Forged by FIRE with Ryan Rodriquez
By Ryan Rodriquez
As a firefighter, I've had to create a system that helps me live a life of balance and resilience. Being Forged by FIRE will drive our power, passion, purpose, and production.
By focusing on our FIRE, we can build happier and more productive lives;
FITNESS
INTELLECT
RELATIONSHIPS
ENERGY
*The thoughts and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of myself and my guests. Resilient FIRE with Ryan Rodriquez is written, produced, and hosted by Ryan Rodriquez.
Forged by FIRE with Ryan RodriquezJun 21, 2019
Episode 207 - Perform a Welfare Check!
As May marks Mental Health Awareness Month, it's crucial to emphasize the significance of prioritizing our mental well-being. Whether you're a first responder or not, neglecting mental health can have profound effects on our lives.
If your head isn’t right, nothing else will be either.
In today's episode, we'll delve into what mental health entails, offer a self-assessment through five key questions, and provide practical daily habits to nurture your mental well-being.
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SHOW NOTES/LINKS:
IGNITEd Podcast Facebook Group
Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
ARTICLES/TOOLS:
Your Mental Health Today (Test) - Psychology Today
VIDEOS:
Episode 206 - Seek to Belong, Not Fit In!
As we go throughout our lives, we more often than not feel a sense of belonging at our places of work, within our families, and the people we choose to spend our time with.
But sometimes we just don’t “fit in”. That can make things awkward, it can stifle us and it can impact our mental health in some seriously negative ways. But what’s the difference between belonging and fitting in? And what can we do to remove the uncomfortable and limiting feelings we get when we don’t?
In today’s episode, I will distinguish the difference between what it means to belong vs “fit in”, how acting intentionally can work for us or against us, and how giving up the effort to “fit in” leaves more energy for things that truly matter.
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You Do Not Need to “Fit In” to Belong | Nila Conzen (Article)
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Episode 205 - Embrace Resilience Proactively!
We hear the term “resilience” a lot lately; mental resilience, emotional resilience, and physical resilience. Sometimes we don’t know what that means. I’ve heard people describe resilience as a person’s ability to “take a punch and get back up”.
But what about being able to see the punch before it happens and dodge it?
Today I’m going to talk about how we can embrace resilience proactively and give you strategies for things you can do BEFORE the stuff hits the fan so when it DOES, you can take minimal damage.
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ARTICLES/TOOLS:
Episode 204 - 7 Steps to Gamify Your Goals!
Sometimes it can be difficult to stay on track when it comes to achieving your goals. Discipline is the name of the game; doing a repeated behavior day in and day out until you achieve your desired outcome. This process can be monotonous which can lead to you falling off your desired path.
One of the ways that I stay on track is by gamifying my goals. What this does is help me stay mentally engaged so I don’t get bored with my desired pursuit.
In today’s episode, I will share with you what it means to gamify your goals and I will share with you the 7 steps that I take to accomplish great things.
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SHOW NOTES/LINKS:
IGNITEd Podcast Facebook Group
Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
ARTICLES/TOOLS:
3 Ways to Gamify Your Life (Article)
Gamify Your Life and Become Massively Successful (Article)
The Secret Psychology of Why We Love Completing To-Do Lists (Article)
Habitica - Gamify Your Goals! (App)
VIDEOS:
Episode 203 - Gain Wisdom Daily!
How do you define “wisdom”? Is it the practical application of knowledge? Is it simply the curation of information? There are lots of different ways to define the term “wisdom”, but I think my favorite way to describe the difference between knowledge and wisdom is this; “knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is understanding that it doesn’t belong in a fruit salad.”
As I go throughout my day, I intentionally seek ways to gain wisdom. What this does is expand my understanding of a multitude of topics from science, to art, to business, to technology. If there’s a podcast for it, then it’s something that I can learn about. The amount of information out there can seem daunting, but there is a way you can simplify things so that you can gain wisdom daily.
In today’s episode, I will share with you why it’s important to gain wisdom daily, I’ll share with you some ways that I practice this principle, and I will give you some ideas on how you can introduce this habit so you can expand your understanding of the world (& the people) around you.
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SHOW NOTES/LINKS:
IGNITEd Podcast Facebook Group
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Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Episode 202 - Take the Stairs!
Have you ever approached an escalator that goes up only to see an out of order sign that says, “Out of service, take the stairs”? What did you do when you saw that sign? Was it ever an option for you to just accept the fact that the fast and easy track to the next level was out of your reach and just decided to NOT take the stairs?
You can probably see where I’m going with this. In today’s day and age, technological advances might give us an out by providing an elevator. But are you going to spend the time to find it or would you just suck it up and take the stairs?
In today’s episode, I will use this analogy to help you shift your perspective to understand that those things that may seem to impede your progress aren’t there to stop you, but to make you stronger. And once you’ve got this perspective available to you, you’ll start to see opportunities for growth all around you.
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SHOW NOTES/LINKS:
IGNITEd Podcast Facebook Group
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Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Episode 201 - 7 Reasons Why You Need A Coach!
I’m an inquisitive person by nature. I ask a lot of questions. The more knowledge I have, the more I can make an informed decision.
My curious nature has led me down the path of becoming a coach. I’ve obtained certifications in personal training, nutrition, peer support, and last year I obtained my master health coach certification which incorporates all of that, but also incorporates aspects of sleep, stress, and recovery.
I’m not telling you this to brag about myself. I’m telling you this to let you know that even though I’ve collected all of that knowledge and can apply it to my daily life, I STILL have coaches in my life.
Why do I think it’s important for me to have a coach in my life? I’m glad you asked! In today’s episode, I will share with you how having a coach in my life has benefited me, how it can benefit you, and I will give you 7 reasons to back up my claims!
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SHOW NOTES/LINKS:
IGNITEd Podcast Facebook Group
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Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
VIDEOS:
Episode 200 - Reflections on 200 Episodes!
200 EPISODES!!!
If you would’ve told me 10 years ago that I’d be writing, producing, and publishing my own podcast, I’d tell you that you were crazy. Telling me that I’d get to 200 episodes would be even further from what I thought I could do!
Not only did I not have the confidence in what I had to say having any value, but I didn’t have the technical know-how either. But oftentimes when we feel called to something and we don’t know how to do it or have fully confident feelings about it, we take steps toward that thing and the path becomes clearer along the way.
In today’s episode, looking back on 200 episodes, I will share some of my favorite episodes with you, some lessons I’ve learned along the way, as well as what things will look like moving forward!
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Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Episode 199 - Anchor Yourself!
If we don’t have things to anchor us to who we want to be, then we won’t be able to achieve the goals we have for ourselves and our futures. We can anchor ourselves to our principles, our procedures, our attitudes, anything and everything that makes us who we are.
I know you may be thinking, “how is an anchor, something that holds you down, going to help you get to where you want to be?”
In today’s episode, I will answer that question and provide you some strategies for anchoring yourself in order to accomplish those lofty goals you’ve been keeping in your back pocket.
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SHOW NOTES/LINKS:
IGNITEd Podcast Facebook Group
Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
ARTICLES/TOOLS:
FREE Personal Values Assessment
VIDEOS:
Episode 198 - Take Ownership of Your Time!
The most valuable commodity that we have on this planet is our TIME.
What we DO with that time determines our experience while we are alive on this earth. If you aren’t consciously managing or utilizing your time in purposeful ways, then you aren’t taking advantage of the God-given gift you’ve been given and will ultimately find out that you’ve wasted that gift.
In today’s episode, I will talk about what we can do to make sure our time counts and moves us toward becoming the person that we want to be.
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Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Episode 197 - Fixed Mindset vs Growth Mindset!
If you aren’t growing, you’re dying. You’ve heard me say this before, but I thought that as we come to the end of 2023, I just reiterate my point because as you all know; with a new year comes a new quarter and a new cohort to my coaching group The Forge.
The concept of having a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset is what separates the DO-ers from the dregs.
In today’s episode, I will reinforce the importance of what a growth mindset is, why harboring a growth mindset will propel you toward success, and some things that we can do every day to make sure we are staying on track.
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IGNITEd Podcast Facebook Group
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Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Episode 196 - Pickleball & Promotions
As we go throughout our lives, we will find ourselves in situations where we are in direct competition with others. Sometimes competition presents itself through a game of pickleball and sometimes it presents as testing for a promotion at work.
Regardless of how the element of competition shows up in our lives, it’s important to remember that just because we have an opponent, does not mean they are our enemy.
In today’s episode, I will dive further into this idea and provide some perspective on how we can maintain a growth mindset while still aggressively competing for victory.
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IGNITEd Firefighter Facebook Group
Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Episode 195 - Practice Gratitude with Naikan
You’ve heard me talk a lot about several different Japanese cultural concepts throughout my podcast. The reason for that is that I feel like Japanese culture is very conscientious and purposeful. From “Kaizen”, the practice of continual improvement, to “Ikigai”, the concept that everyone has a purpose and a reason for living and it is our responsibility to find out what that is, and dedicate our lives to it, I am continually enthralled by Japanese culture.
I recently learned of a concept called “Naikan” and this is a self-reflective practice that can not only help us to become more self-aware, but grateful, and conscious in our effort to contribute to the well-being of others.
In today’s episode, I will dive deeper into the concept of Naikan, share with you what its three elements are, and provide you with strategies for implementing its practice into your daily life.
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IGNITEd Firefighter Facebook Group
Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Naikan Therapy: Applying the Japanese Art of Self-Reflection (Positive Psychology)
What is Naikan Therapy (Mental Health Match)
Naikan - Reconnection to ourselves | Johanna Schuh | TEDxLinz (YouTube)
Episode 194 - Transform Your Culture!
With staffing at an all-time low among fire departments and other organizations across the continent, strategies for recruitment and retention have gained the spotlight. It seems organizations are more interested in scooping the proverbial water out of the boat rather than stopping the leak; and even then, some people are choosing to ignore the problem altogether. What those people don’t realize is that they are sitting in the same boat.
One of the ways we can address this issue that’s becoming more prominent is to assess our cultures. I will speak to the fire service culture specifically, but ultimately, the principles can be applied to a multitude of different organization structures.
In today’s episode, I will talk about what we can do when it comes to having an effect on our culture that can have a huge impact on recruitment and retention.
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IGNITEd Firefighter Facebook Group
Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Episode 193 - Break Up Your Day!
You’ve heard me say it again and again, if you want to accomplish something big, break up the task into smaller sections. By doing this, we can take small but effective steps toward the bigger goals we have established for ourselves (or the goals that our organizations and leaders have established for us).
I show people how to do this inside my coaching group, The Forge, through a framework of planning quarterly goals as well as daily primary tactics they can accomplish in order to achieve amazing things.
In today’s episode, I will show you how this practice can be applied to our daily lives to make those large tasks seem smaller and much more manageable!
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IGNITEd Firefighter Facebook Group
Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Episode 192 - Write Your Own Job Description!
When we apply for a job, we typically do some investigating as to what the job entails. A great way to learn about the details of the job is by reading the “job description”. A job description informs you of all the tasks and roles that you would be responsible for if hired for the job. From there, you can decide if that’s something that sounds good to you or if you should look for something else that’s a better fit.
But what about the roles we inherently have currently in our lives? Are we clear on what it is that we are supposed to do as well as the things we are responsible for?
In today’s episode, I will challenge you to write your own “job description”, not just for your career but for several categories of your life. I will encourage you to be proactive in this process and I will provide you with a step-by-step plan to make it happen so you can be clear on what others expect of you as well as what you can expect from yourself.
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IGNITEd Firefighter Facebook Group
Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Episode 191 - Create Meaning in Your Life!
“Life is not primarily a quest for pleasure, as Freud believed, or a quest for power, as Alfred Adler taught, but a quest for meaning.” - Viktor Frankl
One of my all-time favorite books is Viktor Frankl's book “Man’s Search for Meaning”, but something recently stuck out to me in that title; the word “search”. Then it got me thinking, “why spend so much time searching for meaning when we can create it ourselves?”
Meaning can come in many different forms. With how diverse we are as humans, there are an equal amount of diverse ways we find meaning. But, how do we create it? In today’s episode, I will talk about a practice called “constructivism” and how we can be an active part in our own quest for meaning by creating it ourselves.
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SHOW NOTES/LINKS:
Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
IGNITEd Firefighter Facebook Group
ARTICLES/TOOLS:
What is Meaning? And How to Create a More Meaningful Life (Psychology Today)
Are You Feeling Lost? Here’s How To Find Meaning In Your Life (BetterUp)
VIDEOS:
How Should We Define Meaning? (YouTube)
Episode 190 - Use Culture to Communicate!
Communication is HUGE. Not just the fire service, but the world. Almost everything we do is to improve our ability to communicate with others through language or technology. Even as I sit here and record this podcast from a small town in Arizona, I’m reaching people all over the world and I make an active and conscientious effort to be clear in what I’m saying.
Understanding whether someone is of a high-context culture or a low-context culture can really help in bridging the gap of what it is you’re trying to communicate and what is actually received.
In today’s episode, I will talk about the spectrum of high-context and low-context, how to recognize it in the real world, and how to make sure that you can be aware of this so you can understand where people are coming from.
Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
IGNITEd Firefighter Facebook Group
ARTICLES/TOOLS:
High-Context Culture: 4 Characteristics of High-Context Cultures by MasterClass
Episode 189 - Build Your Binder!
You’ve heard me talk about how we should be focused on becoming assets and purge anything that makes us a liability. This is an active and ongoing process.
Active building of yourself only happens with conscious effort and planning. It doesn’t happen by accident.
In today’s episode, I will talk about how we can actively focus on becoming assets, what that actively looks like, and a huge pitfall we should avoid.
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Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Episode 188 - Progress, Not Perfection!
We all have an idea of what we think “perfection” looks like in our minds, but our path to that so-called perfection can be exhausting. This is only compounded when we compare ourselves, our work, and our progress to other people.
Accepting that someone will always be better than you at something helps you maintain humility, but also accept that achieving perfection isn’t a final destination, it’s an active and daily process. When it comes to closing the gap between who we are and who we want to be, the steps we take in making progress toward that goal are measurable.
In today’s episode, I will talk about how we can reframe our mindset to focus and hold more value with progress. I will provide you with structures for success, and I will show you how you can take that first step.
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Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Episode 187 - Two Ears & One Mouth
We all know how it feels to be not listened to. Whether people are half-listening, continually interrupting, or aren’t paying attention to you at all, we know how that feels. And it doesn’t feel good.
But is it our job to force people to listen to us or is it our job to show people what it looks like to be a good listener? The answer to that question lies in the understanding that we cannot control others, only ourselves.
In today’s episode I will let you in on a phrase that I use in my personal and professional life that has helped me build strong relationships that have depth and meaning and I will share some strategies for becoming a better listener.
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Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
IGNITEd Firefighter Facebook Group
Episode 186 - Complexity is the Enemy of Execution
Oftentimes we spend so much time overcomplicating things that we wind up never taking steps toward accomplishing the things we want to accomplish. Some people call this “paralysis by analysis”.
Allowing the complexity of a situation to overwhelm us can stop us in our tracks when we’re trying to set goals and take steps to achieve them.
In today’s episode, I will talk about how complexity is the enemy of execution and share some strategies that we can do to remove complexity so we can move forward and crush it in life!
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Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Episode 185 - Your Signature is Your Standard!
Regardless of what you do in life, whatever you’ve touched is a signature of your standard. What I mean by that is your involvement is a reflection of your principles, attitude, and the quality of work you’re putting into this world.
Whether you’re impacting things on a global scale or focused on making an impact in your community, how you’re showing up is an outward reflection of your inner principles; or your standard.
In today’s episode, I will talk about why this idea is so important, how we can keep it at the forefront of our minds, and how living this principle builds trust.
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Join The Forge! (Application)
Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
IGNITEd Firefighter Facebook Group
Episode 184 - Creating Harmony with Matan Cohen-Citron
When we hear the words “health & wellness” we might think of the umbrella that that phrase covers, or committees that are bogged down in bureaucracy. Being able to identify the elements of health and wellness and how they apply to you are crucial when it comes to staying in the infinite game that is the fire service and life in general.
Being able to not only identify the elements that you may need to shore up, but taking action in those elements could be life-saving!
In today’s episode, I talk to Matan Cohen-Citron. It’s his mission to create harmony & balance for a long, healthy, happy, peaceful, and purposeful life. We dig deep on what the difference is between harmony and balance, strategies for achieving both, and how a conscious approach is what will facilitate these elements into your life.
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BUY MY BOOK!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability
Episode 183 - Get That Grant Money! with Dr. Violet Rymshaw
Grant-writing might not sound all that sexy, but one thing that might get you excited about it is just how much money is out there if you’re looking for it! So many agencies rely on grant money to make sure they can meet their annual operational standards. Why not approach it with a tactical perspective?
Dr. Violet Rymshaw is the CEO of INNOVATIVE WRITING. She is a former emergency dispatcher for police, fire, and EMS. She also knows what it’s like to be a military spouse and parent. Her educational background has given her unique insight into psychological wellness related to occupational identity. She is also the leading authority on securing grants for public safety agencies.
In today’s episode, we talk about some ways to strategically approach securing grants in order to get your organization the money it needs and then some!
Connect with Dr. Rymshaw!
BUY MY BOOK!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability
Episode 182 - Get Promoted! with Chief Freddie Fernandez
Chief Freddie Fernandez entered the fire service in 1983 and rose to Deputy Fire chief for Miami Fire-Rescue before retiring in 2014. Chief Freddie served as a recruit instructor in 1990 and participated in dozens of officer development classes during his 32 years at MFR.
Since 1999, he has helped thousands of firefighters across the nation get promoted. He is the founder of FireAssessmentCenterPrep.com, has spoken at FDIC and Firehouse Expo, and has conducted in-person training nationwide.
Freddie's coaching passion is evident in every training product, and many of his students have been promoted multiple times using his methods.
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Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Episode 181 - Feed Your Fire! (Energy)
If you work as a first-responder and hear the word “energy”, you might immediately think of a cup of coffee or an energy drink. These substances seem to be the quick lifelines that we reach for in order to help us forget that we’re tired and help us push through.
But I’d like you to know that there are more productive, longer-lasting, healthier ways to find sources of energy to keep you going. Today, I’d like to introduce you to some of those methods.
In today’s episode, I will focus on ENERGY, the fourth and final element in the (FIRE) framework that I personally use in my life to help refine myself, and I will share how using this framework can help you in all important areas of your life!
Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
IGNITEd Firefighter Facebook Group
ARTICLES/TOOLS:
Free radicals, antioxidants and functional foods; Impact on human health
Episode 180 - Feed Your Fire! (Relationships)
Strong and meaningful relationships are essential to our well-being as humans. Our ability to start and maintain meaningful relationships can bring meaning to our lives as well as reduce our stress, but quality relationships take work.
As firefighters and first-responders, we tend to bond over extreme situations and then keep people at bay who don’t share in those extreme situations. It’s one of the reasons why firefighters and nurses come together and do what’s called “trauma bonding”. This could be a whole episode on itself, but we’ll leave that one alone for right now.
In today’s episode, I will focus on RELATIONSHIPS, the third element in the (FIRE) framework that I personally use in my life to help refine myself, and I will share how using this framework can help you in all important areas of your life!
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Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Episode 179 - Feed Your Fire! (Intellect)
You all have heard me use this adage before, “Civilize the mind, but make savage the body”. That’s a Samurai proverb that I embraced about 10 years ago. I love the dichotomy of making the mind as formidable as the body and vice versa.
Oftentimes we feel we have to sacrifice one or the other. And there are a lot of stereotypes out there of the muscular person not being very smart or the intellectual not being very strong. I’d like to marry those two and make a super smart baby that could crush you. This is my goal with the FIRE framework; to shore up all those areas of our lives so that we are a formidable force to be reckoned with!
Today is part TWO of my FOUR part series on learning how to feed your FIRE!
In today’s episode, I will focus on the second element in the (FIRE) framework that I personally use in my life to help refine myself, and I will share how using this strategy can help you in all important areas of your life!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
IGNITEd Firefighter Facebook Group
Improving Fluid Intelligence With Training On Working Memory (Research Study)
Episode 178 - Feed Your Fire! (Fitness)
I recently read a quote that went something like, “A healthy person has a thousand wishes, an unhealthy person only has ONE.”
In a time where we are being told that our health relies on other people wearing masks or that our genetics make it impossible to live healthy lives, it can be difficult to push through all that nonsense and make moves toward improving our physical health and level of fitness.
In spite of what the media is trying to push on us, we can still take ownership of our own personal levels of fitness regardless of our individual ailments.
In today’s episode, I will focus on the first element in the (FIRE) acronym I personally use in my life to help refine myself, and I will share how using this strategy can help you in all important areas of your life as well!
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SHOW NOTES/LINKS:
Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
IGNITEd Firefighter Facebook Group
ARTICLES/TOOLS:
Benefits of Physical Activity (CDC)
Why is physical activity so important for health and well-being? (AHA)
Recommendations for physical activity in adults and children (AHA)
Episode 177 - The Forge of Adversity
As firefighters and EMS providers, we train for situations that other people might not ever see in their lives.
This means that we set up scenarios that test our ability to physically perform, keep our emotions in check, and mentally adapt to whatever the situation may throw at us.
We are literally forging adversity. By doing this, we better prepare ourselves to overcome any situation that life might throw at us. We don’t need to be firefighters or EMS providers to do it, either!
In today’s episode, I will talk about what it means to forge adversity in our lives, how that differs from simply creating problems for ourselves, and how using this strategy can help you in all important areas of your life (FIRE)!
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Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
IGNITEd Firefighter Facebook Group
ARTICLES:
How Adversity Makes You Stronger
Post-Traumatic Growth: Conceptual Foundations and Empirical Evidence
Rethinking stress: the role of mindsets in determining the stress response
Episode 176 - Hero On A Mission
You’ve heard the term “complacency kills’. Well, why is that? Officially it’s because we get to a point where we are satisfied in our situation in spite of the deficiencies we harbor and as a result, we expose ourselves to danger.
This could look like a firefighter not checking their gear every morning. It could look like a father gaining 50 lbs due to lack of discipline in diet and exercise. Or it could be as simple as not looking both ways before crossing the street. All of these things increase the opportunity for danger to occur and that’s when people get hurt or even killed.
I believe the best way to fight this complacency is by being purposeful in your daily actions, making small improvements over time that lead to big results. I refer to this process as becoming the hero of your own story.
In today’s episode, I will talk about exactly what that means, provide you with some insight as to how to go about becoming the hero of your own story, and invite you to the next cohort of The Forge which will focus on this specific mindset!
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Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
IGNITEd Firefighter Facebook Group
Great Videos:
Episode 175 - Learn By Doing!
There is SO much information out there in the world today! Along with all the information out there comes the different ways that we can learn it.
I’m a huge supporter of learning by doing. In the FIRE and EMS world, there are many things that we teach to our new people through this method.
In today’s episode, I share with you what exactly it means to learn by doing and how it can be an incredibly effective way to learn something new!
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Buy my book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Episode 174 - The 3 Versions of Yourself
I love movies. I love the story-writing that goes into them. When we watch a movie or read a book, we are watching character development play out right before our eyes.
Ultimately, regardless of what movie we are watching, the story comes down to one theme, “who am I?”
I recently read an article that stated there are 3 versions of you. The author asked the question, “which one is the real you?”
In today’s episode, I will break down the concept of the “3 versions” of yourself and leave you asking yourself the questions; “who am I?” and “who do I want to be?”
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There Are 3 Versions of Yourself You Must Master (YouTube)
Box Office Bust: ‘Black Adam’ Faces Theatrical Losses (Variety)
Buy the book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability (Book)
Episode 173 - See a Need, Take Action!
This is the definition of integrity in action.
I learned of a new term while the World Cup was going on that I’m going to incorporate into my daily thoughts and actions. That word is “atarimae” and it’s Japanese for “natural, reasonable, obvious.”
In today’s episode I will give you some of my thoughts based on the observations I made during the World Cup in regards to seeing a need and taking action. I'll also explain to you all what I learned about "atarimae".
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Buy the book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability
IGNITEd Firefighter Facebook Group
Join The Forge!
Episode 172 - 4 Ways to Be More Grateful!
As we go through the motions, shift by shift, and week by week, we often forget to take moments to ourselves, but not only that, we forget to be actively grateful for what we have.
I have been given so much in my life and with Thanksgiving in our rearview mirror, I want to make sure that I'm not just spending one day a year being grateful, but that I am actively spending some time every day focusing on those things that I am grateful for, big or small, and I'd like to encourage you to do the same.
In today’s episode, I will share with you how being consciously grateful can positively affect your life and I will share with you 4 ways that you can actively be more grateful to reap those rewards.
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Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability
Episode 171 - The Ignited Firefighter
Back in 2017 I learned of a horrendous statistic; firefighter and first-responder suicides outnumbered line of duty deaths (LODDs).
This hit me hard and I wanted to learn more about why this was happening. The more I learned, the more I realized I needed to share what I’d learned with my brothers and sisters across the world.
I decided that the best way for me to do that is by starting a podcast to share what I had learned. The great part about it all is that I am constantly learning new things and as a result am refining my mentality and my perspective on the things that we are faced with in the first-responder community.
In today’s episode, I will share with you what drives the IGNITEd movement, how a focus on refining ourselves can make a huge impact, and how you can actively be a part of it.
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Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability
Episode 170 - Humble Preparation, Confident Execution!
I was recently asked what I think separates arrogance and confidence and my answer was this: humility and ability.
If you don’t have the ability to execute, then you are being arrogant and false in your capability. If you are capable but not humble about it, then a sense of arrogance still remains. However, if you introduce humility along with your ability, then you’re a confident performer and that tends to make people like and trust you and want you on their team.
In today’s episode, I will talk about how we can achieve levels of confident execution through humble preparation.
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Ego & Humility vs Arrogance - Jocko (YouTube)
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Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability
Episode 169 - 5 Steps to Introspection
In order to get to be the person we want to be and get to where we want to be in life and in our careers, we’ve got to start by looking within to identify who and where we are. We’ve got to be introspective.
We can do this in a few different ways; we can perform 360 evaluations where we ask for insight from those we work for, those we work with, and those we provide services to. We can rely on our annual performance review (that may never come). Regardless, taking active steps on our own to be introspective can help us make sure we are on the right path to becoming the person we want to be.
In today’s episode, I will talk about 5 steps you can take to become more introspective, become more self-aware, and become more of the person you want to be.
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Buy the book!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability
Episode 168 - Professionalism vs Passion!
I was recently a part of a group of people who were working toward establishing a new vision, mission, and values for their organization. I was SUPER excited to be a part of it because I really want to see this organization thrive with the new leadership that recently took the helm.
Anytime you want to know where you want to go, as an organization or as an individual, you have to start by asking questions about where you’re at. We asked a lot of questions like, “what are the characteristics that the organization should be known for?” and “what makes this organization unique; why would people want to be a part of it over another one?”
I witnessed a question come up between what matters more, professionalism or passion. I thought about this for a few weeks, asking myself where I stood on this issue, doing some deep dives and research and I’m ready to talk about my conclusion.
In today’s episode, I will share my perspective on professionalism vs passion, give you some ways to define each, and I will provide you with some reasons why I landed on the conclusion I did.
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Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability
Episode 167 - Fire Rescue Wellness with Annette Zapp
When we hear the words “health & wellness” we might think of the umbrella that that phrase covers, or committees that are bogged down in bureaucracy. Being able to identify the elements of health and wellness and how they apply to you are crucial when it comes to staying in the infinite game that is the fire service.
Being able to not only identify the elements that you may need to shore up, but taking action in those elements could be life-saving!
In today’s episode, I talk to Annette Zapp of Fire Rescue Wellness. It’s her mission to bring to light the elements of health and wellness that not only speak to us as individuals, but can act as a catalyst for improving our lives so we can enjoy a long and healthy retirement.
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@FireRescueWellness (Instagram)
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Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability
Email me! Ignitedff@gmail.com
Episode 166 - Honing in Your Diet with Megan Lautz
Firefighter wellness isn’t just about working out and training for the “big one”, it’s about being mentally healthy, spiritually sound, and having our nutrition dialed in. When we hear the term “diet”, we can’t help but think of restrictions; tightening our belt figuratively so we can tighten the belt literally.
Megan Lautz is a registered dietician with a Master’s degree in sports nutrition who focuses her efforts on members of the fire service and our unique challenges when it comes to making sure we are taking care of ourselves. She’s got a great social media presence and is VERY knowledgeable and passionate about the community she serves!
In todays’ episode, we talk about how a small shift in our mindset can make for huge changes, how our diet doesn’t have to be restrictive, and we also talk about the taboo subject of energy drinks!
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Get your FREE firehouse recipe book HERE!
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Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability
Email me! Ignitedff@gmail.com
Episode 165 - Become a More Complete Beast with Jack Donovan
Sometimes it can be hard to find the humility sweet spot between the spectral ends of ego. If we believe we are more capable than we are then we are victims of dunning-kruger syndrome where our ego outweighs our ability. On the other end of that, if we are of the mindset that we aren’t good enough and that other people deserve things more that we do, we are victims of what’s known as “reverse pride” where we don’t feel we are doing anything worthwhile.
There’s no doubt that the fire service is a male-dominated profession and the elements of pride and nobility are definitely very present in the establishment. But when does it go from being a productive driver of motivation to a cancerous mentality keeping you from reaching your true noble potential?
Jack Donovan is a speaker, author, and has been writing about masculinity and tribalism for over a decade. In his book A More Complete Beast, Donovan utilizes the words of Frederich Nietzsche to help men refine a strength-based ethos, reveal their highest and noblest selves and become a more complete beast.
In my conversation today, I talked with Jack about taking the reins when it comes to getting what you’ve earned, how we can leverage our personality traits to help us achieve success, and why it’s so important for us to become what he calls a “noble beast”.
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Jack Donovan’s Instagram (@Starttheworld)
IGNITEd Firefighter Facebook Group
BUY THE BOOK!
Own It!: Build a Fire Service Culture of Trust and Integrity Through Accountability
Email me! Ignitedff@gmail.com
Episode 164 - Avoid Toxic Positivity!
Have you ever come off of a bad or frustrating call, and get on the truck or back to the station and use that sacred space to debrief and express your feelings and frustration to your crew only to hear someone on your crew say something like, “It could’ve been worse!” or “we’re just lucky to have jobs!”?
When people respond to your vulnerability and willingness to express frustration in this way, they are ultimately diminishing your feelings or ignoring them altogether. There are more examples of this type of response and behavior, but I recently discovered that there is an official term for it; “toxic positivity”.
In today’s episode, I will share what I’ve learned about what “toxic positivity” is, help give you some ways to identify it, and I will provide you with some strategies that we can use so that we aren’t the ones purveying this type of dismissive behavior.
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Episode 163 - Strength and Recovery with Nate Harpster
As firefighters, we are expected to perform incredible physical tasks at the drop of a hat. But we should all be asking ourselves the same question, “am I ready to answer that call?” Being strong isn’t the only thing we should be focusing on. We should be focusing on all of the elements that will make us effective firefighters, and more functional human beings; sleep, nutrition, and fitness.
In today’s conversation, I spoke with Nate Harpster, Phoenix firefighter and paramedic. Whether it’s on or off duty, Nate has been very active on social media, sharing his fitness journey and inspiring others to do the same. He gives us his thoughts on being an asset, not a liability, what that means and how he not only puts an emphasis on strength conditioning and physical fitness, but just as equally on recovery as well.
I had a great time talking to Nate and I know you’ll get a lot out of our conversation, I know I did.
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Xendurance (Make sure to use this link to get the below discount!)
25% Discount Code for IGNITEd listeners: welcome25
Episode 162 - Fight the Burnout with Chris Chandler-Yates
When we start out in our careers, we are incredibly passionate for the job and the opportunity to live our dreams! Sometimes the light gets a little dim and sometimes we burn out altogether.
It's this burnout that can cause us to lose our identity, our sense of meaning, or even our lives due to suicide.
In today's episode, I will talk to return guest, Chris Chandler-Yates about passion, how sometimes that passion can lessen or even burn out, and he will talk about some strategies we can implement to re-ignite the fire of that passion, or even find a new one altogether.
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4 Ways to Stop Burnout (Free Resource)
Episode 161 - The CHART Method!
When I first started my career in the fire service, we used paper reports that had carbon copies that we had to file and keep records of. Now, things are digital and we don’t use nearly the amount of paper and ink that we used to.
Even though things have changed, we still need to be rockstars when it comes to documentation. If it doesn’t get documented, it never happened, right? So why would we slack when it comes to our documentation?
In today’s episode, I will share a system with you that will add value and if you implement it, it will help you build trust and introduce consistency into your documentation systems making your reports a leading example of professionalism.
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Episode 160 - Pass the Headline Test!
Early on in my pursuit of becoming a firefighter, I was told about a principle that I keep on the back burner to this day. That principle is more of a question that I can repeatedly ask myself if something I was doing ever raised a question within myself.
I’ve witnessed a lot of people come and go from the fire service, whether it’s due to resigning because they’ve found a different passion, early retirement due to medical reasons, or termination of employment based on a poor decision they made on or off duty.
In today’s episode, I will talk about what this principle is, why we should keep it in our minds whether we are on or off duty, and how living by this principle will help ensure you to live out a successful career in the fire service.
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Episode 159 - The Importance, Benefits, and Value of Goal Setting!
If you listened to last week’s episode, then you heard me announce this new program I’m developing for people looking to connect with me and others in an exclusive group called “The Cadre”. Well, just as a refiner’s fire forges steel into its intended purpose, this group exists to refine us as men and women in the fire service into our highest quality and potential. That being said, I’m changing the name to “The Forge”. It’s pretty “on the nose”, right? I’ll dive into the details of that later, but first…I’d like you to think on these questions; How often do you set goals? How often do you revisit your list?
I’m a huge advocate for having an active list of goals to work on. Sometimes they fall by the wayside and sometimes we don’t actively set any goals at all.
In today’s episode, I will talk about the importance, benefits, and value of goal setting, how this program will benefit you not just in your professional life, but your personal life as well, and how connecting with others interested in leveling up improves the quality of the fire service as a whole.
Episode 158 - Dealing with Bad Calls
As firefighters and EMS professionals, we see things sometimes on a daily basis that “normal people” don’t see their entire lives.
The traumatic things we see take a toll, whether we want to admit it or not.
In today’s episode, I will talk about how the unpredictability of the things we see affects us, how confronting (not ignoring) our emotions will make us better firefighters, and I will give you 5 strategies we can make self-care a part of our career.
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