Burn the Boats

Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential

By: Matt Higgins

Narrated by: Matt Higgins

Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

*A WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER!*

In this gripping rags-to-riches instant classic, Matt Higgins provides the blueprint he used to go from a desperate sixteen-year-old high school dropout caring for his sick mother in Queens, New York, to a shark on Shark Tank and the faculty of Harvard Business School. Told with raw emotion and radical transparency, Higgins writes the definitive tome on the oldest life hack in history: burn the boats.

From Sun Tzu to Julius Caesar, the ancient Israelites to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, there’s a bold and highly effective tactic seen throughout history—when leaders want to motivate their troops for success, they destroy all opportunities for retreat, and fully commit to the mission. They burn their boats; it’s win or perish, and the clarity of sheer desperation propels them to victory.

But the conviction of crisis decision-making can also be harnessed in peacetime to achieve unfathomable success. Higgins draws upon extensive research, historical precedent, and dozens of firsthand case studies—from actress-turned-entrepreneur Scarlett Johansson to NFL Coach Rex Ryan—that prove merely contemplating Plan B diminishes the probability of ever achieving Plan A. Now a self-made serial entrepreneur with a $1 billion consumer portfolio of some of America’s most iconic brands, Higgins explains how to burn the metaphorical boats that undermine total commitment, ranging from imposter syndrome to paralyzing anxiety to toxic leadership.

Burn the Boats is the manifesto for anyone looking to level up their life while navigating risk. Each chapter includes clear, actionable advice that listeners can immediately start applying to their own lives, along with inspiration drawn from dozens of real-life success stories.

This book will give you the courage to confidently go all in on your life’s true purpose.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2023 Matthew Thomas Higgins (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers

One of us!

Initially, I had a bit of a slow start to connect with the book, and then slowly, I started to connect with Matt. I truly felt like he was “one of us” ordinary folks, and he wasn’t given a silver spoon when he was a child. One big takeaway is never to give up, and just because your thoughts and feelings aren’t the same as a majority of people, it doesn’t make it wrong.

Lastly, I loved that his opinions weren’t found in a school textbook or after watching several hours of YouTube videos. His views came from personal experience, which I feel. It’s hard to find a coach or a mentor that isn’t just full of it and only “teaches” instead of practicing what they preach.

Phenomenal book about climbing to the TOP from the absolute bottom!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Matt does an exceptional job of illustrating exactly where he came from and how he was able to achieve the success he has today. If you’re looking for a business book that motivates you, gives you insight into the world of big business, and shows you what’s possible in this life, then this book is for you.

An Engaging and Inspiring Book on Achieving Dreams

I listened to this book via the Audible app, and I found the book very valuable for a number of reasons. Here are a few:

- Matt Higgins' early life was challenging in many ways, which shaped his view of the world. He speaks quite a bit about his Mom and how she set an example related to education that would have a major impact on his life. I appreciate his openness about this and many other personal experiences.

- His experience working with hundreds of entrepreneurs has given him a lot of insights, and from those many relationships, he shares many valuable stories in the book, which I really appreciate.

- As someone who worked in New York City for many years, and who was just about to leave my home on 9/11/2001 for another day of work a few miles north of Ground Zero when I learned of what happened. I have great respect and appreciation for the work that Matt Higgins did as a Press Secretary at that difficult time, and appreciate that he shared some of those experiences.

- One of his guest appearances on Shark Tank led to him and all of the Sharks investing in a product created by a firefighter who lost his life due to 9/11-related exposure. That demonstrated to me how impactful his past experiences as Press Secretary really were.

- His telling of how he proposed and was approved to teach a course at Harvard Business School was truly inspiring, and shows what's possible when you focus on learning from experiences and presenting those lessons in ways that can help others succeed.

- The overarching theme of "Burning the Boats" may seem to go against the idea of having a "Backup Plan," but I've learned that going "All In" with different opportunities during my 30-or-so year career has helped me in many ways to prepare for my next adventure.

- In the PDF that's included with the purchase of the audio version on Audible, there's a video link featuring clips by Arnold Schwarzenegger that includes the quote: "No matter what it takes, I will do the work."

- When I heard Matt Higgins say that he watched every Shark Tank episode prior to being a guest Shark on the show (not an easy feat because there are many Shark Tank episodes!), I felt like he did what it took, and that level of dedication has certainly contributed to his many successes.

- His humble, yet confident style (and great narration) was refreshing, and made me feel as though we were having lunch together and chatting about a wide range of topics. Those are the kinds of books that stay with me for a long time.

Inspiring

I found this book when I was already at the end of my journey to burn the boats, so to speak, so I didn’t need the motivation to take that leap. But I have found now that I’ve started up my own business, the stories in this book have inspired me to do more with my business than I had planned in the beginning. And it has given me even more hope and inspiration for the future than I already had.
Here’s to living out dreams and changing the world!

The first book any aspiring startup founder must read.

I’ve read a lot of business books as an aspiring entrepreneur but this book is by far the best book I’ve read in the last 5+ years. I’m not even being hyperbolic. The book not only has illuminating case studies, and his own unbelievable origin story, but he also pinpoints the fears, self doubts and offers the remedies for them. Big unlocks in here.

Aside from that he shares invaluable insights that turned my previous untested assumptions and turns them them upside down.

Big takeaways: intuition > data, big leaps > incremental progress, an employee with specialized skills > a co-founder.

Beyond just gems for business, it’s a book about life. His story is inspiring and uplifting and while it’s titled Burn the boats, forget a plan b which is so important/scary/freeing this book is so much more than that concept.

Instant classic and definitely in my revised top 3 books of all time. It’s that good. Get this book and reap the benefits or suffer the pain I’ve endured for years searching for the guidance in here. Not paid to write this, I just hope I can convey the sense of urgency I feel in suggesting this book. Amazing.

Absolutely Wonderful!!!

Kudos Matt and the whole team! Powerful, Human, Deeply moving and Inspiring. You caused many tears that were necessary. This is a classic my friends!!! When is the next one Matt?

A Must-Read Burn the Boats by Matt Higgins

A Must-Read Burn the Boats by Matt Higgins

I am always looking for great books that can provide valuable insights and inspiration. Recently, I had the pleasure of reading "Burn the Boats" by Matt Higgins.

The book is a fascinating and inspiring journey through Matt' experiences as an entrepreneur, investor, and Shark Tank guest judge. His insights on entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership are refreshing, honest, and practical.

The book's central theme, "burn the boats," is a powerful metaphor for the mindset and actions required to succeed as an entrepreneur. Matt' advice to "commit first, figure it out later" is a reminder that taking risks is an essential part of entrepreneurship, no doubt my favorite quote from the book.

Overall, "Burn the Boats" is a must-read for every entrepreneur, investor, and business leader. The book is full of practical advice, inspiring stories, and valuable insights that will help anyone looking to take their business to the next level. I highly recommend it.

A Must Read

This book is brilliantly woven into a story of courage, relentless faith in oneself while acknowledging the reality of real life’s challenges like our childhood past and its enduring influence on our lives. Matt - thank you for sharing your story - it’s truly authentic and raw - and life changing.

Great for seasoned or new founders

I listened to this on my commute and was inspired at his explanation of discomfort as feedback. My favorite takeaway: “When we require a fully baked solution to a problem in order to pursue a goal, we deny ourselves a chance to prove the depth of our ability to perform under duress. problems beget solutions. If you accept the problem with just a vague notion of how to solve it, and if you always maintain a bias toward action, your primitive mind will do the rest of the work for you.
And then, suddenly there you are. You’re in the water and there’s no turning back. “

A Strong Dose of Wisdom & Guidance

This book will take you on a surprising journey. If you are expecting good business advice you'll get it. You'll also get insight ranging from internalized patterns and questions to case study style examples. He's packed a lot of wisdom from his personal experiences into an enjoyable read, even for the jaded.