Sharpen your saw (DW#663)
A woodcutter was exhausted as he labored and strained to saw down a tree. A young man who was watching asked "What are you doing?"
"Are you blind?" the woodcutter replied irritably. "I’m cutting down this tree."
"Sir, you look exhausted!"
"I am exhausted and frustrated! I have been at this for hours already and not making much progress."
"Why don’t you take a break and sharpen your saw?"
"Because then I would have to stop sawing and I don’t have time to stop right now".
"Well", said the young man. "Consider this: If you sharpen the saw, you would cut down the tree much faster. . ."
Steven Covey uses this story in the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People to present the case for self care and self renewal. While it seems obvious to us when we see others labouring on without sharpening their saws, it is much more challenging to notice and attend to the blunt saws in our own lives!
Join our blog!
Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.
Don't worry, your information will not be shared.