Why I Suck At Sharpening The Saw

I’m sure you’ve heard the sharpening the saw story. If not, here’s a quick synopsis:

Two woodsmen had a contest to see who could cut down equally sized trees the fastest. Woodsman #1 jumps in with gusto and saws and saws. About halfway through the enormous trunk, he looks over to see his competitor relaxing and sharpening his saw, taking refreshing drinks of water. Woodsman #1 thinks he’s got this contest in the bag, so he keeps on going full force, never stopping. Yet, at the end of the contest, it was Woodsman #2 who’s tree fell first. When Woodsman #1 protested and asked, “I never quit! Yet, you’re sitting there, resting and relaxing for half the contest…and you still won. What gives?” To which Woodsman #2 replies, “I took time to sharpen my saw.”

Moral of the story? Take time to refresh and replenish yourself so you can most efficiently accomplish your goals.

Friends, I suck at this. I work way, way too much. And I don’t mean speaking…that’s the awesomely fun part of my job! But, I’ll spend 14 hours per day E marketing, creating contracts, fulfilling book orders, communicating with clients, sitting at my desk. Because I love my work, it doesn’t always feel like work. I mean, it’s nothing like working a typical eight hour day on a job that you don’t like, just to have the money to pay the bills. I’m truly, truly lucky to have a career I love that matters to others and gives me fulfillment. But, I do not take nearly enough time to sharpen the saw.

Tomorrow, the Hottness and I leave on vacation. Our first in over two years. Let me give you a little list of what’s gone on in the last two years…

We relocated to New York, spent a year in grad school living there, my stepdaughter in Orlando had our first grandchild while we were living in NYC, I was still working full time while going to school full time, I had just as busy of travel schedule as when I wasn’t in school, we relocated back from NYC, dealt with some family problems, published a new book, dealt with health issues, had a major traumatic life event earlier this year in our family, watched business improve, launched three new web sites, received a new nephew to the world, founded the I’m Here Movement, started marketing the Narrative Nursing seminars, created the BLINK Foundation (a 501C3 non for profit) and probably dozens more big things that, while some are positive, still end up being major life events.

Marvelyne and I are not real good at taking time to sharpen the saw. We’ll travel somewhere on business, spend an extra night there to explore the area and call that a vacation. Or, we’ll go to the condo at the beach that belongs to a family member for 48 hours and call that a vacation. These are nice little get aways, but not exactly time to recharge fully.

Talk to our friends across the pond and they’ll go on vacay for three weeks. If you are less than two weeks, they’ll ask, “How can you unwind in less than two weeks?” I don’t have a good answer for that…but I have to try.

So, tomorrow, for the first time since June of 2011, the Hottness and I will board a plane for no other reason than fun, relaxation and vacation. It is my solemn goal to stay out of touch as much as possible during this time. If I don’t post a happy Bday to your FB, or I don’t get back with a reply E mail in my usual zippy manner…forgive me. I’m taking time to sharpen the saw.