Why You Must Burn Bridges To Become Great.
The great thing about great people.
In 1954 when Ray Kroc joined the McDonald brothers, he immediately believed that McDonald’s was the future of fast-food in America — and the world.
Kroc’s story is famous at some point: the traveling salesman that deduced the most effective real estate formula the world has ever seen. But what many people didn’t realize was that he was infamous for burning bridges.
As a natural salesman, Kroc built interpersonal relationships with relative ease. Also, as a crazily ambitious businessman, he burnt them viciously.
From him divorcing Ethel Kroc and Jane Kroc to his renounced club membership and eventually, a fight with Harry Sonneborn, the first president and CEO of McDonald’s Corporations. Like all others, Harry resigned and never made contact with Ray again.
But, why burn your bridges?
I’ve wondered why successful people burn several bridges on their journey to the top. It made no sense to me at first because I grew to make peace with the cliche:
“You don’t burn the bridges you cross because you never know when you need to use them again.”
But as I looked into the lives of high achievers, I realized that most bridges are…