Remembering to challenge ourselves in business and in life is something that we all mean to do.
But more often than not, we settle into the steady routine of the day-to-day, whilst the memory the last time we felt truly out of our comfort zones becomes more and more distant.
We’re all guilty of it, myself included. Which is one of the reasons why I decided to do something that, by most peoples’ standards, is a little bit bonkers - and that’s spending my Saturday evening walking barefoot across red hot coals!
Over the years, I’ve done a number of charitable endeavours - mainly cycling based and usually for a charity that is very close to my heart - Meningitis Now.
But when I got the opportunity to do a fire walk, I just couldn’t resist. I’ve had a slight fascination with fire walks ever since a BBC documentary that came out in the 1980’s - those of you of a certain age might remember the mantra, “Cool Wet Grass, Cool Wet Grass”!
The fire walking event was run by Scott Bell, the world-record holder for “The greatest fire walking distance” - an impressive 100m! He explained that the trick to fire walking is to take it slow, don’t run or panic and to take each step as it comes.
Surprisingly, there is no magic gel to put on the soles of your feet nor any special training to undertake. When you do a fire walk, it’s nothing but you, your bare feet and red hot coals!
In business, you need to be able to focus on a clear goal in sight - and that’s what carried me through when I felt the inevitable nerves about what I was about to do - but luckily, I didn’t get cold feet!
About 30 of us took part on the day to raise money for FOP Friends - a charity who help people with Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP), an incredibly rare and debilitating genetic condition that causes bone to form in places it shouldn’t - like muscles, ligaments and tendons. Over time, it forms a second skeleton inside the body and turns sufferers into living statues.
FOP Friends is one of the only charities in the UK fundraising for research to help cure this condition and I felt very proud to be part of such a great group people fundraising for this incredibly worthy cause.
I’d be ever so appreciative if you could spare anything - even £1 to support my walk and FOP Friends. Collectively, even the smallest donation can make a huge difference to other peoples’ lives.
You can support my fire walk with a kind donation here.
But until next time, I’m off to wash all the soot from my feet!
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