Keeping the blade sharp sounds obvious, and for that reason a lot of people don’t worry about it until the edge is significantly dull and in need of sharpening. I get it. Of all the things that one needs to get done, sharpening the saw is near the end of the list. That’s fair.
But it is often true that once the blade is sharpened, the work becomes so much easier and faster that the user will wonder out loud “Why didn’t I do this earlier?” I know this from experience.
I have a personal life lesson in this area. When I was a young man, I grew up on the farm. Sharpening the saw was literally not only a timesaver, it made the job much more enjoyable and way more efficient. I was often amazed at how much more I got done when I followed my dad’s advice to sharpen the saw first.
Sharpening the saw (contributing to our intellectual development) is important to us now as well, and the benefits are almost immediate. Let me repeat that. The benefits are instantaneous.
Let’s take five minutes to hear the opinion of somebody else in this regard. (Dr. Stephen R. Covey)
The keyword here is daily.
This concept is true for our lives at home and at work. We can’t consistently be our best without regularly contributing to our well-being and skill set. “Have you ever been too busy driving to take time to get gas?”
That sounds obvious, as well.
Sharpen the saw daily. You’ll be surprised how much more you get done.
Happy trails!
