Busy

Today, I received this from my 'the other email':

Once upon a time, a very strong woodcutter asked for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it. The pay was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best.

His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work.

The first day, the woodcutter brought down 18 trees.

"Congratulations," the boss said. "Go on that way!"

Very motivated for the boss’ words, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but he only could bring down 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he only could cut 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing down lesser and lesser trees.

"I must be losing my strength", the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.

"When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked.

"Sharpen my axe? I have no time to sharpen my axe, I have been very busy trying to cut trees..."

by Stephen Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People:

• Habit 1: Be Proactive: Principles of Personal Choice
• Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind: Principles of Personal Vision
• Habit 3: Put First Things First: Principles of Integrity & Execution
• Habit 4: Think Win/Win: Principles of Mutual Benefit
• Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood: Principles of Mutual Understanding
• Habit 6: Synergize: Principles of Creative Cooperation
• Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw: Principles of Balanced Self-Renewal