I’m breaking the rules and working on a Sunday today, because
Melinda and I are about to leave on a plane to visit chilly
Fairbanks, Alaska, where her sister lives.  We’ve been looking
forward to this trip for a long time, because her sister has a
team of sled dogs that they will attach us to, and we’ll be
pulled through the frozen tundra from cabin to cabin.

A couple of years ago, her sister sent me a really cool present
for Christmas.  It was an ulu knife.

If you have ever seen one of these, they’re really cool.  The
ulu knife has been used for ages, by the Alaskan Eskimos.  It is
made by taking a piece of bone and connecting it with a curved
piece of metal so that you can hold the entire knife in a
clenched fist, and slice up a fish in no time flat.

The last time I was in Alaska, I saw a demonstration where an
Eskimo ulu knife took a large salmon and filleted the thing in
about 60 seconds flat.  No stopping or standing, just some fat
juicy fillets ready for the eating after using the tool of
choice.

When I was given the ulu knife, I didn’t use it at first.  It
just sat there in my kitchen, and I continued using the more
traditional knife that you’re probably familiar with.  Until one
day I had a craving for a cucumber, and decided to give the
Eskimo method a try.  (I didn’t have a salmon handy,
unfortunately)

This thing was amazing.  I was chopping this cucumber into
slices in no time.  And then it was off to eat a salad.

I’ve been using it ever since.  I’ve used it to chop vegetables,
and I’ve even used it to chop up a steak when I’m making stir
fry.  What a great knife.

What makes it great is that it just works.  And it’s hard to
question what just works best.

The knife had to sit there on the shelf for awhile before I used
it.  And when I finally did, I was wondering why I had taken so
long to get around to giving it a try.  After all, the thing
just works.

And so it is in other areas of life.  Sometimes the tools are
just staring you in the face, and for whatever reason, you
haven’t picked them up and started chopping.  That’s okay,
because when you’re ready, all you have to do is reach up and
grab them.

Here’s something you can reach for.  I’ve put together a CD that
does for the web what the ulu knife does for chopping — cut
through the chum and bones, and get you to what works.

Once I picked up that ulu knife, I realized how easy things
could be.  Take the opportunity to do the same for your business
now.

Sticking with what works,
-Wally

P.S. – Have a great holiday season, and be sure to take some
time for yourself.  Here’s a great way to build more time into
your schedule while increasing profits at the same time.