Historically, Oregon's lumberyards and forests were crawling with lumberjacks. Much different than the hipster "Urban Lumberjack" motif that is seen around Portland these days.

The traditional lumberjack was a serious man. Flannel and denim and leather boots were functional attire, not a way for the effete barista class to signal their recent move to the northwest.

Either way, we are living in a different world today than we were even a generation ago. The lumberjack and the cowboy—heritage Americans—are mocked. Caricatures of the authentic hard-scrabble lives they led exist instead.

It used to be that every day, real, honest to God lumberjacks were sent out into the forest to cut down trees.

It has changed a bit with the advent of technology (and the worship of the spotted owl), so it's not like it once was. Yet, being a lumberjack used to be a good summer job for Oregonians.

So, imagine days gone by in early June and it is pre-NIL where college athletes needed a job… a real one. The bigger, stronger guys—usually football players—could stay in shape by swinging an axe all day. And they'd get paid.

A perfect job.

As you could imagine, the monotony of axe-swinging and felling trees could get a little boring for a college boy, but in this little story, after a few weeks on the job, the boss man called his crew together, which now consisted of about 20 new lumberjacks, together.

"Okay, every once in a while I do this," said the boss. "We're going to give a $250 bonus to whoever chops down the most trees today. Clock starts, as we do every day, at 8 o'clock."

This was a big bonus for a college kid. These players from the various colleges and universities across the state were all excited and imagined the small riches and all that light beer they could buy with a bonus of that size.

"Everybody is also going to take an hour-long break for lunch," said the boss. "At 5 o'clock, you'll hear the bell ring. Then, tomorrow, we'll tell you who won the prize."

With this competition between football players, massive deforestation was a near certainty. Every one of these guys were geared up and ready to swing the axe.

However, in the crew there was also one fellow in his 60s. Ralph. He'd worked for the lumber company for decades and all of the young bucks completely discounted him. Too old, they thought.

Once they started the competition, trees fell fast. Energy level was high. The old guy, however, every 60 to 90 minutes or so, would mosey his way up into a shed and come back 15 minutes later and start chopping again.

"What a loser!" said the Ducks defensive end.

"He's so soft. He can't take the pace," declared the Vikings fullback.

Again, these fellows are chopping furiously and an hour and a half later, sure enough, the old guy goes back up into his shed. He comes out 15 minutes later, back down the hill and to his post.

When it is about quarter of 5, the pace gets ridiculous. These ballplayers are swinging and cutting and finishing. You better believe PAC-10 athletes finish!

Everyone, to a man, thinks they have won. A job well done.

The next morning at 8 o'clock, the boss calls everyone around to announce the winner.

"Ralph, come over here," said the boss. "Here's your $250."

Nobody could believe it. "Are you kidding me?" said the Beavers linebacker.

Ralph was the "old guy."

"How could he win? He kept taking breaks," said the Wildcats safety. "How could he win? How could he chop down more trees?"

The Raiders left tackle said, "Ralph, what were you doing when you kept going back up to that shed? Were you going into some sort of portal of something?"

"I might be old, there fella," said Ralph. "But I'm smart. See, I was doing something that you guys weren't doing."

"Oh yeah, like cutting down trees?" asked the grad-transfer QB from Southern Cal, now without a team.

"Boy, every hour to hour and a half, I was sharpening my axe. I was sharpening my axe!"

That's what we're talking about.

The person who gets the best grades is not typically the one that works the hardest.

It's the person who works the smartest.

"Boys," said the boss. "We've spent all these hours trying to convince you that you don't just keep swinging the axe. You don't just keep working hard."

A lot of open jaws and confused faces looked back at the boss.

"Start working smart."

As always,

Brian

P.S. -- We work smart in O'Leary's Inner Sphere, our new program where we cater only to ambitious and driven people who are looking to take their work and passion to the next level. Our first cohort is up and running and has a remarkable pool of talent. Expect updates on their success throughout the summer.

But if you don't want to wait, we're spinning up a few more groups as the summer marches on.

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