--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was an exhausted woodcutter who…" description: "\"“There was an exhausted woodcutter who kept wasting time and energy chopping wood with a blunt ax because he did not have the time, he said, to stop an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/anthony-de-mello-1331_chopping-wood_there-was-an-exhausted-woodcutter-who-ke_1626807.png" --- # There was an exhausted woodcutter who kept wasting time… ![“There was an exhausted woodcutter who kept wasting time and energy chopping wood with a blunt ax because he did not have the time, he said, to stop and sharpen the blade.” quote by Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/anthony-de-mello-1331_chopping-wood_there-was-an-exhausted-woodcutter-who-ke_1626807.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/anthony-de-mello-1331_chopping-wood_there-was-an-exhausted-woodcutter-who-ke_1626807.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/anthony-de-mello-1331_chopping-wood_there-was-an-exhausted-woodcutter-who-ke_1626807.png) > ““There was an exhausted woodcutter who kept wasting time and energy chopping wood with a blunt ax because he did not have the time, he said, to stop and sharpen the blade.”” [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A woodcutter wastes effort on a dull axe because he never pauses to sharpen it, illustrating the cost of neglecting self‑maintenance. **In simple terms:** Sharpen tools before work. Key Takeaway Prioritize maintenance for efficiency. Themes productivity self‑care focus efficiency Mood reflective practical Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - workplace habits - personal development - skill upkeep Key Concepts systems thinking mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What tools in your life need sharpening? - How can you schedule regular maintenance? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex problems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chopping wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chopping-wood/) [Exhausted Woodcutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exhausted-woodcutter-346173/) [Stop Sharpen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stop-sharpen-346176/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time and energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-and-energy/) [Wasting time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasting-time/) [Woodcutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woodcutter-346174/) [Woodcutter Kept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woodcutter-kept-346175/) ## Related quotes > [“The woodcutter brushed the dust from his beard and reflected on how sphinxes would live much longer if they asked a different riddle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-danley/the-woodcutter-brushed-the-dust-from-his-beard-and-reflected-on-how/) [Kate Danley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-danley/) > [The tree doesn't withdraw even from the woodcutter. So, Love even those who hurt you.. They will realize your worth someday. :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldyna-threesya/the-tree-doesn-t-withdraw-even-from-the-woodcutter-so-love-even-those/) [Aldyna Threesya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldyna-threesya/) > [“If I were fire, I would burn; if I were a woodcutter, I would strike. But I am a heart, and I love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikos-kazantzakis/if-i-were-fire-i-would-burn-if-i-were-a-woodcutter-i-would-strike-but/) [Nikos Kazantzakis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikos-kazantzakis/) > [“Oh, Lady," said the woodcutter, "my hurt is overwhelming because it is someone else's pain that makes me cry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/oh-lady-said-the-woodcutter-my-hurt-is-overwhelming-because-it-is/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [The tree does not withdraw its shade from the woodcutter. So forgive the one who hurts you. They will realize your worth one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-tree-does-not-withdraw-its-shade-from-the-woodcutter-so-forgive/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“She couldn't be the prince, and she'd never be a princess, and she didn't want to be a woodcutter, so she'd be the witch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/she-couldn-t-be-the-prince-and-she-d-never-be-a-princess-and-she-didn/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [The tree does not withdraw its shade from the woodcutter. So, forgive those who hurt you. They will realize your worth one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-tree-does-not-withdraw-its-shade-from-the-woodcutter-so-forgive-2/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [I take it that he is more than just a woodcutter. "No one is just a woodcutter, " replied Terence. "A person's always more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-morris/i-take-it-that-he-is-more-than-just-a-woodcutter-no-one-is-just-a/) [Gerald Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-morris/) > [“A sighing wind brings heavy snow As every good woodcutter knows. It fills the road, it blocks the door It lays and stays and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-rankin/a-sighing-wind-brings-heavy-snow-as-every-good-woodcutter-knows-it/) [Allan Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-rankin/) > [When brother Brigham and brother Joseph Young went up to see the Prophet, they found him chopping wood; for he was a labouring man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilford-woodruff/when-brother-brigham-and-brother-joseph-young-went-up-to-see-the/) [Wilford Woodruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilford-woodruff/) > [People love chopping wood. In this activity one immediately sees results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/people-love-chopping-wood-in-this-activity-one-immediately-sees/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“God can’t heal your leg?” the boy challenged. “Ben!” The mother snapped out of her stupor. “Sure God can heal my leg--” started the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessub-flower/god-can-t-heal-your-leg-the-boy-challenged-ben-the-mother-snapped-out/) [Jessub Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessub-flower/) > [I like the countryside. I like chopping wood. I'd like to be a carpenter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barratt/i-like-the-countryside-i-like-chopping-wood-i-d-like-to-be-a-carpenter/) [Julian Barratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barratt/) > [I learned how little in the way of material goods we really need, and how beautiful a simple life can be. In Romania people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-zellweger/i-learned-how-little-in-the-way-of-material-goods-we-really-need-and/) [Renee Zellweger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-zellweger/) > [“How was Gengo to know, Saigyo reflected, that this unheroic existence imposed even greater torment than the icy lashings of the Nachi Falls in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/how-was-gengo-to-know-saigyo-reflected-that-this-unheroic-existence/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) ## More by Anthony de Mello > [The poor think they will be happy when they become rich. The rich think they will be happy when they are rid of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-poor-think-they-will-be-happy-when-they-become-rich-the-rich/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You only change what you understand. What you do not understand and are not aware of, you repress. You dont change. But when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-only-change-what-you-understand-what-you-do-not-understand-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A zealous disciple expressed a desire to teach others the Truth and asked the Master what he thought about this. The Master said, "Wait."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-zealous-disciple-expressed-a-desire-to-teach-others-the-truth-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [As the Arabs say, "The nature of rain is the same, but it makes thorns grow in the marshes and flowers in the gardens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/as-the-arabs-say-the-nature-of-rain-is-the-same-but-it-makes-thorns/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Sinners often speak the truth. And saints have led people astray. Examine what is said, not the one who says it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/sinners-often-speak-the-truth-and-saints-have-led-people-astray/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Isn't there such a thing as social liberation?" "Of course there is," said the Master. "How would you describe it?" "Liberation from the need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/isn-t-there-such-a-thing-as-social-liberation-of-course-there-is-said/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [The important thing is not to know who "I" is or what "I" is. You'll never succeed. There are no words for it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/the-important-thing-is-not-to-know-who-i-is-or-what-i-is-you-ll-never/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [And increasingly - you know this and so do I we're losing the youth everywhere. They hate us; they are not interested in having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-increasingly-you-know-this-and-so-do-i-we-re-losing-the-youth/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Spirituality practiced in the state of activity is incomparably superior to that practiced in a state of withdrawel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/spirituality-practiced-in-the-state-of-activity-is-incomparably/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You know, all mystics - Catholic, Christian, non-Christian, no matter what their theology, no matter what their religion - are unanimous on one thing:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-know-all-mystics-catholic-christian-non-christian-no-matter-what/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [There were rules in the monastery, but the Master always warned against the tyranny of the law. 'Obedience keeps the rules,' he would say.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/there-were-rules-in-the-monastery-but-the-master-always-warned/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [A disciple, in his reverence for the Master, looked upon him as God incarnate. "Tell me, O Master," he said, "why you have come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-disciple-in-his-reverence-for-the-master-looked-upon-him-as-god/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“And how about you? Do you want to understand and play the game of life or fool around with miracles?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/and-how-about-you-do-you-want-to-understand-and-play-the-game-of-life/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [You don't have to add anything in order to be happy; you've got to drop something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/you-don-t-have-to-add-anything-in-order-to-be-happy-you-ve-got-to/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Rare indeed, is the relationship in which the other is not cultivated for what one can get for oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/rare-indeed-is-the-relationship-in-which-the-other-is-not-cultivated/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) [Explore all 253 Anthony de Mello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) ## More Chopping wood quotes > [“How was Gengo to know, Saigyo reflected, that this unheroic existence imposed even greater torment than the icy lashings of the Nachi Falls in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/how-was-gengo-to-know-saigyo-reflected-that-this-unheroic-existence/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [I learned how little in the way of material goods we really need, and how beautiful a simple life can be. In Romania people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-zellweger/i-learned-how-little-in-the-way-of-material-goods-we-really-need-and/) [Renee Zellweger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-zellweger/) > [I like the countryside. I like chopping wood. I'd like to be a carpenter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barratt/i-like-the-countryside-i-like-chopping-wood-i-d-like-to-be-a-carpenter/) [Julian Barratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barratt/) > [“God can’t heal your leg?” the boy challenged. “Ben!” The mother snapped out of her stupor. “Sure God can heal my leg--” started the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessub-flower/god-can-t-heal-your-leg-the-boy-challenged-ben-the-mother-snapped-out/) [Jessub Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessub-flower/) > [People love chopping wood. In this activity one immediately sees results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/people-love-chopping-wood-in-this-activity-one-immediately-sees/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [When brother Brigham and brother Joseph Young went up to see the Prophet, they found him chopping wood; for he was a labouring man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilford-woodruff/when-brother-brigham-and-brother-joseph-young-went-up-to-see-the/) [Wilford Woodruff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilford-woodruff/) > [Before enlightenment; chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment; chop wood, carry water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/before-enlightenment-chop-wood-carry-water-after-enlightenment-chop/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Before enlightenment, chopping wood and carrying water. After enlightenment, chopping wood and carrying water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matsuo-basho/before-enlightenment-chopping-wood-and-carrying-water-after/) [Matsuo Basho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matsuo-basho/) > [I have taken film-work that has been a little more cliché-written, to support myself and my family, and that's a whole kind of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constantin-stanislavski/i-have-taken-film-work-that-has-been-a-little-more-clich-written-to/) [Constantin Stanislavski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constantin-stanislavski/) > [“Often, the King would dance himself, rolling his scapulars and weaving his steps around the skulls of his favourite victims. Or he would amuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-chatwin/often-the-king-would-dance-himself-rolling-his-scapulars-and-weaving/) [Bruce Chatwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-chatwin/) > [“Past events leave traces in the memory like an ax chopping wood. Chips fly; they remain where they fall even after the wood has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/past-events-leave-traces-in-the-memory-like-an-ax-chopping-wood-chips/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [High technology has done us one great service: It has retaught us the delight of performing simple and primordial tasks - chopping wood, building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/high-technology-has-done-us-one-great-service-it-has-retaught-us-the/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [What would people be surprised to know about me? That I love cooking and chopping wood for the heating system in my house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-revel-horwood/what-would-people-be-surprised-to-know-about-me-that-i-love-cooking/) [Craig Revel Horwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-revel-horwood/) > [“For dinner Jade microwaves some Stars-n-Flags. They're addictive. They put sugar in the sauce and sugar in the meat nuggets. I think also caffeine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/for-dinner-jade-microwaves-some-stars-n-flags-they-re-addictive-they/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Maybe he got tired of waiting and he'd gone without me though I doubted that was the case and decided he was probably doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/maybe-he-got-tired-of-waiting-and-he-d-gone-without-me-though-i/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) [Browse all 17 Chopping wood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chopping-wood/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There was an exhausted woodcutter who kept wasting time and energy chopping wood with a blunt ax because he did not have the time, he said, to stop and sharpen the blade.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anthony de Mello" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/there-was-an-exhausted-woodcutter-who-kept-wasting-time-and-energy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chopping wood" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/there-was-an-exhausted-woodcutter-who-kept-wasting-time-and-energy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/anthony-de-mello-1331_chopping-wood_there-was-an-exhausted-woodcutter-who-ke_1626807.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/anthony-de-mello-1331_chopping-wood_there-was-an-exhausted-woodcutter-who-ke_1626807.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/anthony-de-mello-1331_chopping-wood_there-was-an-exhausted-woodcutter-who-ke_1626807.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There was an exhausted woodcutter who kept wasting time and energy chopping wood with a blunt ax because he…” — Anthony de Mello", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anthony de Mello", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“There was an exhausted woodcutter who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/there-was-an-exhausted-woodcutter-who-kept-wasting-time-and-energy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/there-was-an-exhausted-woodcutter-who-kept-wasting-time-and-energy/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```