Burn the Boats
Throughout the ages, there are a number of myths that invoke this image.
A commander and their army step onto foreign soil, and knowing that they are outmatched by the enemy, the commander makes a daring choice. The army is ordered to burn their boats, leaving only two choices: victory or death.
Dramatic, and with all the makings of a Hollywood story! And inside this image, there are two important lessons we can distill that help us understand the nature of high performance.
The first is about commitment. The second, trust.
A quick search on the interwebs* for the definition of commitment gives two answers.
"the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc."
"an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action"
Commitment
In the story above, we see both of these definitions shine through. The commander and the army are deeply dedicated to their mission - so much so that they're willing to choose a path that drastically restricts freedom of action in order to provide the highest chance of victory.
The commander has willingly sacrificed many options in order to succeed in a singular direction.
Commitment, therefore, requires compromise.
You cannot commit to one course of action while leaving all other options open.
When it comes time to perform, what we're really considering is what options am I willing to give up? If I choose to restrict my freedom of action and commit to performing in this moment, what do I have to let go of?
- Thoughts about my preparation, my recovery, my favorite color, and what I’ll have for dinner.
- Feelings of doubt and uncertainty that are simply a natural part of performing near your physical and emotional edge.
- Quite simply, everything that isn’t right here and right now.
Commitment, during performance, is about choosing the present moment. The compromise is that you have to let go of the past and the future, and while it’s simple, it's not easy. This leads us to trust.
Trust
Since we're on a roll with the definitions, here's another useful one**
"Firm belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something"
Commitment and trust are deeply connected. The commander and the army cannot commit to their radical course of action without trust - without a firm belief in themselves, their mission, and their teammates.
We throw the word around all the time, and yet often aren't clear on where trust comes from and how we can build it. Simon Sinek, in his book Start With Why, suggests that trust is founded on a process of repetition.
I do what I say I'm going to do over and over until you believe that I'll deliver on what I've said.
I act in a way, over and over, that's consistent with who I say I am, and you believe that I am the values and beliefs I've spoken.
For performers, trust starts with yourself, and the process is no different.
You need to do what you tell yourself you’re going to do, over and over, until you’ve created a firm belief in your own reliability and truth.
You need to show up and act on your values and beliefs, over and over, until you have a firm belief that you are who you say you are.
The good news is we can do this systematically, and as we build trust, we unlock our capacity to commit fully during performance.
Training Trust
Most of our time in training is dedicated to deliberate practice and accelerating our growth as performers. This makes a ton of sense, and helps build a foundation for trust.
However, if this is all I do, I'm missing a huge opportunity to build trust in my capacity to commit to the present moment fully during performance.
During each training session, performers I work with set aside some time to practice burning the boats. The past (preparation) and future (evaluation) no longer hold any power.
These performers choose to commit to performing as if it were a high pressure performance. To being fully present with the skills and resources they have in that moment.
This means letting go of mistakes. It means noticing when you start to think about the outcome of your actions, what others will think, and what it means for you down the road and letting go of those things too. It also means letting go of desire to control every aspect of the outcome, and commit to what to the task that is right in front of us.
Trust, built day after day like this, is the currency we spend when it's time to play big in important moments.
Our capacity to prepare and evaluate at a high level unlocks our ability to commit fully and let go into the present moment.
By taking all the other choices off the table, by choosing actively to commit to this moment, I can pour all my energy and attention into THIS MOMENT. When all my skill and all my power are aimed in one singular direction, I'm building the habit necessary to perform at my highest level when it matters most.
It just won't happen by accident. I need to affirm my commitment day after day, until trust in my process and commitment to performing right now are my default setting.
Want help building a trusting mindset?
*https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/commitment
**https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/trust
