How committed are you to reaching your goals next year?
I recently met with a team of leaders to create a strategic planning session for their company. Their idea was to present two business plans; one IF they get an influx of cash from investors, and the other without it. As we talked further, it became clear they were not unified in their goals and what it looked like to succeed. I challenged that if new financing was essential to move this company to the next level of success (one that had eluded them for years), they needed to make ONE plan that everyone would passionately follow, and then find a way to make it happen. In other words – no Plan B.
Burn The Ships
For the famous explorer Cortez, the answer was easy. It was all or nothing! A complete and total commitment. Cortez got “buy-in” from the rest of his men when he took away the option of failure. When Cortez and his men arrived on the shores of the Yucatan he rallied the men for one final pep talk before leading his men into battle and utters these three words that changed the course of history. “Burn the Ships”.
With that, Cortez and his men burned their own ships, and by burning their own ships, the commitment level of the men was raised to a whole new level. A level much higher than any of the men, including Cortez, could have ever imagined; conquered the new land, be hero’s, enjoy the spoils of victory, or DIE!
No Plan B
For your dream to become a reality – there can be no “Plan B.” Not to say that we don’t make plans to adjust our strategies in response to events along the way, but we don’t hold back our commitment to reaching a goal.
How would you answer the following questions:
- What would Excellence look like in your Personal and Professional life?
- What are your Personal and Professional Goals, and are they in writing?
- Are you 100% committed to doing what it takes to reach your goals next year?
- Does your team have a Clear and Compelling vision of the future?
- Who is helping and holding you accountable to reach these goals?
GOD has given us the opportunity to lead others and I believe it is our responsibility to maximize the results. So many others are counting on us and the time is right to step up and lead with excellence.
At first, others may not be as excited about your dream as you are, but it’s YOUR dream, not theirs. Your job is to create a clear and compelling vision that others will be willing to follow. Cortez certainly met with resistance from his men when he said: “Burn the ships.” But he also cast a vision of success when he said: “When we sail home, we’re going home in our brand new ships!” It’s with this same confidence that you too can set your team up to conquer to the world.
If you need someone to help you and stoke the flames, call me and let’s meet. I work with Owners and CEO’s here in DFW to help them pursue excellence in their lives. Let me know how I can help you in your adventure.
“Burn the Ships!”
Robert Hunt