Today was the day that I met with my boss and gave notice that I was leaving my company of 20 years and a job whose content I adore. It was scary and a bit surreal. I’ve never resigned a job before. But the new world – and an amazing new opportunity – await.
I’ve also had to begin communicating about my transition. Not the big stuff yet, but the smaller, transactional emails to reschedule meetings and ensure that customers are still served in the commitments we’ve made to them. It’s like burning the boats.
When Alexander the Great landed on the shores of Persia, it was scary for his men. They were greatly outnumbered by the Persians. In order to ensure that his men didn’t attempt to flee, he destroyed the ships. He was ensuring that the notion of retreat would be utterly eliminated. Victory would be their only option.
Normally, I avoid war analogies but this idea of ‘burning the boats’ is really sticking with me. Change is hard. Even the best, most exciting changes are downright scary. And if you’re not a little anxious then it’s either not a very big change, or you’re just not paying attention. So burning the metaphorical boats is a good thing. It means we press on. It means we move forward without turning back. It means we commit to the future and to making good things happen.
The CEO of the company I am joining says, “May your dreams burn brighter than your memories.” Ironically, the CEO of my current company wished me well in chasing my dreams. Dream brightly. Burn the boats. Go forth with courage and enthusiasm in the brand new world. Onward!