Burn the ships: a trick to overcome the change resistance

In 207 BC, Chinese General Xiang Yu made a bold move. He burnt his own ships. Yep, you read that right — he. burnt. his. own. ships.

Why?

Because he wanted his soldiers to know one thing:

There was no way back.

No escape. No retreat.

The only option was forward.

Now — imagine your team facing change like Xiang Yu’s soldiers.

If they have a way to cling to the past, they will.

They’ll always look for that exit, the “safe” way out.

But what happens if you burn the ships?

What happens if you take away the safety net?

Here’s how you can do it

(without actually torching anything:)

1️⃣ Remove the “Old Way”

Stop giving them a backup plan.

Let them know the old methods are gone. For good.

If there’s no fallback, they’ll focus on moving forward.

2️⃣ Lead with confidence

Xiang Yu didn’t just burn the ships. He made his soldiers believe victory was their only option.

When you show unwavering confidence in the path ahead, your team will feel the same.

3️⃣ Create urgency

People only move when they feel the pressure.

Let your team know: there’s no time to waste.

The world is changing — if we don’t act now, someone else will.

4️⃣ “No-loss” mindset

Xiang Yu didn’t give his army room to think about losing.

Show your team that failure isn’t the enemy. It’s part of the process.

Not trying is the real defeat.

Burning the ships sounds extreme.

But sometimes — extreme is exactly what gets results.

💡

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