http://sachinmanan.wordpress.com/2014/01/12/series-my-friends-lets-take-a-pledge/

Importance of sharpening your Axe daily

About a fortnight back I read a blog by Chetan Khosla, (for his blog please visit http://chetankhosla.wordpress.com) which I found overwhelmingly important for young professionals. The title of the blog was “Everyday learning” (http://chetankhosla.wordpress.com/2012/05/20/everyday-learning-10/).

Chetan talked about the importance of continuous learning, if possible learning one new thing daily before one ends his/her day.

& yesterday I read a story to my daughter from her “Bedtime story book” which gave similar message in ever so subtle manner. I just can’t resist myself to share it with all of you.

The story goes like this:-

Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter asked for a job with a timber merchant, and he got it.

The salary was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work. The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees “Congratulations,” the boss said. “Go on that way!”

Very motivated by the boss’ words, the woodcutter tried harder the next day, but could bring 15 trees only. The third day he tried even harder, but could bring 10 trees only.

Day after day he was bringing less and less trees. “I must be losing my strength”, the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on.
“When was the last time you sharpened your axe?” the boss asked. “Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees…”

Over the years, following our daily routine, doing more-or-less similar stuff in office, back home etc most of us usually end up in similar state. And as the woodcutter boss said, it is important to continue to sharpen your axe if one wishes to continue to “Add Value” & “Remain Useful”

Thoughts Please!!

Is it a fair explanation to continue to put efforts?

In my last blog, about a day back, I shared my views on importance of continuous learning. Today, during lunch time I was discussing it with my colleagues. One of them raised a query which I believe is worth discussing with a larger forum…. What better than WordPress. I feel that the question raised is relevant for so many like me.  He said, “Sachin, while I agree that continuous learning is important; but at times I feel exhausted, drained & useless; and it happens when even after my best of efforts I fail to understand some algorithms, key concepts etc”

My initial reaction to his comment was, “Hang on! This is a little off-track to what I am discussing.” But then I thought, “So what, even if this is off-track the query raised is relatable”. Even I feel the same so many times. About 4 months back I picked a book on VBA macros, reading about 12 pages daily of 400 page long book, and I think after 200 pages I myself felt drained, exhausted, consumed. I just stopped reading it. This is just one of umpteen such incidents.

Let me share another such incident. The other day I was reading Chetan Khosla’s blog title “RSS Feed” (for his blog please visit http://chetankhosla.wordpress.com ). I found it quite intriguing. And hence I tried subscribing for some RSS feeds directly to my MS-Outlook. After about 60 min of effort; I must say failed effort/attempt, I just gave it a pass.

Today evening, I shared my colleague’s comments with my mom. She like me is a big fan of Hindu Mythology. Like me she, more or less every time, takes reference from our mystic stories to find out most practical solution to difficult problems. This time was no different, she said,

“Sachin, I think right answer is very simple. Let me tell you a story”

An old farmer and his grandson lived on a farm. One day the grandson said, “I try to read the Bhagavad-Gita just like you but I don’t understand it much. And whatever little I understand, I forget it very soon. What is the use of reading this book?”

The old farmer quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and said, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.”

The young boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back home. The farmer asked him to try again, and again. But every single time, the water leaked out of the basket before he got back to the house. Finally, he said exhausted, “See Grandpa, it’s useless!”

“So you think it’s useless?” the old farmer said, “Look at the basket.” The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket to a new clean one, inside and out.

“Son, that’s what happens when you read a book like the Bhagavad-Gita. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it again and again, you will realize the benefit one day.”

Is it a fair explanation to continue to put efforts? Thoughts!