A Bad Workman Blames His Tools — So Should You

Proper preparation is the key to working smart.

We’ve all heard the phrase “a bad workman blames his tools”, but you know what? They have every right to complain. What’s more, you should too.

I’m not suggesting that we accept laziness, or try and mask our inabilities by blaming what we have to work with — quite the opposite.

How to Chop down a Tree

To help me explain, I’m going to use a quote made famous by Abraham Lincoln. It goes like this:

“If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six sharpening my axe.”

To take the quote literally, we could decide not to sharpen the axe and spend a day working on the tree. It’ll come down eventually, but Abe is about to start on his fourth. Who do you want to be?

The point is, Mr Lincoln had prepared for success. He invested a small amount of time in making the challenge ahead easier while you were there hacking away at the trunk in frustration.

It might have seemed like a step backwards, but it wasn’t. He was simply creating enough room for a running start before the jump.

Working Smart

You see, we often mistake working hard for progress, but they’re not always linked — Sometimes, they work in tandem, sometimes they don’t. We must recognise the difference between working hard and working smart.

Of course, we can spend a lot of time on a project, trying to force it together but ultimately, if we’re working on the wrong things, we’ll also spend a lot of time trying to fix the unfixable. It’s inefficient and not helpful to anyone.

We all have 24-hours in a day, and it’s the ones who make the most of these hours who enjoy the most success. They work hard, but they’re also smart enough to maximise how they use their time.

Starting with a good, raw base makes a huge difference. It’s the first step to working smart and will help 10x your results.

How to Know When You’re Barking up the Right Tree

Here are three ideas to help you in the preparation stage of any new project. Following these ideas won’t guarantee results, it’ll put you in a great position though.

First, Ten Rule

Seth Godin mentioned this on an episode of the Tim Ferris Show. The idea is used in marketing and requires you gather ten people who are good friends, maybe family members — basically people who already trust and like you.

Pitch your idea to them and see what happens. If the panel keeps the ideas to themselves, discard it and start on the next one. If they share your ideas to others outside your circle, you could be on to something, so crack on!

Try Lots and Use What Works

If you’re going to try a lot, you’re going to fail a lot. I know that doesn’t sound too appealing, but stick with me.

Thomas Edison once said:

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work” when inventing the lightbulb.

With each failure, we’re increasing the odds of the next idea being a success.

Once you find that one idea, it could be a life-changer.

Don’t Be Afraid to Admit When You’re Wrong.

We need to be persistent, but if something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to admit you were wrong. Pivot and adapt your thinking if you have to, there’s no shame in that.

We have to think of the bigger picture, even if it means holding our hands up to say we made a mistake.

Go with what your market wants, not what you think they should want.

Final Thoughts

It doesn’t matter what ‘tools’ you have at your disposal. If they’re not fit for the purpose, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Recognise this and make a change.

Invest time and energy into your preparation. Keep the tools sharpened, do the research, do what helps you work smarter on the things that bring you closer to where you want to be.

Before You Leave

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