Winning each day

It’s early morning, and I catch the warm scent of smoke in the air as I walk back home. Fitful bouts of icy rain and hail alternate with brief periods of sunlight, brightening the wet forest. The tumultuous Spring weather is raw, frigid, and beautiful. Many trees are flowering already, unfolding in the early light.

Despite the cold, my inner fire is burning hotter every day. For the last couple of weeks, I have been igniting it with morning runs, caffeine, cold showers, and periods of fasting. I needed a fiery start after a deep Winter, and I now feel alert and awake.

It is time to get moving and ignite your fire, aiming for simplicity and single-mindedness. Staying focused is crucial because fire spreads in all directions if you let it; the more fired up you get, the harder it will be to say no to distractions.

Although distractions come in all forms and sizes, they are often tied to the screens we surround ourselves with. Being in the same room as your phone is enough to challenge your ability to focus, reducing your cognitive abilities even if you have turned it off.

We have to go out of our way to create a dedicated space for our creativity to flourish. Often, we call in inspiration by simply sitting down for an intentional, dedicated stretch of time without distractions. Our motivation will also improve if we turn this into a daily ritual.

In a way, we must prove ourselves first and foremost to ourselves—and perhaps to a higher power, too. Although I am a strong proponent of surrender and flow in an overly performance-driven society, igniting your inner drive and competitive mindset is called for in Spring.

Try to compete with yourself by winning in small but meaningful ways throughout the day. Consider how you can push yourself to grow and keep yourself accountable. For me, that means running a little farther, waking up a little earlier, or focusing on challenging work a little longer.

Put simply, you need something to strive for, or distractions will take the better of you, pulling you in all directions. Spring compels us to grow fast, so we better grow in a meaningful way.