Burn the Boats

Burn the Boats is an inspiring call to go all-in on your dreams, create a point of no return, and let the lack of a Plan B propel you to success, written by a high school dropout turned million-dollar investor.

Higgins started working when he was just ten years old. Unfortunately, being a child, his salary was capped at $5/hour. With his brothers moving out in their teenage years and his overweight, eventually wheelchair-bound mother getting sicker by the day, Higgins knew he had to make more faster.

At 16, he dropped out of high school, studied for the GED entry exam, and entered college two years early. It was a bold plan that required his full focus and buy-in — and if he hadn’t stuck to his gut, he never would have seen it through.

Trusting her gut also made all the difference for Kaley Young. Her father was a New York City firefighter who helped during the 9/11 disaster. He also invented the Cup Board Pro, a cutting board with a container to catch and dispose of food waste easily. Unfortunately, Kaley’s dad died of cancer, the seeds of which had been planted during his 9/11 deployments.

Three months after his death, he was finally invited to Shark Tank after being rejected multiple times. Instead of throwing away the letter, however, Kaley trusted her gut and went on the show with her siblings. Eventually, all sharks cooperated on a deal, and the product became the best-selling cutting board in the entire Williams-Sonoma retail chain.

Your gut is working for you even when things aren’t working — and it’s a muscle that gets stronger the more you train it. Trust your gut, for no one is living your life but you.

When he was finally invited to be a guest shark on Shark Tank, Higgins knew he deserved the opportunity. From being NYC’s youngest press secretary to heading the Ground Zero rebuilding efforts to becoming the Vice Chairman of the Miami Dolphins, he had more than put in his time. Still, he froze with anxiety the first day he walked onto the set. While some nervousness can actually push us to up our game, too much of it is detrimental. It’s a fine balance to strike. How can you do it? First, Higgins suggests, don’t deny the anxiety. Accept its presence and try to work with it instead of outright denying it. Sitting on stage paralyzed as the other sharks were already haggling over the first deal, Higgins managed to turn his anxiety into excitement with some positive self-talk. That’s one tool you can use. And if your anxiety runs too high? Higgins has 4 tips for that too:…