Right Tool for the Job

Do you know which knife is the most dangerous knife in your kitchen?

The dull one.

When your knife is not sharp, it doesn’t work properly, leading you to force it and use it improperly, causing injury.

This weekend, my husband and I went for a creek walk with his family.  Everyone had “water shoes” on so we could walk in the creek instead of along the bank.  Here we are…

My mother-in-law was struggling.   She felt unsteady and was slipping on the mossy rocks.  My husband held her hand for a while, but eventually she decided to sit on a nearby log and let us go on without her.  She was afraid she would slip, fall and injure herself. 

When she looked down at her shoes, she discovered that all the tread was worn off. She sheepishly told us that she wears these shoes all the time and so they were comfortable, but they had lost their purpose.  These shoes had become a hazard.

In carpentry they have a saying, “Use the right tool, for the right job, in the right way.”

This rule of thumb is great for other areas in life when striving for success through self-mastery.

Surround yourself with the right people who will help you succeed.

Develop the right habits that will lead to success.

Cultivate the right mindset.  Focus on the right goals.  Read the right books.

It’s important to pay attention when the tools we have used in the past are no longer fit for purpose.  When that happens, it’s time to acquire new tools that will help us complete the job.

So, Naomi, how are your tools?  Are they dull and worn? 

What new tools do you need to help you succeed?