Let's Have A Little "Fireside Chat": Learning Without Smothering The Flame.

“Did anyone bring fire starters?”

We looked around at each other.

“Any paper handy?”

Silence. Then,

“Wait! I’ve got a piece of notebook paper in my pocket!”

I’d been invited to an annual gathering called “Fireside,” where a small group of women from my college met at a historic campus house and read selected poems and readings in front of the fireplace.

It was a lovely, nerdy cozy ritual to mark the end of the first semester before we headed home for break.

The logs were stacked neatly, ready to be lit, but we needed a way to get them going, and the old Victorian parlour had no fire supplies around.

Katie, the badass outdoor guide, unfolded the notebook paper and tore it into a few scraps.

She instructed a couple of others to go outside and try to find some small sticks or even dried leaves to act as tinder for the fire.

We watched as she spaced the logs just far enough apart for oxygen to flow between them, and lit a bit of paper underneath.

Then slowly, gingerly, she added more paper scraps and twigs, just a little bit at a time. The tiny fire flickered a little more.

We all held our breath, watching to see if it would take.

The flames were juuuuust starting to gain traction between the logs, growing and giving off warmth, when…

“Here ya go! I found some dried leaves outside!”

Mary walked in and proudly dumped a pile of leaves on top of the fire, which immediately extinguished.

Sigh.

We still called the gathering “Fireside” (had more of a ring to it than“Smoldering Pile of Leaves-Side”), but much of the charm had been extinguished along with the flames.

Why am I telling you this story?

I see many solopreneurs consuming a LOT of courses, books, webinars, freebie-downloads, and podcasts to try to level-up their businesses.

Yes, entrepreneurial learning can be the “kindling” that sparks the flame of continued growth and improved skills.

But piling on too much input, without time for your brain to rest andintegrate the learning, is the equivalent of dumping a pile of leaves on a small fire.

Like a flickering flame, your brain (and body) need space and oxygen to grow.

Studies show that spacing learning time with periods of downtime is the best way for your brain to integrate what you've learned.

Rest allows you to gain insight and to implement the learning, without burning yourself out (or extinguishing the flame before it starts).

I've written about information-overload before, but now I want to help you practice clearing out the excess “leaves.” Some ways you can create much needed brain-space:

• The next time you're waiting in line or just bored, resist the urge to pull out your phone. Let your mind wander.

• Usually listen to podcasts on your walks/runs? Try just being alone with your thoughts.

• Spend some time in nature. Listen to the sounds of the birds. Look at the trees. Notice the color of the sky. Hear the flowing creek.

Take a moment and think about your own Fireside:

What's the “leaf pile” smothering the energy in your business, and what's the “kindling + oxygen” you need to keep it warm and crackling?

Share with me in the comments. I'd love to hear more.