Sun Tzu wrote, After crossing a river, you should get far away from it.

On the surface, it’s battlefield logistics — once your army crosses a river, don’t linger near the water. But like so much of Sun Tzu, there’s more here than troop movements. This is a rule about momentum, about not staying in danger zones, about moving forward with intention once you’ve made a transition.

Rivers are boundaries. They separate where you were from where you’re going. Crossing one is effort, risk, vulnerability. While you’re in the water, you’re exposed — you can’t fight, can’t maneuver, can’t protect yourself. It’s a transitional space, not a destination. And Sun Tzu’s command is simple: once you’ve crossed, don’t stay near the edge. Move. Establish new ground. Get distance from the point of vulnerability.

Life is full of rivers. You cross them every time you leave a toxic environment, end a relationship, change careers, start over, recover from a loss, or make a decision that changes everything. But here’s the trap: so many people cross — and then camp on the shore. They stay emotionally tethered to what they left. They keep glancing back. They replay old stories, defend old wounds, cling to what’s already behind them.

That’s dangerous ground. You’re free — but you’re not moving. You’ve made the leap — but you haven’t claimed the land. You’re one unlucky current, one unexpected pull, from being swept right back into what you worked so hard to escape.

Sun Tzu says: get far away from the river. Put distance between you and the past. Don’t tempt the pull of old habits, old patterns, old chaos. Secure your new position. Build in the open, not in the shadow of what you left behind.

This takes courage, because part of you may want to stay close — “just in case.” In case the new ground feels strange. In case you doubt yourself. In case it feels safer to keep one foot in the familiar even if it hurt you. But safety is an illusion when you’re camped at a crossing point. You’re neither there nor here. You’re exposed to both worlds and strengthened by neither.

Forward is where life stabilizes. Forward is where momentum turns fear into purpose. Forward is where what you risked everything for becomes real.

So here’s the pep talk: If you’ve made the decision, if you’ve crossed the river — go. Go all in. Stop scanning the old shore for signs you made the wrong choice. You crossed for a reason. Don’t dishonor that reason by hovering in hesitation.

Move with intent. Claim new ground. Build fresh systems. Make new connections. Root yourself in where you’re going, not where you’ve been.

Every step away from the river strengthens your position. Every bit of distance gives you more freedom, more stability, more perspective.

You crossed because something in you believed there was more. It was right. Now prove it. Go. Get far away from the river. That’s how you turn a crossing into a conquest.

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