Sharpen your ax
This story is about a lumberjack, or at least a very powerful
young man who wanted to be a lumberjack. This young man wandered through a logging
camp on his eighteenth birthday. He had been raised around lumbering communities
and admired the strong lumberjacks. He told the boss that he wanted a job. Seeing
that the boy was large, strong, and healthy, the boss quickly agreed. The first
day this lad chopped down ten trees entirely by himself. This was quite an accomplishment,
and the boss was very pleased. He complimented the boy on his energy and strength.
The next day, the boy seemed to work just as hard and just as long, but only
chopped down eight trees. This was still a respectable showing. The rest of
the week passed, and each day the boy worked just as hard and just as long,
but each day he produced less. On Friday the boss called the boy into his office
after noticing that he had yet to fell one tree. The sun was going down. The
boy had worked vigorously all day. He was ashamed because he had produced so
little, and tears began to roll down his face as he went into the office.
"Sir," he said, "I'm working harder and harder, but I'm afraid
I'm a disappointment to you. I have yet to fell one tree today." "Why
do you do so little?", the boss asked. "I am really trying, sir,"
was the response.
Now what do you think is the problem with this young, strong man?
He simply forgot to sharpen his ax.
THE LESSON: WORK SHARPER, NOT HARDER.
Where in your life, you feel that you are working as hard as you can and not
producing the results you want?
How can you sharpen your ax in the following 4 categories?
Physical:
Mental:
Emotional:
Spiritual: