Crossing the Rubicon

Everyone knows that if you want to achieve some goal, you have to know the direction you’re going. True. But that’s actually the less important part. To really have a chance to achieve something big, you need to have something at risk.

The risk could be your reputation, financial stability, your career or your standing in the community that holds you accountable to achieving the goal. 

In January of 49 BC Julius Caesar was the governor over a region north of Italy from what was southern Gaul to Illyricum. When his term ended, the Roman Senate ordered him to disband his army and return home to Rome. Realizing that Caesar knew some of the unlawful Senate acts, they went a step further and explicitly ordered his armies not to cross the Rubicon river. If he did, it could be considered treason and a declaration of war, under which Caesar would be killed. 

Caesar approached the river anyway with his forces, still not entirely sure if he’d disband them on the river edge or cross the line of no return. Upon uttering the phrase, "alea iacta est"—the die is cast— he marched his army through the shallow river.

Instead of war, Caesar's decision for swift action forced a large part of the Roman Senate to flee Rome in fear. The rest is history. We still use the phrase "crossing the Rubicon"  as a metaphor that means to pass a point of no return, to burn the ships or to fight with your back against the wall. It’s to pass the point from which you can no longer return. In other words, have something on the line. 

Put yourself on the line by telling friends or family your goal, by risking a meaningful amount of your own money, or announcing it to the world on Facebook. 

Prior to March I spoke on a lot of stages around the world. After keynoting enough times, you kind of get a sense of who might seek you out after a talk. For example,in South Africa last year, I remember this one woman who was sitting 2 tables back on my left-hand side. Sure enough, as soon as I finished speaking I noticed she’s in line to connect. When we meet she tells me about her idea (I’ve heard a lot of them!) and I carefully listen. When I start sharing with her how to apply some of our principles she went right back to the problem she was having, so again, I shared the principles, this time in a different way. Again she goes back to her problems. Back and forth it went until I realized she didn’t want to cross the Rubicon. Everything I was suggesting would have put her on the line for something, something she was desperately trying to avoid. 

I don’t know what happened to her. But look from where you’re sitting right now. My bet is that there’s something you know you should do that you’ve been avoiding. Am I right? This thing probably has you putting something at risk, something that would really call you into action. If you don’t have something in mind, stop and think right now until you find at least one thing. 

I’ve worked with people that want transformational growth, BUT they’re unwilling to make the first step. Understanding that it’s going to take a risk. The amount that you risk is equivalent to your breakthrough potential. When built into a business culture it becomes unstoppable. 

Caesar became the emperor of Rome, history set in motion by his crossing the Rubicon. Where are you headed and what do you need to put on the line to get there?