Rubicon Moments...The Right Side of the Rubicon

I was first introduced to the idea of a 'Rubicon Moment' back in 2006 by the then SVP of Advertising for UNUM Provident and now good friend, Keith Hickerson, who was working on a novel with the same name. Recently, I've heard it more and more especially as it's general concept sits within several of The Mind Gym's learning interventions, or 'Workouts'.

During the Roman Empire, the Rubicon was a river serving as a boundary between the Roman province of Gaul and Italy itself. Only Province Governors were allowed to cross the Rubicon river while commanding troops as they maintained a right of what was called Imperium. To cross the Rubicon commanding troops without the right of Imperium was considered a treasonous maneuver and a capital offense punishable by death. In fact, once an army crosses the Rubicon, every soldier is thereby considered an outlaw and a traitor of Rome.

In 49 A.D. Julius Caesar led the Legio XIII to the river bank and after some personal deliberation decided to cross the Rubicon uttering the phrase 'alea iacta est' or 'the die has been cast.' Since then a 'Rubicon Moment' has become synonymous with the point of no return.

Caesar went on to win and survive his Rubicon Moment but they aren't always successful and there are numerous historical examples to show both failure and success. The point for me is that we all have these moments in our lives, these moments where we can cast the die one way or the other. Tin Cup, Roy McAvoy, in the movie Tin Cup called them defining moments where 'you either define the moment or it defines you...'




There are stacks of books about decision making and coming to conclusions, etc...however what's been on my mind recently has been what holds people back from making what they know is their correct decision. Not the correct decision but their correct decision. The decision that is right for them as an individual. I think where I've landed is that their decision actually starts involving others on the 'wrong' side of the Rubicon. In order to validate our decision or 'gut' even we start involving others, asking their opinions, etc...and inevitably others talk us out of it, or there's so much deliberation that the goal or decision gets crushed under its own weight. I'm not saying that others want to derail us, or deter us out of anything malicious but actually to the contrary because they care for us. Do we think that Caesar's wife in today's world, or his mother, or close friends would have urged him on into and across the water knowing that potential death awaited on the other side? It's the same with starting a new business, or climbing a mountain, or running across a desert, or any number of any 'scary' decisions. The pure and simple truth is that our friends, family, colleagues, etc...just don't want to see us get hurt, physically, emotionally, financially, etc..., and that's ok but it's not always the right decision for us as individuals.

So what's the answer? Well, I think the answer is cross the damn Rubicon and then tell your family, friends, colleagues, others, that you're invading Rome dammit. Watch the conversation change from one of deliberation and concern to one of support and positivity. The difference between 'I'm thinking of starting my own business' versus 'So, I've started my own business'. Watch the difference in reaction move from 'Well, are you sure it's a good idea, you're so stable now' to 'What a great idea, you can do it I know you can.'

Rubicon Moments define the landscape of our lives and lead us from opportunity to opportunity, many of which not actually revealing themselves until we get to the other side of the river. They don't always go to plan but regardless of the outcome they give great color and insight to our lives. Go find your Rubicon, I know I'll be in search of one myself.

Be good, and good running!

Rp