Your own personal development is the key that will unlock everything you want in life – the relationships, health, financial success, and spiritual connection you wish to have. Let’s revisit a classic story from history to uncover why.

In the very early part of the 19th century, two brothers (John and Abe) walked out to a forest to cut down trees. In the spirit of friendly competition they agreed to see who could cut down the most trees in six hours. They arrived at their spot in the forest, and John immediately went about chopping down a tree, while Abe, on the other hand, sat down and began sharpening his axe.

After an hour, John had one tree down and was shocked to see Abe still sitting sharpening his axe. Confident now he would probably win, John went on to the next tree, and an hour later John had a second tree down. Abe, surprisingly, was still sharpening his axe.

John, convinced now there was no possible way Abe could catchup, went on to his next tree. And an hour later, it was down, and at that point Abe stood up and began chopping, while John started on his fourth tree.

After about 20 minutes, John heard a loud WHOOMF and spun around to see that Abe had felled his first tree. “Just lucky” he thought to himself. 20 minutes later, Abe’s second tree fell, and another 20 minutes later his third.

After six hours Abe had felled nine trees, while John had felled six. John’s dull axe blade simply wasn’t capable of cutting through more than one tree per hour, while Abe had ripped through three trees per hour with his razor-sharp blade.

Abraham Lincoln, “Abe,” once said “If I had six hours to cut down trees, I would spend the first three hours sharpening my axe, and the last three cutting down trees.”

“Sharpening your axe” in life is synonymous with personal development. John represents all of the people in the world who work really hard, who want more for themselves and their families, and who can’t understand why life isn’t working out better than it is. They create good results, but will never create outstanding results. Abe represents the miniscule population of the planet (less than three percent) who invest in themselves to sharpen their thinking and their attitudes.

From one perspective, this is what K&A’s seminars are all about – sharpening yourself so you’re more effective. Many of the belief systems we adopted as children, and still unconsciously carry with us, have a dulling effect on our effectiveness in business and relationship. By shifting those belief systems we can become exponentially more effective!

Scott Cundy

Personal Mastery Facilitator