This week on Acta Non Verba I’m retelling the story of Hannibal Barca and how his choices and determination when invading Rome can help you face your own Adversity. Listen in and ask yourself how you would act if you knew no one was coming to save you.
Episode Transcript:
00:32
In this solo episode, I’ll highlight lessons from warriors past and present, from the battlefields of Italy, Greece, and Japan, to more modern day warfare, including tactics seen today in business, society, and culture.
01:03
The reality is this, the world is a battlefield, and to not master these lessons leaves you grossly ill-prepared for the adversity that you will inevitably face in the future. Today’s lesson comes from Northern Africa, originated in the city of Carthage some 2000 years ago. I will find a way or I will make one. This was the phrase Hannibal Barca uttered when his generals told him,
01:31
that it was impossible to cross the Alps by elephant in 218 before common era. Why was Hannibal even considering such a Herculean task? 23 years earlier, Hannibal saw in the wake of the first Punic war that the Roman Republic’s vast empire was only going to grow stronger and stronger. That growth meant that it would eventually dominate the entire Mediterranean. Hannibal knew that it was only a matter of time before Roman ships would be on the horizon with armies to invade his homeland.
02:01
in northern Africa. Hannibal understood that the Roman Empire’s ambition would continue to expand and that war with them was inevitable. Already a brilliant tactician at the age of 29, this is when Hannibal began to ask himself some questions. 1. If war with Rome was inevitable, how could he fight it in such a way to give Carthage the best chance for victory? Finding Rome head to head on equal footing?
02:29
would not be to the Carthaginian advantage. In this war, it would be Hannibal’s masterful strategy and generalship that would be their best chance for survival. The next question, would it be better for Hannibal to fight Rome on his home soil? Well, while fighting the Roman army in Northern Africa would have some advantages, overall the Carthaginian army would be fighting off their back foot. Even if they repelled the first wave of attacks, the Roman Empire would simply continue to send men
02:57
and reinforcements until they were victorious. Waiting for Rome to land in North Africa would be waiting for certain defeat. Hannibal knew that his opportunity was at hand and that fortune favors the bold. But what sort of bold action could he possibly take regarding this rapidly approaching threat that would not equate to becoming a suicide mission? That’s when Hannibal’s brilliance as a tactician materialized in an audacious thought. What if he could take everyone by surprise?
03:27
What if Hannibal could somehow take the battle directly to Rome itself? That would be the last thing that his enemies would ever expect. And if he could strike Rome first, what would be the most powerful and unexpected attack that he could make? That’s why Hannibal was looking at what it would take to cross the Alps by elephant at the beginning of this episode. So that he and his Carthaginian army could descend and rain down on Rome from the North where an attack was least expected. Now understand this battle plan.
03:56
was beyond ambitious. It was an incredibly bold stroke indeed. Hannibal knew that he would only have one chance to make this sort of attack and that any hesitation to take action on his part could be the difference between victory and defeat, truly life and death. After much consideration, Hannibal made a decision. His time to strike was now, and he knew that the definitive action and speed and execution of this plan would be all the security that he was going to get.
04:26
In this invasion, speed, 100% commitment, and violence of action would be his only security. Reinforcements would be few and far between, if at all. To achieve this unprecedented feat, Hannibal would first have to cross the Mediterranean to Saguntum and modern-day Spain and place it under siege. Next, he would need to navigate 30,000 soldiers, 15,000 horses, and 37 elephants over the Alps and into Italy.
04:57
and he would need to make this icy trek to Rome in 16 days or less. This would be the single greatest military ambush in the history of warfare of successful, and it would mark the beginning of what would eventually become a 15-year campaign against the Romans. In the military, it is said that amateurs focus on tactics while professionals focus on logistics. So what does that mean? By thinking of the logistics of the objectives of any mission,
05:25
The tactics and actions of a well-trained military will unfold naturally and ultimately take care of themselves. Here’s one example of the logistics that Hannibal had to contend with when planning his invasion of Rome. Elephants. Elephants eat a lot. They need about 220 pounds of food a day just to survive. If you multiply 37 elephants times 220 pounds of food, you end up having more than 8,000 pounds of food that are needed for one day.
05:56
just to feed the elephants. Over 16 days, this means that well over 130 pounds of food was needed to feed these cumbersome creatures. And remember, Hannibal knew that there would likely be no food in the 80,000 square miles of snow and ice cover mountains that they were about to face. This meant that the army would have to carry 130 pounds of food along with them just for the elephants. Remember, that number did not include the supplies needed and the food.
06:24
for the 15,000 horses, and the cavalry, or the 30,000 soldiers. So as you see, tactics are fine, but they won’t feed a starving army. And this is why professionals focus on logistics. But there’s something else that must be considered, and that’s Hannibal’s mindset regarding this campaign. Along with Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar, Hannibal was widely considered as one of the best military strategists and tacticians of all time. Now, he anticipated
06:53
that he would be going into this war largely unsupported. So what do you think that knowledge did to his mentality and his strategy? If I dropped you off on a deserted island, gave you some water and a few provisions and told you that I’d be back in 24 hours, what would you do? How would you act? Yes, it would be tough. It may be uncomfortable 24 hours, but ultimately you’d survive. You’d likely survive because you knew that all you had to do was hold on. Now,
07:23
What if you were in the same situation with enough food and water and provisions for one day, but I told you that I was never coming back, that no one was ever coming back, and that you were completely on your own, and that you had to save yourself? How would this knowledge influence your behavior? Then how would you act? Do you see the difference in mindsets? If you knew that somebody was coming back to save you, you’d probably just sit tight, maybe explore the island if the mood struck you, go on a walk, work on your tan, or even catch a nap.
07:52
There would be no real urgency on your part, no need to take any extreme risk or measures. Conversely, if you knew that you were on your own and that no one was coming to save you, how would you act differently? If you knew that you had to figure it out and that it was up to you and you alone to save yourself, you probably feel and act differently. You probably feel desperate. This knowledge and mindset is what motivated Hannibal to use unique and unorthodox tactics brilliantly in the battles of trivia.
08:22
the Battle of Lake Tresemay, and most famously, the Battle of Cannae. All of these battles are still studied to this day as examples of some of the best tactical battles ever recorded in military history. While Hannibal being widely considered one of the greatest military commanders in history is impressive enough, what makes it even more impressive is when you consider the source of the information. The vast majority of the information that we have regarding Hannibal’s success and conquests comes from Rome herself.
08:51
Remember, in the end, history is ultimately written by the victor. Hannibal’s exploits were so remarkable that even Roman historians had to begrudgingly show their respect and admiration for his brilliance and adaptability in battle and gave him credit even as an adversary of Rome. In fact, the only reason people remember who Scipio Africanus is, is because he was the man who officially defeated Hannibal. And remember, the Hannibal that he defeated
09:20
was a person who was worn down and whose forces had been considerably less than what they were initially. Frankly, many more people today know who Hannibal was than Scipio. Indeed, without the incredible threat that Hannibal presented, there would be no need for such a tremendous battle to defend Rome and her territories. And this powerful history came to pass from one man’s decision. This all started with a powerful why and a mission born from that.
09:49
This all happened when it became obvious that there was a need for actions and not words, for akta non-verba. This all began when one man said definitively, I will find a way, or I will make one. Here are your after action items to reflect on from this lesson. Number one, what is your powerful and compelling why? What is your mission born from that why?
10:17
Hannibal knew that Rome was on the move and clearly that created tremendous urgency in him to take action. That was his mission. What is the mission that you want to achieve so badly that it creates urgency and commitment from you to take massive, definitive action? And this can be professional, personal, physical, or financial. What do you want that mission to be? Number two. Amateurs think of tactics.
10:46
Look at your mission and objective from a high viewpoint and plan the logistics of achieving these goals. In other words, ask yourself, no bullshit, what would it really take to accomplish your goal? In the process, the tactics will take care of themselves. Remember, the why of your mission will lead you to the how, because without a compelling mission, the tactics matter not. Number three, fortune favors the bold. What is your…
11:15
bold stroke. What is a bold move that you could make that for you would be the equivalent of marching on Rome? This could be something like a unique business strategy, a completely different workout or diet regime, or even having a conversation and reconciliation with somebody that you’ve been avoiding for days, weeks, months, or even years. Think is handable with think by doing the unexpected. Understand that in executing any bold stroke, that speed is your security.
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And that’s why fortune favors the bold. Move boldly and definitively towards your mission. Number four, you must commit. Your mission must be your only priority. All plans and strategy come from the mission and the objectives. You cannot think merely of stumbling across the finish line, barely surviving. Remember, just like being a left alone on that desert island, you must execute on your plan with urgency. There can be no half measures.
12:14
no half-assed attempts, there is only one level of commitment, and that is total. Most people give up the first time they face genuine adversity. And that’s just the reality. And that’s why over 92% of the people that make New Year’s resolutions give up within the first few weeks. But remember, adversity does not guard anything that is not worth having. The reason that most fail in their resolutions or any sort of goal or mission or objective
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They don’t have a powerful enough why. The mission does not truly drive them. They write down things that are shallow and superficial. They think of things that maybe other people think that they should have or value. And they write down things that they would like to have, quote unquote, as if it were a Christmas list. Therefore, they treat it as such and essentially wait for a fairy tale figure like Santa Claus to come and magically do the work for them. Now be honest, think of something that you’ve accomplished in your life
13:13
that you were genuinely proud of. If you can think of anything that you’ve ever done that you truly felt a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction from, I can guarantee you that it was something that required commitment, perseverance, and hard work. The reality is this, if it were easy, you just wouldn’t appreciate it. We as human beings do not respect anything that we don’t have to earn in some way, shape, or form. So decide on a compelling mission and goal.
13:42
take the option of quitting off the table and get to work. And yes, I understand there will be inevitable bumps in the road and times when you will fall off track and that’s fine. When this happens, don’t beat yourself up, simply get up, pivot, overcome and adapt while staying resolute to your mission. I have a close friend who is an incredibly successful entrepreneur and leader and he has his phrase tattooed, I will find a way or make one and land across his chest and shoulders to serve as a reminder.
14:12
This tattoo kept him resolute on his mission, not only on becoming a tremendously successful entrepreneur and influencer, but of overcoming drug addiction and alcohol addiction. In other words, this is one of the things that he said to himself to stay clean for good. Find a way or make one. Honestly, how many times do you think that Hannibal’s army got lost, took a wrong turn, or faced adversity as they marched across the freezing Alps to attack Rome? Do you think that it was uncomfortable or a little bit cold at times?
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You bet your ass it was, but they never gave up because they were already committed to the mission. They did not have the luxury of quitting. Indeed, they had to find a way or make one. And when you are in the adversity, in the heat of battle, take a moment and reaffirm your mission to yourself. Remind yourself why you’re committed to this mission and that you are resolute to seeing it come to pass. Then repeat this mantra to yourself. I will find a way or I will make one.
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thus end the lesson. I know there’s a lot of material in this lesson, so I’d recommend going back and listening multiple times and taking notes. Drawing up your war plans and taking massive definitive action is how we get there. This is also a great listening review once a quarter or so to keep you on track for your year long goals, whether this be in business, your physicality, or in your personal development. If this episode was valuable to you, please share it on social media or send it directly to somebody that you know that needs to hear this.
