I was having a conversation with a broker recently and we were discussing a challenge she had been facing for most of her adult life. It has been and continues to impact her mindset and ability to operate her business at an elite level. In these scenarios, I have one play in my playbook and it is to go radical by putting immense focus, leverage and energy directly on the issue to resolve it, break through the wall and move on with your life, sporting a new mindset, business and lifestyle.
I said, "For you to finally solve this issue you have to "Burn the Ships."
Feeling that maybe she didn't fully understand what I meant by this phrase and the origin of it, I asked gently, "Do you know what I mean by Burn the Ships?" She said she didn't.
So, I want to take just a few minutes to explain in detail what this phrase means. A lot of this description comes from a September 2017 article in Success Magazine.
The concept of "burning the ships" traces back to one of history’s most inspiring leadership stories in 1519. Hernán Cortés led a large expedition consisting of 600 Spaniards, 16 or so horses, and 11 ships to Mexico. The goal was to capture a magnificent treasure said to be held there. Upon arrival, Cortés made history by destroying his ships. This sent a clear message to his men: "There will be no turning back." They either win or they perish. Although you might assume that Cortés’ men would have become despondent, with no exit strategy in place to save their lives, they instead rallied behind their leader as never before. Within two years, he succeeded in his conquest of the Aztec empire.
At its essence, "burn the ships" represents a point of no return, a psychological commitment where you recognize that you have crossed a line never to cross back. There is no hedging. Everything now—all thoughts and efforts—must be focused on succeeding in this new reality.
There are times in our life when we need to make decisions even when we are unclear which path to travel. We gather as many facts as we can, measure the risks and then use our best judgment and the insights of others to guide us forward. Once we make our decision, we have to be willing to stick with it and not allow fear and second-guessing to derail us. Instead of focusing on the what-ifs, concentrate on the task at hand and the steps needed to be successful.
Safety nets and escape routes can protect us from pain and injury. But they also tend to reduce the effort, focus and commitment that we invest into a process. Once you have completed your discernment process, you have to be willing to "burn the ships" behind you and trust your inner voice to pursue your dreams. Never look back.
So, that is what "burn the ships" means and it is so relevant and in line with what much of what I've discussed since the beginning of the year. You have to create a strategy to get where you want to go and put enough leverage on yourself to make the change non-negotiable. So the strategy that I am about to outline, in a way, is the best of what I have covered in the 12 MMPTs/Podcast episodes I've written this quarter.
1. "Time to Commit to Your 1BT" - written for the first week of January. What is that "One Big Thing" that you wake up thinking about every morning? Your 1BT is not necessarily a business goal. Quite honestly in most cases, it falls into something you need to address in your personal life. Once you identify your 1BT, you need to...
2. "Burn the Ships" (today's call). Put so much leverage on yourself that there is no return to the old you or the old way that you've conducted your business. Eliminate all distractions and noise so you can put your full focus on your 1BT. Once you've made that level of commitment, you need to...
3. Use the concept of "The Ultimate Daily Productivity Hack" discussed last week. Pick 3-5 things, that if done consistently for long enough, will create success, guaranteed. One you've identified those 3-5 things discussed in last week's call, you need to...
4. "Gamify Your Results." You need to track your progress. Gamify the tracking process for maximum results, as we discussed in detail in early March.
Throughout this quarter's Pep Talks, I've touched on the motivation that is key to your success. Today's strategy is the strategy I want you all to consider if you have that 1BT that just keeps getting in the way. It works if you put the right mindset and action behind it. The system and the solution is right there. "Burning the ships" will ensure that you take massive steps forward.
