I believe being a firefighter is one of the greatest professions on this planet. I am very proud to call myself a firefighter. I love this career, but it is not my calling. And it’s not yours, either.
I am sure many of you disagree, but hear me out. Many of you believe your calling is to be a firefighter. Trust, me I understand. Being a firefighter is the only job I have ever had. I love this job!
But that’s just the point—it is a job. If you choose, it can be your career. It can be an excellent career. I think it is one of the best careers we can have. So while I have heard many people say, “This is my calling, I was born for this!” I respectfully disagree. Let me explain.
Our calling is to help someone; that is what truly motivates us. We use our job or career to fulfill our calling. We should always remember as we perform our job that our main focus is on others. When we respond to that structure fire, we are trying to prevent a family from losing everything. When we perform our job, we should do it well because that family is relying on us. We are focused on our career because of our calling. Morale is never higher than right after a structure fire. This is because we are helping others, which fulfills our calling.
We often forget that helping others also includes our coworkers. We see victims and patients every day in their worst, and this can overshadow helping the person sitting behind you who is dealing with PTSD. We don’t see the firefighter who is secretly going through marital problems, or has the wayward son he has no idea how to handle. We brush off the firefighter who smells like alcohol every shift and whose behavior has really changed. But if our calling truly is to help others, we must not overlook our coworkers. Calls for help don’t always come through a dispatcher.
Focus on others
When we let our career get in the way of our calling, it’s easy to lose focus on others and begin to focus too much on ourselves. When we stop trying to help others, we become miserable. You cannot be a happy, content firefighter without trying to help others. In an absence of helping other, we will begin to worry about all the petty things, and will not be able to understand how others can be happy in this environment. Misery loves company, and we begin to pull others into our misery as well. Our misery will lead to “pouting,” and we will feel so much “better” with ourselves as soon as we can make others on shift with us miserable as well.
Recently, I took an extremely difficult test for school. I studied the hardest I have ever studied in my life, and felt like I knew the material very well. I came out with a C+. I was devastated, and I even began to feel sorry for myself. My instructor was quick to point out to the entire class, “I didn’t give you a grade, the grade you got is the grade you earned.” We get what we earn. If I want a better grade, I know I need to master the subject. I need to do this, not for myself, but so I can learn to help others better. See, when we shift the focus from ourselves to others, it is not so bad to help a fellow coworker learn a skill that makes him better at their job. We stop worrying about him passing us on a promotional exam, and we begin to realize it makes the department better because we can provide better service to our community.
Overcome obstacles
An unhappy firefighter is one who has allowed their career to interfere with their calling. Here are a few obstacles that sometimes get in the way:
The firefighter places stipulations on his happiness. Many firefighters see happiness as a goal or destination, not realizing that they can be happy exactly where they are. Happiness is not being complacent with where they are; it is simply a state of mind as they try to improve themselves. One stipulation many firefighters place on their happiness is rank. Many firefighters are not happy unless they get that promotion. The truth is rank will not make you happy. You may have a sense of pride and accomplishment, and enjoy telling others what to do for a change, but this does not bring happiness. This firefighter is allowing their career get in the way of their calling, and fulfilling their calling is the only way to bring happiness.
The firefighter tries to take shortcuts. One hot topic in the fire service is education. You need your education. There are no shortcuts in life, and certainly not in the fire service. Train hard and learn the job, because your calling depends on it. On top of learning the job, go to school and get the degree. The personal development is needed in the fire service. However, it is earned, and there are no shortcuts. If the firefighter is relying on just their experience, or if they are relying on just their education, they are entering the next stage of unhappiness, which is entitlement.
The firefighter has a sense of entitlement. Just because you have 20 years on the job does not mean you should be promoted. And just because you have done your time does not excuse the way you treat people. Be fair to everyone, and realize that happiness is not a condition on whether you get what you think you deserve. If that were the case, no one would ever be happy. We are entitled to be fair, and treat others the way we want to be treated. We are entitled to help, because that is our calling and ultimately what makes us happy. When we become unhappy because we do not think we get what we deserve, we are allowing our career to get in the way of our calling.
The firefighter is unable to forgive. Forgiveness is not something that comes easy. A firefighter who is unable to forgive can never be happy. The anger and resentment will eat their soul until they are the most miserable person in the department. Their resentment will require justification from fellow coworkers, and will eventually bring down the entire shift. This firefighter searches for happiness by building a team of other complainers, thinking that other likeminded firefighters will justify their rude and unacceptable behavior. You can never be happy if you are unable to forgive.
In sum
When we begin to put others first, it makes a better firefighter, officer and person. That is why being a firefighter is such a great job. We can help others if we so choose. So this question remains, are you going to continue to sit in the recliner and feel sorry for yourself, or get up and go help someone?
