Something special happens inside when you leave your father’s house. It signifies leaving comfort. One of the most ancient stories in Genesis involves God calling Abraham to do just that. To leave the comfort of his hometown in order to find the promised land. I believe we all have a promised land of some sort. A place beyond our current grasp that requires each individual to leave in order to get to it. This is not easy to do, but it is critical. 

When all your needs are met it is much easier to forget about faith. Nothing you’re doing in the basement of your parents house requires faith. There is no necessity and that is exactly the problem. Your belly is full and it is all too easy to slip into a pattern of complacent living. Except, simply existing, letting life pass you by, is not living at all. 

I have been struck recently with a calling. It is no life purpose or grand calling. But, it is a calling to take a step out into the unknown. And, I am going to attend to it. This past week I was listening to a podcast about Near Death Experiences that really struck me. Thinking about being given a life review was a wake up call. Reflecting on the amount of time I spent sleeping and reading and talking to nobody during the last 4 weeks of my life… I owe God an apology. Thankfully, we are given opportunities to move one step closer to the promised land even after squandering precious time. 

The battalion had just landed on the Mexican shore. General Cortés turned to his men and declared, “We conquer together, or we die together. There’s no going back. Burn the ships. Every single one of them.” It was a moment of irreversible commitment—a visceral image of resolve. No retreat. No safety net. Just forward motion.

This kind of audacity requires what some might call delusional self-confidence. But in truth, it’s the kind of conviction that inspires others to follow. It forces clarity in the face of fear. And it worked: 600 men, against all odds, conquered an empire.

Too often, fear convinces us to quit before we’ve even begun. But when doubt is stripped away, what remains is a clear path to action. That’s the life I want to live—not one of hesitation, but of wholehearted commitment. I don’t want to shy away from risk. I want to lean in. To go all-in on every area of my life.

Most of us don’t have literal ships to burn. But we do have our ego. And sometimes, the bravest thing we can do is risk looking foolish. Because ego is often the anchor that keeps us tethered to comfort and indecision.