I stumbled again upon my favorite quote ever, by Ayn Rand, and that reminded me of that fire I have inside, the one that burns for a much higher purpose. The one that makes me want to get out of my comfort zone.
Do you know that nice and warm feeling you get when you’re sitting around a fire? Fire is hypnotizing. It makes us feel warm and safe. It is the most precious commodity since it was “domesticated”, thousands and thousands of years ago.
However, tending a fire requires WORK. You have to trudge around in the wilderness, searching for the right kind of wood, dry enough, not too green, not too big so you can carry it, not too small so you don't waste your time, etc. And you have to keep feeding the fire all through the night or it will die. You can’t just put a big bunch of branches on top and expect it to burn for a day.
It goes the same for the fire inside of us. The fire of passion, of inspiration and creativity. The fire of the vision and the dreams that are inside of us, waiting to be realized. Though that fire can never die, it can certainly simmer down to ambers. Because yes, it does require some work to maintain a strong and vibrant, or even RAGING fire. But with the right tools and proper organization, it is absolutely feasible. And the reward is so worth it.
Here is 3 steps to tend your fire with more ease and joy:
1. Get clear on what best feeds your fire
Maybe it’s oak, maybe it’s pine tree, maybe it’s… oh sorry! I mean, maybe it’s music, maybe it’s movement, or colors… If you keep using green wood for your fire, you are going to get a bunch of crackling and smoke instead of a good fire. So the first step is to take some time to write down what puts you on fire, what sparkles your inspiration and creativity, what makes you feel most alive. Make the effort and write down at least 15 fire burners! You can do it!
Note: Don’t restrict yourself to art in the traditional sense of it. Your fire can also be sparked by (in no specific order): helping others, nice cars, travels, learning a new language, meditation, cooking, a good laugh or studying atomic fusion.
2. Pick 3 fire burners and make it actionable
Look at your list and circle 3 things you love. Then, make them actionable. For example, if you picked nice cars, you would make it actionable by saying: studying cars, or test driving nice cars, or even buying cars. Got it? It has to be an action that you can accomplish. Thinking about wood is not the same as actually putting the wood in the fire.
3. Commit to 10 minutes a day
The last step is to commit at least 10 minutes a day to take action on one of the 3. Plan 10 minutes a day to draw, look up your next travel place, learn of few words of Italian, etc. And when I say plan, I mean write it down in your calendar, let your spouse know, turn off your cellphone. And then DO IT. Thinking about doing it is great but it won’t have the same effect, just like thinking about putting wood on the fire does not produce the same effect as actually doing it.
This simple practice will empower you to keep your inner fire burning. And once it burns, you can use it to illuminate your path, to cook your food, to give your warmth, protection and courage to accomplish your dreams.
One of my fire burners is helping others to be more inspired, creative and free. So if you liked this post, share it with your friends and let’s get this fire burning for everyone! And leave a comment below to let me know what makes your fire burn!