I just finished the book Burn The Boats by Matt Higgins and wanted to share some thoughts about it. I first heard of Matt while listening to a podcast while he was promoting this book. A few things instantly resonated with me when listening to the podcast.
- He grew up extremely poor and has a tragic story, but had the best intentions about changing his story. His drive was to get him and his mother out of their dire situation. He is the underdog that we all want to see succeed (and he did).
- He said that he is a risk averse entrepreneur. I can relate to that, given that I have certain responsibilities. I have always been an employee, but I can’t picture being one for the rest of my life.
Some of the highlights in this book include:
- It isn’t overly wordy and gets to the points in amazing ways
- There is nothing lofty or out of touch in this book. Meaning, even though he is extremely wealthy, he comes across as someone that can still touch his humble upbringings with wisdom and drive
- He has amazing references to people that have turned their dreams into reality, while not pulling any punches about the difficulty that they faced to achieve their dreams
- He has practical advice for anyone that is willing to take brave leaps into their dream life.
The term burning the boats is summed up in the subtitle of the book: “Toss plan B overboard and unleash your full potential.” Before you say, “how can I do that, I have kids, house, responsibilities…,” keep in mind that you can touch your dream daily and work yourself into a position to eventually dive into your purpose. We all have to pay the bills, but while we are doing it, we can focus on that life long goal. If you want to get some inspiration about what your future self could look like, read Matt’s book.
Here is my favorite paragraph in the book:
“You don’t have to have everything figured out, and if you think you have it all figured out, I guarantee that you will fail. The leading sign of lack of self-awareness is complete confidence if your plan and your ability to execute it. Problems beget solutions. Put yourself in a bind to which you have no answers and surprise yourself with the depth of your ingenuity and problem-solving skills”
p. 241-242
Buy the book. It’s awesome! -> Burn The Boats