Burning your Boats; The Only Way To Lasting Health And Stability:

In his book Dr. Jeff Rediger says:

“In 1519 Hernan Cortes, the Spanish explorer and conquistador, arrived on the coast of Mexico near Veracruz, intending to claim the land occupied by the Aztek empire for Spain. He had eleven ships, thirteen horses, and 500 men. The Aztec empire at that time stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific, the largest and most powerful kingdom of all time. Its population numbered over 5 million.

Cortes wasn’t even supposed to be there. His commander had revoked his order to sail to Mexico, but he went anyway. Landing on the beach at the edge of the Gulf of Mexico, Cortes had an army that was too small for the task before him and no support behind him. The fleet of 11 ships that sat anchored in the bay was their only backup plan if they failed, which was the probable outcome given the odds.

But once all the soldiers were on the beach, Cortes gave a shocking order: Burn the boats. He was leaving his men with no other option but to win.

I don’t identify with the conquistadors of that era who ran roughshod over indigenous cultures. However, imagine yourself as one of these soldiers. You have your own life, your family, your goals, your dreams. And then you find yourself on the beach watching the boats burn.”

This story resonates because, on some level, we all know it’s possible to overcome an impossible situation such as diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disease, anxiety, chronic pain, etc., but only if you leave yourself with no other option.

In other words, when you discover your own personal path to health, you make sure you leave no backup boats in the harbor.

Yours in health,
John Keane