Those who know me know that I'm not generally a lazy kind of guy. I work hard. I'm not afraid of long (or unusual) hours. I get it done. On the other hand, I know that I need to take time away from my career(s) to recharge and regroup. I understand the importance of taking a break. Easier said than done....
Years ago I heard the story of the two woodsmen. One was young and full of energy and strength and in the prime of his life. The other was older and more experienced, but certainly a bit slower than his younger counterpart. The day came when the two were in the woods chopping wood together - just the two of them.
The younger one, eager to prove himself (yes, okay, I can relate), bet the older woodsman that he could cut more wood that day. The older woodsman grinned a bit, the corners of his mouth curling up, and his eyes twinkling. "You're on" was his reply to the youth.
The two lined-up in front of the logs to be cut and the young man yelled, "GO!" Chips flew, sweat beaded on their brows. Sharp steel met solid wood over and over in a flurry of action.
After an hour, the older woodsman stopped. The young man noticed, but kept going, feverishly attempting to outpace his competition. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his foe sit on a log, take a few drinks of water and begin to sharpen his axe with a whetstone.
"What a fool!" the young man thought as he continued to chop on his long. "Look at all the time he's wasting. Surely, I have won!"
After 5 minutes or so, the older gentleman stood, stretched, and resumed his woodcutting with a sharp axe. Each hour, he would stop and repeat this: take a few drinks of water and sharpen the axe. Each time, the young woodsman would shake his head.
The younger man didn't notice (or didn't care) that the chips coming from the log he was cutting were now smaller showing that each stroke of his axe was less productive becaue it was becoming dull. He also didn't seem to be aware that his pace had slowed considerably between swings, showing that he was tiring (largely from dehydration).
At the end of the day, who do you think had chopped more wood? The answer's pretty obvious - as is the moral of the story.
Lately, I've felt like my axe is so dull that it has become a sledgehammer! I'm not as productive as I could be. I'm not as "sharp" as I thought I was. I'm being more frantic in my pace than intentional with my action.
So, it's time to sharpen the axe. Mind you, I can't afford to take a week or two off and wander out into the woods for a "mountain-top experience." My breaks can only amount to short periods of time. I've narrowed my battery-charging activities to:
- Early morning hikes in the forest to enjoy the beautiful area I call home and to get some exercise
- Have breakfast with a friend to share our lives, encourage each other and support one another
- Spend some time just playing and being silly with the kids
How are you sharpening your axes? How are you staying charged in a world that can deplete your energy so quickly? How are you staying at your best? I'd love to hear what you all are doing to keep your axes from becoming sledgehammers!
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