T - 13: The Fire Down Below

The pre-season for this blog is nearing an end and it will soon be Game On when I retire.

This week I will get my last regular paycheck. Next week I will probably be wondering what in the world I was thinking about when I got into this. But it's far too late to worry.

I do think the transition from running a company to tending the garden will be a little trickier than I have acknowledged. But I can only go with the flow and see what happens.

Some times I think it would be easier if I were the sort who could set personal goals, map out strategies, analyze myself and change the bits that are holding me back. Self-improvement, I believe it is called. It's not something I have ever given much consideration to.

It's not the same for my friend, Jon. He came to work at our company in 2000. During his time here, he was often the chief reason I could get the job done. He's a really good guy and I am lucky to count him as a friend. As with all good friends, there are a few things that need to be overlooked. In Jon's case, it's his ongoing quest for self-improvement.

It's not like he needs to improve, but for some reason he is driven to do it. Early on in his time here, he signed up for an Anthony Robbins weekend seminar. According to Wikipedia, Robbins is a famous self-help guru who has been found guilty of plagiarism and has had to refund hundreds of thousands to franchisees after the Federal Trade Commission found he had misrepresented potential earnings. His best-selling book "Unlimited Power" writes extensively about a Yale University study to prove one its main points. The only problem is such a study was never conducted.

To me those sound like almost perfect credentials to become a famous self-help guru. The seminar Jon attended was called "Unleash the Power Within". Part of the power that was being held on this leash, apparently, was the ability to stand on burning coals and not burn your feet.

Firewalking didn't seem to me to be a talent that was going to do much to make you happier or wealthier. In fact, I wasn't sure what part of your self it would improve, but Jon was keen to give it a go.

At lunch a few hours before the seminar started, we talked about it. Jon thought it had to do a lot with mind over matter. I suggested to him that no matter how focused his thoughts were when he started his walk into the coal pit, he was probably going to get into the middle and think, "My feet are burning!"

Jon came back to the office Monday with blisters on his soles. I think he still blames me.

He also came back slightly less enthusiastic about Anthony Robbins, and I took that as a sign that the weekend had indeed been a major step toward self improvement.

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It seems appropriate to add a footnote to this post.

In 2002, 20 managers of Australian KFC restaurants burned their feet during a firewalking exercise. I imagine even the chickens enjoyed the irony.