Go With Your Strengths
I spent the better part of an afternoon working on a simple project using ingenuity and intellect. I needed to move the roof of the front porch on the old house. The plan was very strait forward. Dig out the area surrounding the legs so the concrete around them is clear to be raised. Connect the left and right legs together with a four by four secured by eight inch long lag bolts. Jack the legs up one at a time slowly back and forth bracing them with flat concrete blocks until they are out of the ground. Move the structure carefully out of the way. I worked slowly and carefully to make sure everything went just right. The four by four splintered, the lag bolts ripped out and plan "A" was a complete and total failure. I didn't even budge the thing. Time was wasted, effort was wasted, and I was feeling like a tool.
Then a moment of calm came over me and in this perfect zen instant the path was revealed to me. I was doing it wrong. Actually, I might have been doing it right, but not right for me.
I put away the shovel, post hole digger, drill, hand tools, and jack. I cleared away the blocks, the scraps of splintered wood, and any sharp pokey objects that do seem to like to tear my cloths. I went into the shed and brought out The Six Pounder. In a former life it was a splitting axe with a six pound head. That was before I broke the handle splitting wood. Some years ago I cut off the splintered end, wrapped the remaining eight inches of handle in leather and today it serves as an executive problem solver. The Six Pounder, solves problems my way, using my strengths to their best advantage.
My way is not very sportsmanlike.
After hours of wasted intellect and effort got me nothing, the porch was now laying defeated at my feet in a matter of minutes thanks to simply playing to my strengths. I think there was a life lesson in there somewhere for me. If you are a hammer, everything really does look like a nail. If you are an ax, every problem can be cut down to size, if you happen to be me, just let your force be your guide.
