This week's book: "The Wisdom of the Bullfrog" by Admiral William H. McRaven.
"If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed."
Admiral William H. McRaven
Every now and then I read a book that reminds me leadership isn't about titles, corner offices, or having all the answers. It's about character. This week's book is one of those. I love this book!
First, you may be wondering, what is a Bullfrog? In the Navy SEAL community, the Bullfrog is the longest-serving active-duty SEAL. It's a title earned through years of service, experience, resilience, and leadership. McRaven became the Bullfrog near the end of a remarkable military career, and he uses that vantage point to share short, practical lessons that reach well beyond the battlefield.
The subtitle also caught me: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy).
I love that distinction. Simple doesn't mean effortless. Most leadership principles are easy to understand. Be honest. Lead by example. Take responsibility. Build trust. Put your team first. The hard part is living them every day, especially when the pressure is on.
The opening chapter is about the honor codes that guide America's elite special operations forces. Each branch has its own traditions and wording, but they all point at the same handful of things: integrity, courage, accountability, teamwork, humility, and service before self.
Reading those codes made me ask something of myself I hadn't asked in a long time. What personal code do I live by? Spoiler alert - answer below.
Here's the promise for this week: by Saturday you'll have McRaven's core leadership principles and one practical way to put them to work in your own life, whether you're running a company, raising a family, coaching a team, or just trying to be a better person.
So let me ask you the same question the book asked me: what personal code do you live by? Hit reply, I read every one.
I'll go first: mine came from my grandfather. He signed off on a letter he wrote during World War II as a Navy officer in the Pacific with a line I've never forgotten, “proud yet humble”. I've spent a lot of years trying to live up to it.
Reading ahead?
Next week we're reading "The Charisma Myth" by Olivia Fox Cabane. It looks really interesting and I chose this one for me specifically. If you like to follow along, now's a good time to grab a copy so it's on your shelf by Monday. Forgot to order in time? The Kindle version is instant.
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Talk tomorrow,
Mike
Practical wisdom for the life you're building