In 334 BC Alexander the Great and his army reached the Persian shores with the intention of increasing the size of their already vast empire. The result of the upcoming battles would be set to change the course of history as their victory would unseat the Persians as the greatest power in the world at the time. He sailed with approximately 50,000 troops, while it is estimated that King Darius III of Persia was in command of a total of 2.5 million soldiers spread across his empire. Knowing they were severely undermanned and faced a daunting opponent, Alexander the Great ordered his troops to burn the ships they used to reach shore. When questioned about the order, he simply stated they would return in Persian ships or not at all.
This is just one story of many over the centuries that illustrate an important concept. When faced with overwhelming odds or difficult tasks, it is easy to find excuses for following another path or to abandon the road ahead completely. On the other hand, if you burn the ships and have no other option, no plan b, the only option is success. Had Alexander not ordered their ships to be burned, his troops would have entered battle knowing they had an escape plan in case their attack failed. Burning the ships ensured that all of his men fought to the best of his ability and would persevere despite the unfavorable odds. Ultimately, this succeed or die mentality resulted in their success against a much larger army and allowed them to secure victory.
We may not be living in 334 BC, but the same principle can be applied to everything we do. Get rid of the excuses, don’t rely on backup plans that will save you from the hard work or difficult decisions. Have the courage to do everything necessary to achieve what you set out to do. Make success the only option. Burn the Ships.
