Do you have the right tools?

As an outdoor educator, some days were workdays. On these days, my fellow teachers and I would all pitch in to clean up the camp and prepare it for the next group. During one of these workdays, another teacher and I were asked to remove some bolts and given a tool. Even though neither of us had done this before, it seemed like it wouldn’t be too hard.

The task soon proved much more daunting than we anticipated. The tool we were given didn’t seem to grip the bolt well. Despite our best efforts, the bolt wouldn’t budge. We struggled and struggled — we took turns struggling. We adjusted our grip, the placement of the tool, the placement of our bodies, and we even tried to remove the bolt with our bare hands. Nothing helped.

We kept struggling until it was clear that we were hardly making any progress. We weren’t going to complete the task anytime soon, so we called for help. Help arrived  with a different tool. Unfamiliar with the tools, we didn’t even think to wonder if we needed a different tool. With this new tool, the bolts slipped right off, and we were soon helping our fellow teachers who were still completing their tasks.

If you’re struggling and getting nowhere, like my fellow teacher and me, you might be using the wrong tool. It may be time to ask for help from someone who can teach you new tools and how to use them.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a safe and healthy week.