The value of understanding the “Why” is incredibly valuable for a leader to understand and believe. It is even more important for them to be able to convey the “Why” to their team and then explain why it is important to the team.

So this is my explanation of the “Why” I am doing this blog. The older I get the more I realize the importance of teaching and passing on lessons to those around us. With age I have realized my legacy is what I teach and pass on, not what I have done. There are lessons we all have to learn on our own, and there are lessons we can glean from others. I hope to influence the latter.

Do not get me wrong, there is a selfish side to my why. I want to learn about myself, get things off my chest, and give myself perspective. So this sharing is really me learning about myself through conveyance of my mistakes and my successes.

It has been just over a year since I moved on from the Winema Hotshots and moved into fire management. I still have days when I wish nothing more then to be on the crew again. To be part of something that the team believes in, the shared suffering, the internal competition, the reminiscing about “that one time”, the relying on someone else for your welfare. These are just a few of the things I miss.

I hope by sharing my trials and my successes, I can better understand and appreciate the journey. Maybe others can learn from my journey as well.

I know I am not the first one to go through these withdrawals nor will I be the last. This addiction I call Hotshoting is why I will probably refer to myself as a recovering hotshot forever. Let the learning begin…