it's time to sharpen your axe

These are unexpected times, and even if we are confined to our homes and going through some personal and professional setbacks, we still have to keep moving forward. 

Settling is not an option. We simply can’t afford to slow down. If we don’t improve, grow, take action, and make the most of our days, we’ll start falling behind.

Don’t retreat, instead redirect. Be flexible and adjust. Just re-allocate your time, energy, attention and your resources on other constructive pursuits. Action fuels emotion and inspiration, which further propels us to take even more constructive action, so focus on sustaining this positive feedback loop so that you keep going on the upward spiral and keep marching forward to your goals. 

We have to focus on what we can control, and detach from the external circumstances that are not in our control. It’s time to focus on ourselves; we have absolute control over things that are on the inside, both individually and with respect to our organization. And that’s why, one of the best things that we can do for ourselves is to focus on skill development and personal growth. 

This is a perfect time to sharpen your axe. The constraints are real and you can’t go outside to chop down the trees. So instead, use that time and energy to sharpen your saw. Both for yourself individually and even for your team members. Self-renewal plays a key role in achieving perennial success. As Stephen Covey wrote, “Renewal is the principle—and the process—that empowers us to move on an upward spiral of growth and change, of continuous improvement.” So, use your time wisely and redirect your resources in enhancing and preserving the greatest asset that you have — You.

An idle mind is a devil’s workshop, as the popular adage goes. Left to our devices and default thinking patterns, negativity starts seeping in and we start harboring toxic thoughts and self-sabotaging emotions. That’s why it’s incredibly important to flood our minds with positivity, relevant knowledge and inspiration, and also encourage our team members to do so. 

In our daily life, most of us get so busy chopping down trees that we hardly get time to sharpen our axes. But now we have plenty of time to renew ourselves and to nourish our mind, body, heart and spirit. It’s time to learn new things, garner better ideas, focus on our well-being and revitalize ourselves. To get prepared and equip ourselves with essential personal and professional skills so that we are ready to go in the attack mode as soon as normalcy is restored. 

As Marcus Aurelius wrote, “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” See this obstacle in front of you as an opportunity to grow, recharge, renew and reinvent yourself. To bring balance in your life by focusing on self-care and personal expansion.

Now is an ideal time to strengthen ourselves and our team members. To elevate our interior empires and focus on becoming better every day. It’s time that we choose not only to go through this adversity, but also grow through this adversity. So, get back in the game and focus on sharpening your axe until these uncertain times subside.