After I repaired my Craftsman snowblower, everything worked perfectly. I could plug it in, use the electric start, and snowblow my sidewalks and backyard (yes, I snowblow the backyard so my dog has an easier experience).
But then I did something stupid.
I pulled out the large red canister containing gasoline. I poured the gas into the snowblower. When I went to start the snowblower, I realized I had made a mistake.
There are multiple cans of gasoline in my shed. In the small container is the fresh gasoline. In another marked canister is the mixed gasoline. In the large container? Old, stale gasoline that has been sitting around for years. I used this gasoline to start bonfires in the backyard.
The snowblower started. However, she ran rough. The snowblower chugged, clunked, and smoked more than usual. Eventually, the snowblower stopped running and wouldn’t start. The stale gasoline had gunked up the carburetor again.
I had to make another repair to get the snowblower running again. First, I emptied the stale gasoline, treated the carburetor, and replaced the old fuel with new fuel.
The next time I plugged the snowblower into the electrical outlet, she started right up. I could feel the power difference when I engaged the auger. The power of the self-propel chugged along better.
I didn’t watch what fuel I was pouring into the snowblower and I almost paid the price. Leaders, we must watch what fuel we’re using to power ourselves. If we don’t, we may end up like my snowblower:
- Struggling to get things done
- A lack of power
- Unable to start
- Peter out quickly
Watch What Fuel You’re Using
Do you know what fuel you’re fueling yourself with? I believe there are at least three kinds of fuel we use to get us through our days.
Food:
The food we consume is important for how well we fuel ourselves. If we continually eat junk food, our bodies will rebel. We’ll feel sluggish, lazy, and even depressed because we’re not putting good nutrients into our bodies.
I’ve seen this: The better I fuel myself, the better I feel when I’m running.
Make sure you’re fueling yourself with the right food.
Mental:
What we fuel our minds with can make or break us. If we’re constantly feeding on a diet of negative news, you’re going to feel anxious, like the world is ending, or that everyone is out to get you.
Consider the mental fuel you’re giving yourself. Is it helping you or is it hindering you?
You may need to reconsider the books you read, the movies you watch, or the news you consume. All of these sources can harm your mental well-being.
Spiritual:
Last but not least, consider what you’re fueling your spiritual side with. Are the pastors you’re watching preaching from the Bible? Are they preaching what makes others feel good (you have to be careful that you’re not being pandered to)? Are you digging through the Bible like it’s the source of life?
It’s easy to feed ourselves spiritual kid food that doesn’t grow us. It may even hinder our growth because we’re not challenging ourselves with adult food. In 1 Corinthians 3:2, Paul tells the people he’s preaching to that he fed them with milk, not solid food. Why? Because they were not ready for it.
I believe many people are ready for solid food but they love the taste and ease of the milk they’re getting. Go beyond the spiritual milk. Go to the spiritual hearty, solid food. You’ll soon find yourself growing and fueled in ways you never realized you needed to be.
