Our final question in this series is truly an important one and the final step to putting yourself on the path to success. My hope is that you find it encouraging, motivating and stimulating.
In the previous blog we explored the question: Are you willing to ‘Dig the Ditches?’ I am curious about what conclusions you were able to draw about yourself. If anyone is willing to share, please email me or make a quick phone call to discuss your discovery. It may be useful to others as well.
Question number three: ‘Are you willing to Burn the Ships?’
I once read a book by Beth Moore that talked about not putting up with your past. That idea really resonated personally, because over the years many experiences have stuck to me like gum on a shoe. As those experiences accumulated, my movement became more clumsy, misdirected and difficult. When I read about no longer putting up with the past it was as if a light turned on. Seeing the past as more of a milestone than an obstacle enabled me to begin moving at a new pace. It liberated me from old ideas that were simply keeping me from becoming who I wanted to be.
Awhile back our team discussed the legend of the adventures of Hernan Cortez. Hernando (Hernan) Cortez was a Spanish Conquistador who launched ships from Spanish held Cuba and conquered Mexico in 1519. In doing so he brought about the demise of the great Aztec empire. As the legend goes, when Cortez first landed on the shores of Mexico he commanded his men to burn the ships. This burning made retreat impossible and has thus become the classic historical example of going “all in” for an endeavor.
Are you stuck in the past?
Without ships to sail, there was no looking back. That took courage, vision and dogged determination from Cortez. Are you currently in a situation that requires pressing on and not looking back? If I were a gambler, my money would be on a “yes” answer to that question.
The easy thing for Cortez to do was what many of his men may have wanted to do, which was to return to the comfort and safety of the ships that they knew so well and sail back to Cuba. They were great at sailing, but taking on the great Aztec empire was not something they were entirely comfortable doing. They needed to learn new skills, and needed a different attitude about the work in front of them. It’s not easy, but you have to be willing to put the past behind you in order to get to where you’re going.
Are you afraid to make mistakes?
Some may have viewed this approach from Cortez as a mistake, but think of the many lessons they never would have learned had they not pressed forward. It has been said that ‘the worst mistake may not be a mistake at all.’ If we believe that we can learn more from failure than success, then every mistake is a step forward, and a reason to press on to bigger and better things.
Our team often talks about our circumstances, and what we have learned from the incredibly brilliant Albert Einstein. Perhaps, the concept of “burning the ships” applies to one of the things that he taught us. “Insanity: Doing the same over and over again and expecting different results.”
How do you relate?
Surely there are some ships to burn in all of our lives that are holding us back, because we go back to them for safety and comfort. Is comfort always what we need? Not at all! It could be said that comforting things, such as a pat on the back, do us less good than those that are uncomfortable, like a kick in the butt. Sometimes we need a swift kick. Are you willing to do that or are you waiting for someone else to do it for you?
Now What? It’s your move!