Sharpen your axe

Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter asked a timber merchant for a

job and he got it. The pay was really good and so were the work

conditions. For this reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his

best.

The merchant 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 merchant said. “Go on that way!”

Very motivated with the merchant’ words, the woodcutter tried harder the

next day, but he could only bring down

15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he could only bring

down 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

merchant and apologised, saying that he could not understand what was

going on.

“When was the last time you sharpened your axe?” the merchant asked.

“Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying

to cut trees.”

If we really understand the problem, the answer will come out of it,

because the answer is not separate from the problem.

– J.Krishnamurti

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