If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six hours sharpening the ax.

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.

If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend six hours sharpening my ax

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.

A man watches his pear tree day after day, impatient for the ripening of the fruit. Let him attempt to force the process, and he may spoil both fruit and tree. But let him patiently wait, and the ripe pear at length falls into his lap.

Each tree will give two gallons of sap in 24 hours.