The Rubicon — A Master Class from Julius Caesar
“Cowards die many times before their actual deaths.” — Julius Caesar
When Julius Caesar led his troops from Gaul in January of 49 B.C.E., he paused on the northern end of a bridge.
As he stood, he debated whether or not to cross the Rubicon, a river separating Cisalpine Gaul — the piece of land where Italy joins the mainland.
When he was making this decision, Caesar was contemplating committing a heinous crime.
If Caesar brought his troops from Gaul into Italy, he would be violating his role as a provincial authority and would essentially be declaring himself an enemy of the state.
But if he didn’t bring his troops into Italy, Caesar would be forced to relinquish his command and likely be forced into exile, giving up his military glory and ending his political future.
Caesar understood the gravity of his situation, and at the moment of decision he declared in Greek and in a loud voice, “let the die be cast!” and then led his troops across the river.
THE POINT OF NO RETURN
When Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon, he passed the point of no return.
His action started a five-year Roman civil war…and, at the war’s end, Julius Caesar was declared dictator for life.
As dictator, Caesar presided over the end of the Roman Republic and the start of the Roman Empire.
Therefore, by crossing the Rubicon…Caesar was not only sealing his own political future but effectively ending the Roman Republic and beginning the Roman Empire.
His decision altered the course of history…forever!
When was the last time you made a Rubicon decision?
A decision that altered the course of your life?
As you think about the types of decisions you’ve made over time, chances are there are only a few that rise to the level of what I call true Rubicons.
Allow me to explain…
Crossing the Rubicon. Burning Bridges. Point of No Return. Drawing a Line in the Sand.
These are all metaphors which share a similar meaning…a transformative event occurred which in turn triggered a life-changing decision to abandon the life you once knew, and move ahead into an unknown and unfamiliar realm of experience.
For most of my adult life I’ve pursued what I consider to be the organizing principles of lasting change.
Long ago, I came to the understanding that there is a pivotal moment in all of our lives (actually a series of moments) that we must experience before we wake up, turn pro, grow a pair…and take our destiny into our two very capable hands.
I believe that this pandemic is your Rubicon.
What you do….and the decisions you make during this pivotal moment in time can, should and must lead you to a life-altering transformation.
In the song “The Point of No Return” from The Phantom of the Opera, the metaphor of a burning bridge is used to describe the completion of a transition between two different phases of life such as transitioning from being a boy to a man…from a girl to a women…and from amateur to professional.
Fire symbolizes an irrevocable change in our course of life. And as we turn back, we see a familiar way of life that is no longer possible or desirable.
Have you burned any bridges lately…have you drawn a psychological line in the sand…have you crossed your own personal Rubicon and passed the point of no return?
Have you grown up and made the decision to turn pro, or are you hiding, pretending and living life as a child…like Michael Jackson with a Peter Pan complex?
Here’s the truth…
We’re amateurs or professionals in every role we play…
Parent
Spouse
Friend
Entrepreneur
Manager
Teacher
Student
Doctor
Writer
Speaker
Artist
Singer
Athlete
And, we will only grow up and turn pro in any of these roles by reaching the point of no return in our own behaviors, crossing our Rubicon…and burning the necessary bridges.
For the remainder of this message, we’re going to focus our attention on the behavioral bridges which need to be burned…and the lines you need to draw in the sand thus making it an impossibility of returning to the life and amateur ways we once knew.
What soundtrack inside your mind is keeping afloat the fear and doubt and frustration that hold you captive?
What are the behavioral bridges in your life that are keeping you from accomplishing what you really want?
Is it…
Self-Limiting Beliefs
Low Self-Esteem
Procrastination
Arrogance
Deceit
Laziness
Drinking
Smoking
Sugar
Overspending
Lying
Gossip
Guilt
Regret
Sarcasm
Perfection
Poor Eating Habits
Negative Self-Talk
Holding on to Grudges
Dependence upon Others
Too Much Time on Social Media
High Maintenance Relationships
Quitting When Things Get Difficult
Concern of Other People’s Opinions
Dodging Responsibility and Making Excuses
Whatever prevents you from achieving your goals and dreams, from living joyfully and healthy in both body and mind is a bridge in need of burning…a Rubicon which you must cross to get to the other side.
You can no longer dignify nor empower weakness by giving time, attention, or repetition to anything that separates you from living a life of excellence and the unleashing of your greatness.
Unfortunately, when things get difficult, when the heat gets turned up and the “bullets start flying”, far too many people revert to conditioned behavior and make for the familiar bridge.
The good news…and it’s all good news is that the following awaits once you burn some bridges, cross your Rubicon, and get past the point of no return…
A sense of joy and fulfillment like you’ve never experienced before.
Ownership of your life and complete control of your destiny.
Increased self-confidence that makes you feel like the champion you are.
A powerful sense of focus and concentration that’s impossible not to notice.
A superior level of commitment that powers you through any obstacle or challenge.
Increased pride in the quality of your work and the art you produce.
Reputational capital that earns the respect and admiration of your peers.
and so much more…
If this is indeed the kind of life you want to experience…
I encourage you to light a match…and unleash your inner pyromaniac.
Allow the bridges you burn, and the Rubicon you cross lead the way to a bigger, bolder, braver and far more beautiful life.
Let the die be cast!
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Gary Ryan Blair is creator of the 100 Day Challenge…a radical approach to goal achievement that shows people how to achieve 10X size goals by applying the methods and best practices of growth hacking. Get all the details here.
