When was the last time your back was against the wall?
A time when there was only one way forward, but you didn't think the odds of success were very good. In 1519 Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortes was tasked with overthrowing Mexico and the Aztec empire. In July of that year, his fleet landed at Veracruz, Mexico with approximately 600 soldiers, 15 horsemen, and a few cannons. Once the ships were unloaded, Cortes had them burned to send a clear message to his men, there is no turning back, there is no surrender, we will be successful. There is nothing like a "burn the boats" moment when you know you must move forward even in the face of tremendous uncertainty. These moments can be cleansing and life-affirming. Every time I speak in front of a group of people, locking my wheelchair in place always feels like a "burn the boats" moment. There is no turning back. I am 100% committed, and I will be successful. We all like options when trying to make decisions. But sometimes having too many options can paralyze us and prevent us from making choices. By burning our boats we remove all but one option from consideration and then we forge ahead with the understanding that we must find a way to be successful because the only other option is failure. It's always great to have a safety net or a backup plan, but approaching a decision, plan, or project with a "burn the boats" attitude, forces you to hone your technique to ensure maximum optimization of all your resources. Burning the boats forces you to give everything to the choices, the plan, and the implementation in the hopes of achieving ultimate victory. Please leave me a comment about a time in your life when you used the "burn the boats" attitude and where it led you.
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![]() ![]() Author & SpeakerTerry is a sought after speaker who believes in the power of a story to motivate, inspire, and help others lead their uncommon and extraordinary lives. By combining his twelve-year cancer journey with his diverse business, athletic coaching, and hostage negotiating expertise, he delivers compelling yet relatable presentations for conferences, on-line events, panels, meetings, and seminars. Archives
June 2024
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