Building a Fire

Have you ever tried to make a fire without a fuel accelerant, like gasoline? If you have never done it, you will find that it is a lot harder than it looks; and keeping it lit, is just as hard. I akin the nopal farm to the building a fire without an accelerant.

A project is easier to initiate when there is a precedent (the accelerant) in place to build upon. If someone has already tried to do something similar to what you want to do, then at least you have some sort of guidelines on what works, what not to do, the market, etc. Starting a cactus farm in a location where it has never been done, lacks the accelerant. Therefore, it must be started manually.

Step 1: Gather high quality kindling capable of quickly catching the slightest spark of fire. The kindling is passion, the more passionate you are the more likely it is for your idea to catch on.

Step 2: Gather and arrange firewood in a manner that it will protect and harness the fire from the kindling. The firewood is the network of people you surround yourself with. The larger firewood are family and close friends that will stay lit the longest. Arrange the firewood too close or too far and fire may fizzle out. Without firewood, a fire will not survive.

Step 3: Strike the match to start the fire. You are the match – the initial spark. If you have the right kindling, enough firewood and arranged everything correctly; then this is the easiest part.

Step 4: Give the fire oxygen. The oxygen comes from peoples’ encouragement whether they be from your inner circle or not. Oxygen is vital to the life of a fire, without it, the fire you worked so hard on will die.

Step 5: Take care of the fire and make sure it does not go out of control or begin to die. Keep adding firewood. Once your idea comes to life your network will hopefully grow.