Relentless, Constant Pressure: Don’t Stop Until it’s Over

We all watch action movies and as usual near the end, after a big long fight, the bad guy seems to be down. The good guys start to relax and celebrate. But then the bad guy comes out of nowhere to cause trouble again. That is why in real life, you put a bullet in their head to make sure they are down for the count. It’s called a “Dead Check.” This sounds grim but it’s reality. This is how stuff gets done. As Robert Greene wrote “Crush Your Enemies Totally”. 

You do not stop fundraising until the money hits the bank. You do not stop fighting until your opponent is down. You keep going until you are done. You go all out and don’t half ass it. The sale is not closed until they sign the contract and pay the money!! 

I see too many founders celebrate at the one yard line and then they mess up. It’s like you spent all this time pushing a rock up the hill, but then you stop short of the top where the momentum starts to go your way. You try to take the shortcut or easier path, when all it took was just a little further push to get you to the top. As George Orwell said “The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it.” It is so very easy to lose momentum in business and life. 

You cannot afford to be complacent. Complacency kills. In this highly competitive world full of ruthless executors, You can’t relax or celebrate until it’s absolutely clear you have completely won. Or scored the touchdown as per football parlance. You have to keep pushing till the bitter end. 

This is also quite relevant for life too. How many times have you heard about the recently retired just passing away suddenly after working for decades. It’s because they no longer have a mission. No purpose, no life. So assuming you enjoy the game you are in, just keep pushing and keep going! If you want to rest, rest after the finish line and not before!