The Art of Decisive Action

"There is nothing impossible to him who will try." - Alexander the Great

What are you waiting for? More information? Less risk? Total confidence?

Alexander was not one to wait. When confronted with a terrible decision, he acted with incredible speed and precision. Instead of calculating decision after decision, Alexander relied on his experience and mental fortitude to choose action over intoxicating deliberation.

Imagine the year is 336 BC, “Alexander’s father is assassinated and Alexander becomes king of Macedonia at twenty… Cousins claim the throne, neighboring tribes sense weakness, and the Greek city-states his father had defeated see a chance to break free from Macedonian dominance. Most expect the young king to fail. Instead, Alexander moves with terrifying speed. First, he eliminates all rivals to the throne, having his cousins executed. Then he confirms his father’s old generals in their commands, rewarding loyalty and buying their support. He reduces taxes and grants privileges to the army, securing their devotion. Within weeks, he consolidates absolute power. Lastly, he marches north with lightning speed, crossing the Danube to defeat the barbarian tribes on the kingdom’s borders, which he does in sudden, devastating campaigns. Macedonia is his.” – Jasper Vardag-Hunter

Now we all don’t have a throne to secure, but still when we are confronted with consequential decisions we often find that success fully depends on the speed with which we act. In these decisive moments we may lack complete knowledge and so are forced to rely on experience alone. Learning to strike even when uncertain demands boldness, courage, and the fullness of one’s strength to conquer the success-denying trait that is hesitation.

When I was 22, I found myself in a high-stakes poker game at a local casino. I got involved in a hand where the wager was on par with my net worth, meaning if I went all in and lost, I’d be completely broke. Sweat began dripping down my sides and the idea of total glory or humiliating defeat flashed across my mind. Any hesitation would give away my bluff. The only way to win this hand was to bet the house on it. Speed was my friend and glory my aim. I went all in without a moment’s hesitation, winning the pot and securing my fortune.

You already know what you need to do. Alexander knew it too. By discarding frivolous deliberation and acting with total conviction, he forged ahead. Consider that by the age of 25 he had conquered Persia and Egypt and had begun extending his empire deep into Central Asia, territories that had defied conquerors for centuries. He built a reputation for speed, making his swift tenacity in battle and politics proverbial. Commanders who faced him barely had time to form a plan before Alexander was already executing his. He wrote his own destiny through sheer willpower, and the world has never forgotten his name.

I imagine him in those moments before action: asking himself what consequences this decision might bring, what experiences he could draw upon to support his judgment, game-theorizing every possible move. Until the moment came and he discarded the contemplative mind entirely, channeling all his energy into the action he had decided upon. Most men never make that final turn. They see the opportunity, they understand it, and still they fail to pull the trigger. Shoulders stooped, they tirelessly orbit it year after year, waiting for a confidence that never fully arrives. You tell yourself that one day you will have the courage to act. But that day never comes, because you are a coward. Or at least, that’s what you were before reading this.

Let the story of Alexander inspire you to cast aside self-doubt and act. You will not always have perfect information. The odds will not always be in your favor. But neither were they for Alexander, and he conquered the known world anyway. When the moment comes, leave it up to the Gods, leave it up to fate. Caesar famously declared “Alea iacta est, the die is cast.” Speak those words to yourself when hesitation creeps in. Believe that success is your destiny. The world belongs to those who move. This is where legends are made, dreams become reality, and you earn your place in the halls of heroes.