Have you ever heard one of these expressions?
“Burn the ships.”
“Burn their ships.”
“Burn the bridge.”
These phrases are not just metaphors; they carry an epic story, a life lesson about total commitment, courage and unwavering determination.
Imagine the scene: a vast sea stretches as far as the eye can see, and as waves gently lap against the rocky shores, the morning silence is broken by the sound of war drums. General Agathocles of Syracuse, a man known for both his intelligence and his bravery, faces a challenge that no other leader would dare accept: invading Carthage.
Carthage, an impregnable city, shrouded in legends of invulnerability, surrounded by high walls and protected by treacherous waters. A place where a reputation for invincibility crushed the spirit of any enemy that approached.
But Agathocles knew that the true fortress to be conquered was not made of stone or iron. It was made of fear, hesitation, and uncertainty – the true weapons of destruction that caused the most powerful armies to retreat. He realized that to break down these invisible barriers would require an act of calculated desperation, something that would engrave his name in eternity.
Then, in a decision that seemed as insane as it was brilliant, he ordered his men to burn their own ships. Yes, those same ships that brought them to shore, their only escape routes, their safety in the midst of uncertainty. When the soldiers saw the flames consume their boats, they understood that there was no turning back. The flames didn't just burn wood and ropes; They also burned any remaining hesitation - it was fight or perish on that beach.
Now there was only one choice: advance or perish. And it was this fire, both literal and symbolic, that ignited a fierce determination in their hearts. Marching into battle with the certainty that victory was the only option, the Syracuse army did the impossible. For the first time in history, Carthage fell.
This story, more than a war story, is a lesson for our lives. "Burn the ships" means eliminating all options other than success. It means putting yourself in a position where the only way is to move forward, without looking back, without hesitation. It's about committing yourself in such a way that defeat is not a possibility because you eliminated it from the beginning.
When are you hesitating, maintaining an escape route? Where are you allowing fear or doubt to limit your actions? Maybe it's time to burn your own "ships" – cut ties with what's safe and comfortable, and commit fully to what you really want to achieve. Because, in the end, these are the moments that define who you are and what you will be able to achieve.
When you decide to pursue a big goal, the first question you should ask yourself is: "Why am I here?" This is fundamental for any journey, especially when it comes to a long-term project, be it a wedding, choosing a college, choosing a job or a business, making an important decision at work.
Many people start their goals with enthusiasm, but over time, they lose momentum, interrupt the project and end up moving away from their initial goal. That's because most of the time, they've never really asked themselves, "Why am I doing this? What's my real reason for being here?"
Doubt, this lack of clarity can be the biggest enemy of anyone who wants to achieve something great. Just like the story of General Agathocles, who burned his ships to eliminate any possibility of retreat, you too need to adopt this mindset. When you eliminate all escape routes, when you decide there is no other option but to move forward, something powerful happens: you commit yourself, body and soul.
Stoicism places a lot of importance on this idea, of burning the boat and dedicating yourself to following your destiny without looking or wanting to return to comfort, to safety. We can see this in Epictetus when he says “It is not events that disturb people, but the judgments they make about those events.”
In Marcus Aurelius, when he says we have power over our minds – not over external events. Realize this, and you will find strength. Which is why uncertainty about the future is irrelevant if we focus our attention on controlling our mind and present actions. This idea was shared by Seneca, when he advised Lucilius that “We suffer more in imagination than in reality.”
Burning the Boat is being aware of yourself, who you are, what you can do, it requires discipline and self-knowledge. He who leaves the beach and dreams of returning to the boat is confused and bewildered, a prisoner of himself.
I particularly share a lot of Epictetus on this channel, because his ideas, from the Stoics, are the most impactful, even though he wasn't the one who wrote them. A passage I really like is the following:
“Remember that you are an actor in a play, which is whatever the director wants it to be; short or long. If he wants you to play a beggar, play the part perfectly; if it is that of a lame man, a magistrate or a common man, do it with mastery. Your job is to act well in the role you have been given; Choosing it is someone else’s job.”
Epictetus teaches that uncertainty about the roles we play in life must be set aside. We must focus on performing them with excellence, it is not about wanting to be a slave for the rest of your life, it is more a conscious apathy that everything is transitory and interdependent, that sitting and crying, lamenting will not change your destiny. On the other hand, lifting your head and interpreting the role that life has given you as much as you are given, doing so with dignity and without regrets and regrets, that is freedom, being in charge of how we can react in the face of difficulties.
What is strongly reinforced by the philosopher emperor Marcus Aurelius: “If you are grieved by any external thing, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any time.”
If you are not clear about why you started, the chances of giving up increase. On the other hand, if you know exactly what you want and why you want it, you'll stick with it, even when things get tough. Create your own "dream board", a clear vision of what you want to achieve. And, most importantly, you decide to burn your boats, eliminate alternatives, and commit 100% to the journey.
There is a very repeated phrase in the Bible, I didn't count it, but some people say that it is repeated 365 times in its text, and this phrase is very impactful, because it is precisely about our video today - simply “Don't be afraid” .
Christianity had its origins in the midst of Stoicism, even the Apostle Paul was educated by this Roman philosophy, and the ideas are often mixed, one a little more religious than the other, but with similar meanings.
In James 1 verse of the book of James of the Bible, he says to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
“My brothers, consider it a source of great joy when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. And perseverance must have complete action, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, ask God, who gives it to everyone freely and willingly; and it will be granted to you. But ask in faith, without doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. Let such a person not think that he will receive anything from the Lord, because he has a divided mind and is unstable in everything he does. The brother of humble condition must be proud when he is in a high position. And the rich must be proud if they live in a humble condition, because the rich will pass away like the flower of the field. For the sun rises, brings heat and dries the plant; Then its flower falls, and its beauty is destroyed.
In the same way, the rich will wither in the midst of their affairs. Happy is the man who perseveres under trial, because after passing, he will receive the crown of life, which God promised to those who love him. When someone is tempted, they should never say, "I am being tempted by God." For God cannot be tempted by evil and tempts no one.
Each one, however, is tempted by his own evil desire, being dragged and seduced by it. Then this desire, having conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, after being consummated, gives birth to death. My beloved brothers, do not be deceived.
Every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. By his decision he begat us by the word of truth, that we might be as the firstfruits of all that he created.
So before you start any big project, ask yourself, "Am I really committed to this? Am I willing to burn my boats and move forward without looking back?" If the answer is yes, then move forward with determination. After all, when you eliminate retreat options, you force yourself to fight with all your might, and it's in that fight that you'll discover just how capable you really are.
Don't be anxious about anything, the certainty of your purpose is the strength you need to achieve serenity and the feeling of doing what needs to be done, having that with you, is the path to wisdom, therefore happiness.
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