Getting My Fire to Burn

I was grateful that a participant in one of our recent workshops shared a cool poem with me by Judy Brown called "Fire".  It explores the importance of reflection, inner thought, and feeling to one's leadership.  It made me think about how I used to shove far too much wood into our wood stove when we first got it, then wondering why it was so difficult to get my fire to burn.  I failed to realize I needed more empty space between the wood, more oxygen for the fire to burn.  As I reflected on this, I believe lately I've been shoving far too much wood into a proposal for my next assignment at work.  I've been failing to Sail every one of the Seven C's. 

You see I've been chasing this specific job proposal and only this one assignment, clinging to my notion of what it should look like and being able to continue working with long-time friends, and doing everything I can think of to control the outcome and the responses of others, despite continued resistance from a few key stakeholders.  As I reflect further, my approach to date has also had far too much competing, comparing, criticizing, and complaining.  It's time to stop, drop, and be.  Time to let go, accept my circumstances, and be more grateful, flexible, positive, kind, and compassionate.  Time to simplify my goals and be open to other possibilities, whatever they may be.  There now, that wasn't so hard.  I now have just the right amount of wood in my stove for my fire to burn.