Tom, a wood-cutter, worked for a timber company for five years but was never given a raise.

The timber company then hired Jack and within a year, Jack was given a raise.

Tom resented Jack being given a raise after only a year and went to his boss to complain about it.

The boss said, “You are still cutting the same number of trees you were cutting five years ago. We are a results-oriented company and would be happy to give you a raise if your productivity goes up.”

So Tom went back and started working harder and putting in longer hours, but he still was not able to cut more trees.

He went back to his boss and told him of his difficulty. The boss told Tom to talk to Jack. “Maybe there is something Jack knows that you and I don’t.”

Tom went to Jack and asked how he managed to cut so many trees.

Jack answered, “After every tree I cut, I take a break for two minutes and sharpen my axe.”

Moral of the story: ??

Take time to evaluate yourself and your life and make sure that the tools you are using are sharp!

If you don’t choose to take the time to work on your business, no one else will. Instead, the long hours, hard work, frustrating lack of personal time, stress over incomplete tasks, and overall burnout will continue day in and day out until you finally give up and walk away.

I will be bringing you a one-of-a-kind Webinar in December that will help you learn to sharpen your axe.

I will take you through the steps of working smarter , not harder in your business so that you no longer have to feel the guilt of working when you want to spend time with your kids or take a vacation or simply take time for you.