No Going Back

Tariq Ibn Ziyad was a leading Muslim general in the eighth century, and was instrumental in conquering Spain. As the story goes, when his force landed on the coast, he gave the notable order to burn the ships. The message was clear, but he reiterated it in a speech to his men: the sea was behind them, the enemy in front of them, and their only chance of survival was victory. There was also Julius Caesar, who led his legion across the Rubicon in 49 BC. This was in violation of Roman law, which expressly forbid any general with an army from entering the city, which was demarcated by the river. It was an act of civil war, and one which could not be taken back. As he said, "The die is cast". Both men were, needless to say, ultimately victorious in their immediate goals.

I got to thinking about them while watching the recent (and final) launch of the space shuttle Atlantis. It was a rare newsworthy and non-sensational breaking story covered by 24-hour news networks. At one point after liftoff, it was noted that they no longer had the option of either returning to the launch pad or a secondary site in the event of an engine failure. For the astronauts aboard, there was no longer any possibility of surviving except absolute success. In their case, and in those of the above generals, what was required was unwavering and total commitment in order to preclude utter calamity. They had the fortitude to supply it, but many people in similar situations cannot.

I can only speak of personal experiences that were incredibly mundane by comparison with epic war and space travel, but have some familiarity with the basic principle. A very simple example comes to mind. I ride the bus a lot. Often, I'll bypass a closer bus stop served by one line in favor of another served by a different line which has the potential to get me where I'm going sooner. Once I walk past that first stop, all thought of it must be cast from my mind. No good whatsoever can come from thinking of it, because I'm already committed to the second bus line. It may not pan out, but I have made it my only chance, and every look back shows my lack of resolve and only serves to undermine my chances of catching it.

When I look back, I know how unproductive it is, and I chastise myself while redoubling my efforts to reach the second stop. It's obviously revealing of my shortcomings in this area, but the ability to commit that I invariably seem to find in the end is some indication of my potential for eradicating the flaw altogether down the road as I continue to mature.