Abraham Lincoln said, "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." Now this is another of those fully loaded statements, which has many times stuff than it seems to point out apparently. May be it is the way we would like to interpret it for our convenience! Often it is just a play of words that is needed for success to succeed. This success required for us to be successful comes through successful attempts that lead to success.
What Lincoln says can be taken as a lesson of patience. Just give it a thought – Would you have the patience to sharpen the axe for four hours? I'm already having second thoughts!!!
Sharpening of axe is the preparatory period – a time when we need to plan for our later actions. It is this planning if done carefully, patiently and with precision, devotion, earnest intentions and concentration, can help us reap us fruits of success.
Patience and planning are the perfect ingredients of a success story. Many of us would be familiar with a story we heard or read in our childhood – 'The Hen that Laid Golden Eggs'. The farmer didn't have the patience; he was blinded by his extreme greed. Apart from that what added to his misery was his poor planning. He could have enjoyed the luxury of having an egg of gold daily. But he failed miserably and ended up being empty-handed.
A little girl visited a farm one day and asked to buy a large watermelon. That big one you got on your hand costs 3 dollars said the farmer. I've got only 30 cents replied the girl. 30 cents will buy you a small watermelon replied the farmer. What about that one asked the farmer pointing to a small watermelon in the field. Okay, I'll take it smiled the little girl. Here's your 30 cents but leave it on the vine. I'll be back for it in a month.
Pretty smart little girl. She knew her patience would be rewarded. By waiting one month, she could have a big, ripe watermelon for the price of a little green one.
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