“Look sharp, feel sharp, and be sharp!” I drilled this into my four sons and daughter as they grew up. I expected them to dress and groom themselves well. Why? When you present yourself in this manner, it builds confidence, self-respect, sets you apart from others, and gives you a quick win each day.

COVID-19 has turned your life and the world upside down. If you traveled to certain parts of the world, been exposed to a known case of Coronavirus, or returned from a hotspot in the U.S., you had to endure the isolation of quarantine for at least fourteen days. Otherwise, you contend with hundreds of millions of other Americans with shelter-in-place orders.

If you have succumbed to wearing your pajamas all day, or lounging around in sweatpants and a t-shirt or sweatshirt, day in and day out, consider the advice of Admiral McCraven.

May 16, 2014, Admiral William McCraven delivered the commencement speech to the graduating class at the University of Texas at Austin, entitled “Make Your Bed.” It has since become a book. Admiral McCraven shared ten simple, yet profound lessons he learned from his SEAL training.

He started with, “Make your bed.” SEALS were expected to make their beds perfectly every morning. This simple act gives them a quick win each and every day. Admiral McCraven challenged the graduates, “If you want to change the world, start off  by making your bed.”

SEALS are the elite in our Armed Forces. You can learn from them. Start your day off the quick win of making your bed, shave, and dress sharply. Look sharp, feel sharp, be sharp. Hold yourself to a higher standard. It will boost your self-respect, give you a sense of accomplishment, fortify your confidence, and harden your resolve. Your life has been disrupted. Your routine has been sabotaged. Your plans have been thrown out the window for the foreseeable future. You can benefit from all the character-building routines you instill in your life to face the chaos and uncertainty. You owe it to yourself. Look sharp, feel sharp, be sharp!