What is it like to burn a bridge, and to cut off both your past and future?
The burning of a bridge can be an act of defense or offense. By destroying both your own advantage and the advantage of the other, you are saying that you are all in; you will take that person down with you no matter what happens and you’re not backing down without a fight.
Yet when you find yourself alone on an island after your daring action, given time to rethink the wisdom of your action, you might conclude that the other party won after all. They are so powerful that they can just rent a helicopter and cross the distance that way. You hardly managed to create a dent in their armor. Perhaps, you even helped them shine more because they look so mighty, up high in the helicopter.
The most interesting question is whether the fun and joy you felt when ‘getting back at them’ by burning the bridge created enough happiness in the now to compensate for your miserable and lonely future. The books and gurus all say that you have to live in the now: the happiness in the now is what matters because it makes no sense to always look forward to some future happiness that you might never attain.
You can ponder on what would have been best while you labor to rebuild the bridge, brick by brick, single-handedly. Along the way, someone might come over to offer a helping hand, or reach out to you when you are almost there to share your success. Your enemy might even be waiting for you on the other side.Â
It is also possible that your enemy is already behind you – or ahead of you, just a matter of perspective – patiently waiting to take over the island once you are gone. They’ll use the bridge you’ve built to improve their infrastructure while you can only watch what was once your brainchild from far away. No one will know your name but your competitor’s name will be everywhere.Â
Now, should you have rebuilt the bridge, yes or no?
Yes obviously: the bug you left behind will cause twice as much happiness for you in the now. What happens next is that your brainchild will eat away at your competitor’s success. The negative press alone will be too much. Almost. While your competitor has the resources to acquit himself, your name will go down the drain, or rather, under the bridge.
Now imagine that this is a video game that you can hack. There are no rules… Your only limitation is your own imagination. Maybe there was never a bridge to begin with.
