Too often in life Plan B becomes Plan A.
In 1519, Spanish Commander Hernan Cortes and a small army landed in Veracruz on a quest to conquer the Aztecs. Upon arrival, he immediately ordered the ships to be scuttled. If you don’t know this term, to scuttle a ship is to sink it. Why in the world would Cortes sink his own ships?
Because he believed that if his army had a plan B, they would not have the conviction to carry out plan A. His method turned out to be right. They conquered. Would they have conquered had he left them a fallback? We don’t know because he didn’t leave that option open.
What I do know is that when a human being has the perceived safety of a way out, they will not be as focused, urgent, or dedicated to success.
Jim Rohn famously said “You will see me waving my flag on the top of the mountain or dead on the side from trying.”
This is completely applicable to an entrepreneurial venture. Have you ever noticed that so many of the success stories you hear about in all areas of business were people who were at rock bottom when they took action? These people had nothing to lose in their mind, so they could risk everything. They could work tirelessly and endure any amount of rejection because they had no other option.
You don’t have to actually sink your ship. You don’t have to give all your stuff away, or quit your job. But you do have to take the attitude that there is no failure option. That you will work at your endeavor until I can see you on top of the mountain waving your flag. This is when you will make the most strides in whatever you are doing. When you make the decision that failure or quitting is not an option.
So go ahead and have a mental boat burning or sinking or heck…blow it up if that pleases you, but them knuckle down and sail yourself to your dreams.
