You don't have the fire

Dear Rea,

Have you ever noticed that anything you want to do well is surrounded by a moat? This moat isn’t guarded by crocodiles or sharks, but by the challenge of being bad at something when you start. Any skill you have today - your prowess in soccer or your great cartwheels - was once not so great. Being “not great” at the beginning often keeps us from pushing through and reaching the point where we can excel.

I want to share a story that illustrates this point beautifully.

There’s a tale about a young man who approached a world-famous violinist, begging to play for him. He sought encouragement to devote his life to music or, if his talent was lacking, to know so he could avoid wasting his life. After playing, the master shook his head and said, “You lack the fire.”

Decades later, they met again. The young man, now a successful businessman, recalled their previous encounter, explaining how it had changed his life. He had given up music, accepting the violinist’s judgment, and found success in commerce instead. Curious, he asked how the master had so quickly determined he lacked the fire.

The old violinist replied, “Oh, I hardly listened when you played. That’s what I tell everyone - that they lack the fire.”

Shocked, the businessman exclaimed, “But that’s unforgivable! You altered the course of my life. Perhaps I could have been another Kreisler or Heifetz!”

The old man shook his head and said, “You don’t understand. If you had had the fire, you would have paid no attention to me.”

Rea, I’m inspired by your patient persistence in your journey. Your regular return to swimming has made you a fast and confident swimmer. Your continual practice of cartwheels has made them effortless. These letters are my own patient effort at learning to write, so thank you for reading!

Remember, the “fire” isn’t just talent - it’s the determination to push through that initial moat of difficulty. Keep nurturing that fire in everything you do.

Love, Abba