Sharpening your axe III

Sharpening the axe is an activity.  You too can sharpen the axe of your life.

Here are examples of axe-sharpening activities:

o  Read a book every day;
o  Get out of your comfort zone by changing jobs.  A new job forces you to learn;
o  Have deep conversation with ome one your find interesting.  Sharpen your axe through that interaction;
o  Pick up a new hobby.  Stretch yourself physically, mentally or emotionally;
o  Study something new;
o  Overcome your fear you have or quit a bad habit;
o  Have a dily exercise routine or take part in some competition;
o  Identify your blinds spots.  Understand, acknowledge and address them;
o  Ask for feedback and get a mentor;
o  Learn from people who inspire you.

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Sharpen your axe II

So, what is exactly is sharpening your axe?  It simply means increasing your personal production capacity by daily self care and self maintenance.  Most people fail to understand what it means and mistake it for taking a break or vacation.  If you are overworking yourself and your productivity drops, take a break.  However that isn't sharpening the axe - that's putting the axe down.

When you put down a dull blade and rest, the blade will still be dull when you pick it up. The woodcutter does need downtime to rest, but it is not `sharpening the axe'.  The woodcutter only becomes more productive by sharpening his blade, analyzing new wood cutting techniques, exercising to become stronger, and learning from other woodcutter.  That is what is mean by sharpening the axe.

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Sharpen your axe

A few years ago there was a story of a woodcutter who asked for a job with a timber merchant.  He got the job with a good salary and a decent work conditions.  And so, the woodcutter was determined to do his best for his boss.

His boss gave him an axe and on his first day, the woodcutter chopped down 15 trees.  The boss was pleased and said, `Well done, good work!'

Highly motivated, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he only could bring down 13 trees.  The third day, he tried even harder, but he was only able to bring down 11 trees.  Day after day, he tried even harder but he was only able to bring down a small number of trees.

He apologized to the boss claiming he could not understand why.

`When was the last time you sharpen your axe?' the boss asked.

`Sharpen?  I had no time to sharpen my axe.  I have been too busy cutting down the trees.'

He sharpened his axe and immediately was back to felling 15 trees a day.  And since that, he begins the day by sharpening his axe.

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