the audience (and the viewers) into silence.

He starts by laying out each of his 10 simple rules with a personal story and a relational story to his time in training. His messages may be simple, but the way that he leads into them makes all the difference in this emotional story.

Because both his book and this speech highlight the importance of making your bed, many have said that after watching this speech, that’s the first thing they go to do. It fits right in with Admiral McRaven’s first rule: “Start the day with a task completed”.

It’s absolutely amazing to watch the way he weaves together this own personal stories with his lessons. These are 10 rules you can take to any part of your life, and they’ll be sure to help you succeed.