Hari was a woodcutter known for his sincerity and hard work. Each day, he went into the forest, cut wood, and earned his living by selling it. For years, this routine sustained him well.

But over a few months, Hari began to notice something troubling—his income was steadily falling. He worked just as hard as before, yet the results no longer matched his effort.

No matter how much he thought about it, he could not understand what had gone wrong.

Worried and confused, Hari finally approached a close friend for advice. “I am doing everything exactly as before,” he said. “I work hard every day, but the money is just not coming in.”

His friend listened patiently but did not respond right away. Instead, he asked Hari to return the next day.

That night, the friend reflected deeply on Hari’s problem. When Hari came back the following day, the friend spoke gently. “Your problem lies in what you told me yesterday. You said you are doing everything as before—and that is true. But tell me, when was the last time you sharpened your axe?”

Hari was taken aback. After a moment of thought, he admitted, “Not for a very long time.” The friend smiled and said, “There is your solution. You must sharpen your axe from time to time.”

Moral
To “sharpen the axe” in life means to regularly invest time in renewing and improving yourself—your body, your mind, your skills, your relationships, and your inner spirit—so that your efforts remain effective and your growth continues.