What Abe Can Teach Us About Purpose and Productivity

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

We all know that Abraham Lincoln was a skilled orator and debater. He cared deeply about relationships and suffered great losses in his life. Did you know he was also an entrepreneur and inventor? That’s right. Abraham Lincoln obtained a patent for an air chamber that would keep cargo boats buoyant in shallow waters.

Abe Lincoln also knew that you can’t please ALL the people all of the time. His words help me to remember that I need to concentrate on delivering a consistent message based upon the core values and direction I’ve established for my business. As a result, I will be more productive by focusing on my strengths.

President Lincoln was a man “of the people”. He valued relationships, listened before he spoke, and often connected with others through the use of storytelling. I often share with clients the importance of being able to “tell the story” — what sparked the idea to design a product or what adversity did you overcome that made you create a passion for your business?

Understanding that the quality of the relationship we build with our customers, clients and colleagues is what defines our success or failure.  It’s not about how many widgets we sell, or the number of billable hours we accumulate; it’s about focusing on our customer’s needs and giving them the best experience possible. Listen first, stick to what we know, focus on finding the best solutions and concentrate on developing lasting relationships.  Everything else will fall into place.

Abraham Lincoln said it best in a letter to Quintin Campbell dated June 28, 1862:

---

“Adhere to your purpose and you will soon feel as well as you ever did. On the contrary, if you falter, and give up, you will lose the power of keeping any resolution, and will regret it all your life.”