Burn the Boats
This is how to overcome pain and grow.
It’s impossible to win.
In AD 711, Commander Tariq ibn Ziyad did something that silenced his entire army.
He wanted to invade the Iberian Peninsula (which is now Spain and Portugal).
After arriving by ship, his soldiers started hesitating.
Why?
Because they were only 7,000 strong, facing an Iberian army of about 100,000.
Hesitation creates uncertainty.
Uncertainty makes soldiers feel overwhelmed.
And in war, feeling overwhelmed is a sure way to lose.
To prevent cowardice, Tariq ordered his men to burn all their ships.
The way back home was now closed forever.
The troops had one goal: conquer or die.
Comfort zones are like cyanide.
They kill personal development.
But most people can’t get out of them because they don’t want to lose their comfort.
They don’t realize that “good” is the enemy of “better.”
Tariq ibn Ziyad’s army was like a car without a reverse gear.
They couldn’t go back — they could only move forward.
And of course, he and his army defeated the soldiers of 100,000 because they had no other choice.
But the question is: why did burning the boats work?
This ties into a classic experiment.
You have two options:
- Get $100 now.
- Get $1,000 in five years.
Which would you choose?
Most people pick option 1 because it offers immediate results.
Comparison is a human instinct.
People don’t just compare themselves to others.
They compare what they have now to what they could have in the future.
If the future seems uncertain, even with bigger rewards, most people will steer clear.
By burning the boats, you cut off the “now” option.
You can’t go back.
And that forces you to focus entirely on future outcomes.
Growth comes with pain.
The reality is pain is the first sign of progress.
But here’s what most people do.
When they feel pain, they retreat to their comfort zone.
Again, the comfort zone is where growth goes to die.
If you want to become a better version of yourself but retreat to your comfort zone every time you feel uncertain…
Burn the boat.
