Sharpen Yourself First

Letter from the heart to friends, family, customers and clients

 

If you’re a fan of Stephen Covey or motivational stories in general, you might have heard something like this before. It’s a good reminder to slow down and take care of ourselves during this upcoming holiday season.

 

An elderly man was walking through a forest when he noticed a lumberjack hacking at a thick tree. Stopping to rest, he watched the lumberjack for a while, listening to him swear and complain about how long the job was taking and how tired his arms were getting. The elderly man could see that the axe was too dull making the job take much longer than needed, but since it was none of his business, he got up and continued on his walk.

On his way back home, the elderly man again passed by the lumberjack, who was still hacking away at the same tree, and still griping about his lack of progress.

Pausing again to rest, the older man finally shouted, “Hello, Sir! I couldn’t help but notice that you don't seem to be getting anywhere. Perhaps you need to stop and sharpen your axe.”

The man turned around, grime and sweat all over his face, and shouted: “I don’t have time. If I stop now, I’ll never get done!”

The moral of this little story is: Don't get so busy that you neglect to take care of the tool that gets things done—you! Take time to sharpen your axe by exercising, resting, and loving those around you. You’ll be stronger and sharper for whatever comes.

 

Sincerely,           

Lela Ashkrian