Which fires do you need to put out?
Doesn't matter how warm they keep you.
“So, what stuff do you care about from your room?”
An odd question to answer when you’re thousands of miles away, much less when it comes from a phone-call-allergic younger sibling. Matthew, my brother, either had an important reason to ask, or he had designs on annexing something.
Turns out he was asking because a wildfire was heading right toward my parents’ house, and he was calling to check whether his itemisation of my belongings (“Keep/Let Burn If That’s What the Universe Has In Store Today”) was right.
He was so calm. So collected. And so undisturbed by my answer, which was: “Sounds good?”
And then the winds changed, and the fire went another way.
I’m sure my “Let Burn” inventory eventually disappeared (or was annexed), but to be truthful: I still don’t know what I had at the house. And as it was very low on my list of priorities to find out, I think I owe my mom (and Marie Kondo) an apology.
Mom, Marie: I’m sorry for keeping stuff that sparked neither joy OR panic at losing it. Next time, you have carte blanche to throw it out.
Today’s unexpected-but-unexpectedly-wise take is from another Matthew - the McConaughey edition. I read earlier this week in the Daily Stoic (a stellar newsletter) about his reasons for shutting down his film production company.
“I had eight proverbial campfires on my desk every morning … I was kind of making C-pluses in everything. When I got rid of five classes and focused on three, I started making As."
Less “it didn’t spark joy,” and more “I couldn’t keep the fires under control.”
While it’s tempting dismiss this advice, given that his celebrity and wealth make it easier for him to make this decision without risking his livelihood —
— resist it. Nothing is guaranteed, and the feeling he’s describing is universal, which means the advice, too, can help us.
It is easy to have too many fires.
Maybe they haven’t turned into full-on wildfires so you feel mostly in control. Maybe you like the warmth. Maybe you’ve spent a lot of money and time getting that one to crackle just right. Maybe you’re emotionally attached to all of the fires and can’t imagine putting one out.
That’s fine.
But as soon as that feeling turns from warm and fuzzy into "I need to prepare myself for the inevitable wildfire,” it’s time to take action.
If what previously required light maintenance now means late nights keeping the kindling alight - something has to go.
Why? If you’ll allow me JUST ONE MORE fire metaphor:
You have to choose your fires because if you can’t control them, the only thing that will burn out is you.
Once you realise that, it is a lot easier to be laissez-fair about what stays and what goes (or what burns, if a wildfire does come to pass. Ok, that was almost the last 🔥 fire 🔥 phrase. Almost there.)
Here’s a few ways to start cutting down on the wildfires, campfires, bonfires, crossfires and fire fights at work to get your focus back.
Stop joining that call you don’t need to be on.
Be honest about it and say it keeps you from achieving XYZ other company goal, and ask if you can be shared on the notes instead, or join just once a month.
Fight interruptions.
Turn off notification sounds and set focus times on your calendar with a direct note not to book with you unless it is an emergency (a five-alarm-fire!) Especially good to do if you know your fires are all completely under control…as long as you can have an uninterrupted 30 minute silence to keep them maintained.
Burn it with fireSay no.Unless that event, project, client, deliverable hits more than one goal (i.e., has clear, demonstrable ROI, is SUCH a good opportunity it’s dumb to turn it down, not doing it could harm you in the future, etc.), say no if you own your business. If you don’t have that power, be clear about where it fits in your priority list and why. If you have to do it anyway, commit only to a cautious timeline.
Cancel it.
“It” is that thing that you know is a time, focus and energy-suck. For me, it was emailing back a services provider that we don’t work with anymore. As cathartic as it is to argue over email, it accomplishes nothing except distraction. Even if I am right.
With fewer fires, I’m confident your days, mornings, and weekends will be a lot less like this:
and a lot more like this:
x Rachel
PS. If celebrity advice is your thing, Denzel Washington has some great advice that we shared earlier this year re: how to be consistent, reliable, and focused 👇
