“Aut viam inveniam aut faciam.”

Back in 218BC, a 29 year old army Commander, hell bent on glory, made an earth shattering revelation to his incredulous generals.

He had decided to attack Rome.

By going through the freezing snowy peaks of the mighty Alps.

With an entire army.

And 37 fully grown elephants.

This of course, threw the generals into a frenzy.

The suggest route was utterly impossible.

It could not be done by any stretch of the imagination.

Ascent and descent of the Alps in the direction of Rome would be incredibly arduous for even a small, well prepared, well supplied and well trained group of men.

But an army numbering in the thousands was unthinkable.

And as to taking elephants with them…that was utter madness.

Their Commander was resolute however.

And the statement he made to his generals still resonates to this day.

“We’ll either find a way…or make one!”

And make no mistake about that.

The Commander’s name was Hannibal.

He was a politician, statesman and military commander of ancient Carthage of the highest order.

And his eventual journey through the Alps, is one of the most daring, courageous and celebrated achievements of any military force in ancient warfare.

 

SO, WHAT’S THE POINT?

I’ll tell you what’s the point.

One of the most common things I hear when I am going setting up a program with a client, is “I’ll try!”

“Yes, I’ll try that.”

“Oh, I’ll do my best. Give it a really good try.”

Talk about selling yourself short.

What’s up with this “I’ll try” crap?

OK look. I know when someone says that they mean well.

They probably have all the best intentions in the world.

However, best intentions stick in my craw.

The road to Hell itself is paved with good intentions.

And it’s about time that someone just stood up and pointed this out.

“I’ll try” simply means, “I am setting myself up to the possibility I might fail, and I am ready to accept it if I do!”

It may not sound like that to you but, that is EXACTLY what it is.

DON’T TRY!!

Seriously, stop trying!!!

I am NOT interested in trying.

Trying is failure.

You will do something for so long, then hop out like a jack rabbit.

Honestly, what’s the point of even trying???

How many people you know have stopped working out after 4-6 weeks?

How many just opted out of a relationship because “it wasn’t working out”?

How many just quit a new job because it was “too difficult”?

As if anything of importance “works out” without blood, sweat and tears.

The easy way out is always more attractive. ALWAYS!

Don’t be fooled.

If you are going to get something done right, it’s gonna cost you!!

Even that little Yoda fella got it right.

“Do, or don’t do. There is no try.”

Words of wisdom can come from strange sources indeed.

 

BUCKLE DOWN AND MAN UP

So how about turning your plaintive cry of “I’ll try” into something more assertive?

Something that sets you up for SUCCESS!

Give yourself no choice.

Give yourself no space.

And give yourself no leeway.

Find a way. Whatever it takes…find it, find it, find it!

Greatness will come to those who give themselves no option for failure.

Most people just attempt something, knowing that at some point they have the option to bail out.

I should actually say, because at some point, they have left themselves the option to bail out.

That will almost virtually guarantee that will never give your absolute best.

Because sooner or later, your mettle and your strength will be tested to the point that the easier option, that of running away, will always look more attractive.

However, if you had NO option – what would you do?

It wouldn’t be possible to just run away when you THOUGHT you couldn’t take anymore right?

Hell NO!

You would rally all your resources and plump up all your courage.

You would fight harder.

You would fight longer.

And you would fight stronger.

You’d look for more options, move out of your comfort zone and do things you have never done before.

Because you would have no option other than complete success vs utter defeat.

No soft place to fall. No boo boo corner. No cushioned pad. No cop out zone.

And it is exactly THIS that brings out the best in us – when we have no way left to look but in front of us.

Facing the problem.

Confronting the enemy.

And finding a way to deal with it.

Because somewhere, some place, deep in the recesses of our mettle, lies the solution.

And it will take a special effort to bring that out.

So stop chickening out.

Stand fast.

And hit the problem running.

You will discover new resources inside yourself you never knew existed, if you do.

This is a voyage of true discovery.

Remember Hannibal?

He did the seemingly impossible.

Only it wasn’t impossible to HIM.

So…find a way.

Or make one.

Always rock the foundations, my friends.

 

 

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