Why I Burnt The Boats

In September 2007, I departed from O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and flew 11,044 km to start a new life in ‘the land down under’. My new life in Sydney signalled a new season, a time of hope and great delight. My salary had gone up by more than 7500%. I now had the means to do something I had yearned for almost three decades – to give my ageing parents a dignified life.?

But for years, my mind was still stuck in Zimbabwe. I was a Sydney based IT Auditor by day and a Zimbabwean hustler by night. I set up a real estate online marketplace, imported a minibus from Japan, invested in real estate and trialled several other ventures. I spread myself thinly across several incoherent endeavours like vegemite on toast.?

Predictably, my performance at work tanked, and my career stagnated. I felt like a car running on low fuel: I could go a few more miles, but I would soon screech to a halt in the middle of nowhere if I didn't take corrective measures. I wore nice fitted suits, but I was dying inside – I lost my smile.?

Things changed towards the end of 2014 when I decided to press Control+Shift+Delete on my plan B ruthlessly prioritise a few sets of non-negotiable habits that would push my career forward. Australia was my new reality, and I had the power to shape it. I finally burnt the boats, acknowledging that I couldn't become my best as long as I was physically here, but my mind was still stuck in Zimbabwe. I wrote down my plan and devoted myself to its accomplishment.?

To explain my renewed mindset, I turn to the enduring story of Hernán Cortés. In 1519, the Spanish Conquistador led an expedition consisting of 600 Spaniards to capture the magnificent treasure said to exist in Mexico. Once they landed, Hernán Cortés ordered his men to burn the ships. The message was as clear as day: They either won the imminent battle or perished. There was no plan B; no exit strategy. His man complied and threw every fibre of their being into the battle. Within two years, they succeeded in their conquest of the Aztec empire.??

I am still actively engaged with my home country, but cutting off all possible mental escape routes is one of the best decisions I ever made. With undivided focus, I suddenly had time to sharpen my skills, nurture business relationships, write blogs and read books. My renewed mindset radically transformed my career.?

I still run with the same mentality – learning to say NO to "opportunities" that can easily creep into my development time.

?Effectiveness requires extreme focus. As Ray James Allen rightfully said, aimlessness is a vice.??