Reflection

Walk Through Fire*
By Beni Bevly

“Some day you will have to jump without fear of life or death; then you will be able to make progress. When the time comes, you will have to walk through fire…” Babaji, Indian Guru

Have you ever stepped on fire – or walked through it? Many people are asked to do this in empowerment classes. Maybe you have done it yourself in such a class, under the guidance of an instructor. 

I did walk through fire myself. It became the first thing I remembered as a child. During my early years while living in Borneo, I saw my aunt standing some distance away with friends, and I wanted to be with her so bad that I ran directly to her – not realizing that there was a flaming fire used to cook coffee right in front of me. With both of my bare feet, I stepped right onto the fire and kept running. Yet I didn’t feel any pain because I was running so fast. That experience became my first lifetime lesson.

By wanting something so passionately, I ignored the treacherous obstacle in my way -- and I moved forward to reach my goal so fast that I emerged unharmed.

Walking through fire is a metaphor for pursuing what you really want. The more desire you have to reach your goal, the more you are willing to overcome all barriers between you and the goal you want to reach. 

Are you ready to walk through fire to get what you want? This is your self-challenge: to walk trough fire. 

One of the criteria to find what you really want in your life is to identify the one thing you want to do or achieve so much that being rewarded financially doesn’t matter. It must be something you want to do so much that you don’t care about being paid for doing it. Maybe you’ve always wanted to write a book or learn to play the piano or to be a leader in supporting a cause you believe in. We all have different passions and visions. What are yours?

For this self-challenge, list three things that you really want to achieve in your life and what kind of fire you are willing to walk through to reach these goals.

Let’s say your vision is to become a published author. You want the satisfaction of having your name in print, and you believe you have extraordinary ideas to tell. Some of your obstacles may be self-doubt in your own ability to write effectively, a concern that you won’t be able to find a publisher or agent to get your book into print, or a fear of rejection by readers. 

Now ask yourself these questions about the obstacles you believe you face. 

First, have you ever tried to write a book -- how do you know you can’t write unless you try?
Second, if your book has been written, even partially, have you submitted it to an agent or publisher?
Third, if the book isn’t published yet, how do you know whether readers will like it?

Until you have walked through fire – you will not be able to realize your visions. 

And you may have to walk through fire many times to realize your bigger visions. When Mario Puzo wrote his all-time bestseller The Godfather, he submitted it to publishers 30 times before it was accepted. He faced repeated rejections before the book was published. He walked through fire over and over to reach his goal. He refused to give up but kept focused on his goal – and he achieved it, brilliantly!

Now your next step is to list the obstacles you must overcome to reach your cherished goal. These are the fires you must walk through -- without stopping, without hesitating -- to get your heart’s desire. 

There are many common excuses people make for not taking that first step through the flames to the other side. Here are just a few -- see if you recognize yourself in any of these.
“I don’t know where to start.”
“I have so much to do now that I can’t make time for anything new.”
“The risk is too big for me now.”
“I’ll start tomorrow”…or…“next week”…or…“next year.”

If you see yourself in any of these scenarios, you’ve just identified the fire you must walk through. 

We all have different goals and ambitions. To succeed, you must decide for yourself what you want – and then go after your vision. One of the biggest failures you can face is failing to commit yourself fully to get what you want. No one else will realize your visions for you. You may have support and encouragement from loved ones and mentors along the way, but in the end, the only one who can make you successful is – you! 

To do this, you must use your own mind. Rely on yourself. Learn to answer your own questions. Then if you are convinced that something is right for you, do it!

Don’t settle for anything less than what you really want. Many people pare down their aspirations to what they think is a more manageable size. In doing so, they underestimate themselves and their own power to achieve. The nineteenth century founder of Standard Oil Company, John D. Rockefeller, understood this inner power when he said: “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right!”

If you’re willing to walk through the fires of rejection, doubt, and difficulties, you can begin to live your vision. The fire then becomes not an obstacle but a path to your own success. In metaphor, instead of letting the fire burns you, you will use it to brighten your path.

Now it’s time to review your goals and the fire that stands between you and reaching them. Then list the steps you must take to walk through that fire and get to the other side.

*Source: Beni Bevly, "Sky Is Not The Limit."