Wisdom story: I haven't had the time to do that, I was to busy working

Once upon a time, a strong and hardworking woodcutter set out in search of a job. He had spent years honing his skills, and his muscles rippled with the strength he had built from cutting trees. One day, he arrived at the workshop of a well-known timber merchant and requested employment. The merchant, impressed by the woodcutter’s build and determination, offered him a job on the spot. The pay was good, and the work was straightforward, chop down trees and bring them back to the lumberyard. The woodcutter, eager to prove himself, gladly accepted the offer. On his first day, the woodcutter set out into the forest with his axe. With incredible strength and determination, he chopped down tree after tree. By the end of the day, he had felled an impressive 18 trees. The boss was thrilled and praised him, encouraging him to keep up the excellent work. The woodcutter felt proud and motivated to do even better the next day. Determined to surpass his record, the woodcutter rose before dawn the next morning and worked even harder. He swung his axe with all his might, yet by the end of the day, he had only managed to cut down 10 trees. Puzzled but undeterred, he decided to push himself even further the following day.

However, the harder he tried, the fewer trees he could cut. Despite exerting himself to his limits, the number of trees he brought back kept decreasing. His arms ached, sweat dripped from his brow, and frustration gnawed at him. He couldn’t understand what was going wrong. “I must be losing my strength,” he thought to himself, feeling discouraged. He had been so proud of his ability, but now, despite his efforts, he was failing. Seeing the woodcutter’s frustration, the boss approached him. He had noticed the gradual decline in the number of trees cut. With a calm voice, he asked, “When was the last time you sharpened your axe?” The woodcutter looked up, puzzled. He had not even thought about it. He had been too focused on chopping trees, thinking that working harder and longer would yield better results. “Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been too busy cutting trees,” he admitted. The boss smiled and shook his head. “That’s the problem. You have been so focused on working harder that you forgot to work smarter. No matter how strong you are, if your tool is blunt, your efforts won’t be as effective. Take some time to sharpen your axe, and you will cut more trees with less effort.” The woodcutter paused, realizing the wisdom in these words. He took a deep breath, sat down, and began sharpening his axe. The next day, he went to work again, but this time, each strike cut through the wood more cleanly and efficiently. By the end of the day, he had exceeded his initial record and cut down more trees than ever before, all while using less effort. The woodcutter learned a valuable lesson that day that hard work alone is not enough and that working smart is just as important. No matter how skilled or strong we are, we must take time to sharpen our tools, improve our knowledge, and take care of ourselves. When we do, our efforts become far more effective, and success comes more easily.