Some lessons stay with you long after the event ends because they hold a mirror to how we learn, grow, and show up.
Earlier this week, I attended the HR Indaba in Sandton and one panelist shared something that really stayed with me. She spoke about what has shaped her career and sustained her success: learning, curiosity, and reflection.
To bring this to life, she told the story of the woodcutter.
A group of woodcutters go into the forest each day to chop wood. One disappears for two hours every afternoon but always returns with the largest pile at the end of the day. When his co-workers finally ask how he does it, he smiles and says, “I rest and I sharpen my axe.”
That story, simple but profound, grounded everything that followed. She spoke about the power of learning, the courage to stretch, and the discipline of reflection as anchors of sustainable growth.
What It Made Me Reflect On
Those three ideas – learning, courage, and reflection sit at the core of how we grow as professionals and as people. They also reminded me of what the research consistently tells us:
- Learning drives innovation. Organisations with strong learning cultures are 92% more likely to innovate and 52% more productive than their peers (LinkedIn Learning Report, via ASAPorg.com).
- Courage sustains engagement. Gallup found that employees encouraged to experiment and take calculated risks are almost 3× more engaged than those who aren’t (Gallup Workplace Report).
- Reflection fuels performance. A Harvard Business Review study found that employees who made space for daily reflection improved their performance by 23% (Learning by Thinking: How Reflection Aids Performance and Reflecting on Work Improves Job Performance – Harvard Business School).
Listening to her unpack those points reminded me how easily we forget that growth isn’t just about moving forward it’s also about making time to pause, think, and listen.
Bringing It Closer to Home
For me, the story of the woodcutter isn’t about productivity it’s about purpose. It’s a reminder that in our pursuit of progress, we often neglect the very habits that help us sustain it: learning with intention, listening with curiosity, and reflecting with honesty.
And perhaps most importantly, it’s about staying grounded in who we are, so that every stretch forward remains aligned with what we value most.
Reflection
The woodcutter didn’t out-work his peers, he out-learned them. He rested, reflected, and returned sharper.
In the same way, growth isn’t found in endless motion, but in the moments we stop to sharpen our own axes, that is, to learn, to listen, and to lead with authenticity.
Until next week, keep moving with purpose.
AJ
