Chop Wood, Carry Water by Joshua Medcalf is a book that will change your life if you apply all its principles.
In this book we follow John who as a child had a dream to be a samurai archer. As a young adult, he travels to Japan to make this a reality.
Little does he realize that it takes years to become an archer, not a few weeks. In fact, he’s not even allowed to touch a bow for months. First, he had to learn to chop wood and carry water, which he did every day he lived in the complex. Chop Wood, Carry Water is a euphemism for the process, both internal and external, one must go through to be great. It’s the fundamentals. It’s the person you become in the process, while achieving your life skills.
In total, John spends 10 years in Japan before he graduates as an archer. However, he has gained what most people don’t: a character that dares to do what others won’t, who works hard in the process, and someone with a purpose in life.
This book is so full of life nuggets that it’s hard to cover all of them in such a short post. Here are some of my favorite principles from this book:
“Choose to do what others won’t, and eventually you will be able to do what others can’t.”
“My value comes from who I am, not from what I do.”
“You are building your own house.”
“Choosing to believe that anything that happens is in your best interest…will develop within you an ability to change the world.”
“The setbacks of today become the forging blades of greatness for tomorrow.”
“Every little thing we do matters greatly when it is multiplied by the number of times we do it.”
“Focus on the process; control the controllables.”
“In order to reach your greatest potential you must operate with a heart posture of gratitude, commit to the controllables, surrender the outcome, and trust the process.”
GET THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW! GO TO AMAZON. ORDER IT. YOU WON’T REGRET IT. IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE IF YOU LET IT.
My Journey to the CrossFit Games 