Bring the Heat: What a Broken Dryer Taught Me About Intentional Building

The dryer was running.

The drum was spinning.

The cycle was complete.

But the clothes? Still damp.

I unplugged it. Checked the fuse box. Pressed every button on the panel. Nothing.

So, I took a deeper look by reading articles, watching videos, and using tools to take the dryer apart. Parts were everywhere until I reached a point where I had to admit, "I’m in over my head and need to call for assistance (that lesson deserves its own article)."

I learned that the heating element may have burned out. The dryer was still in great shape, doing all the right motions, just without any heat.

And that’s when it hit me: We do the same thing as educators, families, and leaders. 

We move through cycles every day:

• Getting kids ready for school

• Teaching lessons

• Attending meetings

• Caring for loved ones

• Completing tasks

We run. We spin. We finish the cycle. But sometimes we’re still damp. Not because we aren’t working hard, but because we’re missing the heat—the emotional energy, passion, and presence that make our efforts meaningful.

It shows up in small ways:

• Saying “I love you” but forgetting the hug

• Helping a student, but rushing past the moment of connection

• Interacting with people at the store, on the train, or in the hallway without eye contact

• Showing up, but not showing up with intention

Burnout, boredom, long days, and tough seasons all drain our heating element. A dryer without heat is just noise and motion. A builder without intention is just someone who completes tasks.

When the repairman arrived with a multimeter, a tool used to test electricity, it confirmed what I expected: the heating element was out. Sometimes we need our own version of a multimeter, something that helps us check our internal wiring through:

• Self‑reflection

• Asking for help and letting others support you

• Rebuilding routines with purpose

• Recognizing the burnout

• Finding time for something that restores you.

This is self-maintenance.

Don’t be like the broken dryer and run cycle after cycle without the heat that makes your work matter. Don’t confuse motion with meaning. Don’t let your passion burn out quietly.

We’re all builders, and building with intent requires warmth, energy, and connection.

So today, check your heating element and reflect on:

• Where do you need more heat?

• Where do you need support?

• Where can you add passion back into your blueprint?

Remember that the best structures, strong communities, confident kids, healthy relationships, and purposeful careers are built with heat, not just motion. 

Keep building!

MySelf Builder Digital Workshop is a personal development and student enrichment platform offering coaching, mentoring, and digital workshops designed to help individuals become the best version of themselves. Visit myselfbuilder.com for more information.