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- Are You Ready to “Burn the Boats” and Go All In?
A quick history lesson:
In 334 B.C., Alexander the Great set out to conquer the Persian Empire. He sailed a fleet of 120 ships across the narrow Hellespont Strait into enemy territory. He knew his men were outnumbered five to one, but he could sense victory.
His first order to his captains: “Burn the boats.”
Confused, his men asked why they should destroy the one thing that could take them safely home. Alexander answered. “We will go home in Persian ships, or we will die here.”
They went on to conquer Persia.
OK, let’s return to the present day, shall we?
Think about a time when you went through disruptive transformation. There likely were many dark days when you wished for things to go back to the way they were.
But as long as there is a possibility to go back, you can’t really move forward. As long as there is a hope that you can give up and reverse course, you likely will never be able to fully commit. Worse, you may actively fight the change.
Sometimes, the road ahead is so difficult that you must commit yourself to it completely. There can be no turning back. There must be total and utter conviction that the path forward is the only one to take.
You must burn your boats.
Of course, without an actual boat and a lighted match, this decree is easier said than done. Still, there are ways to eliminate all options for retreat.
1. Set a deadline.
You probably don’t have an actual enemy chasing after you, so you’ll need to create one. Set a deadline, ideally one that instills a bit of a panic in you and forces you to hit it. One example? Someone I know bought a first-class nonrefundable ticket to Japan for a product launch. This person knew the product had to be ready by the time their flight left or they’d suffer a big penalty.
2. Remove dabblers and right timers.
Identify the people who are standing in the way of being all in. Dabblers are those who like to dip their toe in the water, unable to commit to one direction or the other—they like to keep their options open. Right-timers think there’s a right time to make a move and insist on waiting for it. Steer clear of them both.
3. Make Plan B highly unpalatable.
What if retreat wasn’t a comfortable option? It may be tempting to hold onto some of your reserves back to fund a backup plan, but that would mean you’re not investing fully in your transformation strategy. Putting it all in means if you fell back, it wouldn't be to the status quo but to a much worse situation. Who wants that?
When you are able to burn your boats, something stupendous happens. Your vision narrows, and you see only the one thing that matters. Sounds and distractions fade away, and time slows down. There is just you and the object of your focus. There is clarity in your purpose. You are all in.
Burn the boats.
I’d love to hear from you: When was the last time you were all in? What did it feel like?
— Charlene
My Latest:
Fear of failure is dangerous—especially in the era of Artificial Intelligence—yet we’re all obsessed with avoiding it. The good news? Nearly all decisions are reversible! Watch the replay of my latest livestream, in which I shared the powerful story of a CEO who decided to “never fail again.”
Would you believe me if I told you that AI can help us become better, more empathetic humans? It’s true! In fact, in my LinkedIn newsletter Leading Disruption, I explain why I think AI is actually better at harnessing empathy than we are—and how it can augment our skills.
AI can be empathetic, and it can hold knowledge, but can it be truly wise? In my next livestream, I’ll be posing that very question. Join me on Tuesday, June 13 at 9:00 am PT / 12:00 pm ET on LinkedIn and Facebook Live.
Good Things:
What I’m listening to: I'm a terrible sleeper. I don't sleep enough hours—the result of being both a night owl and an early riser! The first few episodes of the Huberman Lab podcast are all about sleep and your brain. The host, Dr. Andrew Huberman, is a neuroscientist at Stanford so he knows his stuff! A key learning: Get exposure to sunshine at the very start of the day to set your circadian clock.
What’s on my reading list: Written by Tiffany Bova, The Experience Mindset details how to develop an intentional strategy to boost both customer and employee experience to drive growth. Considering only 20 percent of customer-facing employees believe technology makes their job easier, Tiffany lays out how to marry strategy with technology and provides case studies that define what good looks like.
What tool I won’t travel without: Eater has been around for a long time, and its best feature highlights the hottest new restaurants in major cities. I gotta eat so I figure I may as well try something new—and good! I used it recently in Boston and scored a coveted seat at the Greek restaurant Krasi. My Boston friends were jealous as Krasi books out weeks in advance!
Thank you for subscribing to the Disruption Dispatch, which goes out to thousands of disruptors every other week to help you on your disruption journey—plus a curated recommendation list of a few Good Things that I’m enjoying.
Want more? Check out my weekly publication, Leading Disruption, on LinkedIn.
Charlene Li
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