Lessons From Fire-Walking…

“May the dragon of life only roast your hot-dogs and never burn your buns!” 
– Anonymous 

I was at a party with a difference on Saturday night just gone. Everyone there was invited to do a fire-walk in the back-garden of the host’s home.

A team of professional fire-walkers had set up a 12 foot by 3 foot ‘pit’ with scorching hot charcoal (over 330C). 

The heat from the fire was very welcoming until people realised what was they were being asked to do…:) 

Of the 70 or so people at the party, about 20 volunteered, the other 50 electing to be entertained by the ’suckers’… 

What was interesting was there was minimal ‘mental’ coaching involved and the key element for success was to ‘just walk normally’. 

Here’s some of what I learned: 

    •    Everyone experienced some form of reaction afterwards (most common was a tingling sensation in your feet)

    •    Those who were very nervous before hand tended to suffer more discomfort. 
    •    Those who were over-confident did also (they were too slow walking across and paid the price!)

As it turned out, the best way to get across the coals was just to walk normally, as there is a scientific logic as to why you don’t get burned.

But not everyone was able to walk ‘normally’… 

It made me think about the fire-walk as a metaphor for life in general.

1. Watch yourself this week for a ‘thing’ you’re fearful of.  Catch yourself and visualise a fire walk in front of you as a reminder to not think about but just to walk i.e. to take one step after another at a regular pace.
2. Watch yourself this week for any area you’re over-confident in. Perhaps you’re walking too slow or maybe even stopped, not realising that the temperature is rising fast around you!

The best approach with any activity is just to walk-normally. And before you know it, you’re on the other side of it, with your feet cooling in a bucket of water…

Food for thought.