I was re-reading the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People this past week…and thought I'd share a little lesson from the book with you. Stephen Covey wrote what is now an All-Time CLASSIC when it comes to business success. If you haven't read this book, you need to get it. It's on my MUST READ list for every business person on the planet.
Think about it.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. What a TITLE!!!
The title alone should make you run over and grab that book! Are you running yet??
Habit 7 in Stephen Covey's book is: Sharpen the Saw.
In the beginning of the the chapter he shares this imaginary story. This story you're reading below comes directly from the Stephen Covey's book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and is exactly what I'm referencing in the video above.
Here's exactly how it reads in the book.
Suppose you were to come upon someone in the woods working feverishly to saw down a tree.
“What are you doing?” you ask.
“Can't you see?” comes the impatient reply. “I'm sawing down this tree.”
“You look exhausted!” you exclaim. “How long have you been at it?”
“Over five hours,” he returns, “and I'm beat! This is hard work.”
“Well, why don't you take a break for a few minutes and sharpen that saw?” you inquire.
“I'm sure it would go a lot faster.”
“I don't have the time to sharpen the saw,” the man says emphatically. “I'm too busy sawing!”
What's absolutely CRAZY INSANE to me is why so few people take the time to slow down enough or STOP long enough to sharpen their saw!
When I speak at network marketing events, I share this story all the time. And…the reason I so readily share it at these types of trainings is this. Very few people are ACTIVELY taking the time to sharpen their saws!
What's it mean to “Sharpen your Saw”?
It means working on your craft. Developing your skills. Working on getting better. Actively taking the time to improve to make sure that the work you put in is better, more efficient, more effective…and simply gets you better results.
The sharper your saw is the more efficient you'll be at cutting.
Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is an incredible read for any person in business. And…this tiny little story that we find in the last chapter of his book…the two little paragraphs it takes up is SUPER powerful IF it is put into use.
So…if you're a business professional reading this, here's my question to you.
How much time did you invest in “sharpening your saw” in the past week?
If the answer is none…that is the WRONG answer!
Take the time to refine your skills. Work on your craft. Practice. Get good at it…don't just “hope” to get good.
