August 10, 2025
Today’s quote comes from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Sean Covey:
Sometimes when I consider that tremendous consequences come from little things… I am tempted to think… there are no little things. —Bruce Barton
Many people have heard the Chinese proverb, “Sharpening the saw will not hold up the work of chopping firewood,” or similar sayings that highlight the importance of preparation.
Sean Covey describes “Sharpen the Saw” as the practice of renewing the four dimensions of our nature: physical, spiritual, mental, and social/emotional. He emphasizes that we must exercise all four regularly and consistently, in a wise and balanced way. Actions taken in one dimension can positively influence the others because they are interconnected; however, neglecting any one area will negatively affect the rest.
This is a new concept for me. In daily life, I tend to focus more on physical exercise because I play golf. I also love reading, which keeps my mental dimension active. But this often leaves less time for the spiritual and social/emotional aspects.
With these four dimensions in mind, I believe I can do better in the future in the other two areas that I haven’t focused on as much. As Covey writes:
There is no shortcut in developing the four dimensions. To keep progressing, we must learn, commit, and do—learn, commit, and do—and learn, commit, and do again.
