THERE’S a war going on and it’s time we became aware of it, or we’ll soon be destroyed. And it’s not the battle twixt the virus and the vaccine, which even though deadly, still isn’t laying low it’s foes, as the one going on between the latest knowledge and a stagnant mind.
Today, technology is changing so fast, that what we learned yesterday is part of today’s history books. You don’t have to go far to see the victims of stagnant minds: Jobless people, who just a few years ago held high positions, now sit at home and talk at length about the chair they once occupied.
But without trying to make an ass of myself, explaining which formula of yesteryears stands no good today, let me tell you a simple tale: John, a woodcutter worked for a company for five years, but never got a raise. The company hired Bill and within a year Bill got one. John was furious. He resented the fact that Bill had got a raise within just a year. He decided to go and talk to his boss about it.
The boss said, “You are still cutting the same number of trees as you did five years ago. We are a result- oriented company, and will be happy to give you a raise if your productivity goes up.” John went back, started hitting harder and putting in longer hours, but he still wasn’t able to cut more trees. He went back to his boss and told him his dilemma.
“Go and talk to Bill about it.” “Talk to Bill?” “Yeah! Maybe there’s something he knows, that you don’t!” So, John went to where Bill was doing his cutting. “Hey Bill,” he said, “tell me how you go about cutting more trees than me?”
Bill stopped for a moment and beckoned John to him, “John,” he said, “after every tree I cut, I take a two-minute break, and sharpen my axe! When was the last time you sharpened your axe?” Yes, dear friends, when was the last time you took time to sharpen your axe? Like I said earlier apart from those who have been fired, I know doctors who are still steeped in old theories and methods; businessmen who run their businesses the old fashioned way; presidents of companies who use ancient, out dated theories of management; even men and women who won’t go near a computer: They wonder why their colleagues are doing better despite their toiling hard.
If they would only take time off to sharpen their axe; to feed their minds with the latest information, study the newest methods. If only they would take that required ‘two minutes to sharpen their axe,’ they like John in the story, would still be top, possessing a cutting edge, literally..!
