After this recent presidential election, I’ve been thinking about one of the greats - Abraham Lincoln. I like Lincoln so much that I nearly named my son after him. But one of my most adored literary characters, Tom Sawyer, beat him out.
Abraham Lincoln said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
Gather the Right Tools for the Job
In this business, well in any business, we don’t do ourselves any favors when we immediately go at a task without first gathering the appropriate tool(s).
I’m reminded of one day as a teenager when my friend and I decided to hike in the woods behind my parents’ house. We decided on a whim, such a whim, in fact, that I just kept my sandals on my feet instead of taking the time to run inside and replace them with proper hiking footwear.
Boy, did I pay for it. We found ourselves a few miles in when I took a step right into a creek bed of mud. I was up to my shins in mud. A sandal was sucked right off my foot, never to be recovered.
I cursed myself as I was forced to hike back out with only a sandal on one foot and not even a sock on the other.
About a week later, I made a trip to the emergency room with a swollen and infected foot from the many cuts all over it from that stupid shoeless hike in the woods.
Before I ever opened my doors as a private investigator, I conducted endless hours of research to ensure I gathered the appropriate tools. I needed to figure out the best databases for the work I would be doing, the most appropriate and helpful software, programs, apps, books, training, etc. It wouldn’t do me or any of my clients any good to dive in head first without the necessary tools of the trade.
Ensure Your Tools Are in Working Order
In addition to gathering the appropriate tools for a job, we must take it a step further and ensure those tools are in good, working order. Abraham Lincoln said that for a six hour job, he would spend two-thirds of those hours sharpening the tool he needed to get the job done.
Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player in history, said, “Champions do not become champions when they win an event, but in the hours, weeks, months, and years they spend preparing for it. The victorious performance itself is merely a demonstration of their championship character.”
How can private investigators sharpen our tools? We can make sure we know how to use our tools correctly and brainstorm ways to maximize their effectiveness. Much of this can be accomplished through training and practice. We can also emulate those around us who have been at it longer than we have. Ask advice. Get help.
Use the Tool(s) To Get the Job Done
Our final step after gathering our tools and preparing them for use is to get the job done. If we’ve taken Honest Abe’s advice, most of the work is already behind us. Now we’re in the homestretch. If we’ve taken the right steps, the task at hand suddenly becomes much more attainable.