A scrawny old man wanted to get a job at a nearby lumberjack camp, so he approached the boss, who politely tried to talk him out of the idea.

“Give me a few minutes of your time, and I’ll show you what I can do,” suggested the man.

When the two arrived at a grove of trees needing to be cleared, the persistent old man picked up an ax and proceeded to chop down a huge tree in record time.

“That’s incredible,” the boss said. “Where did you learn to fell trees like that?”

“Well,” said the old man, “you’ve heard of the Sahara Forest?”

Hesitantly the boss replied, “Don’t you mean the Sahara Desert?”

The old man smiled and said, “Sure, that’s what it’s called now.”

“Achievers are producers,” writes Glenn Van Ekeren. “They understand the world will not recognize them for what they could have done, should have done or would have done."

Achievement is one of the desires that drives us. Why do you think we have various awards like Grammys, Emmys, Oscars and Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes, not to mention numerous halls of fame?

“The number of new products available and the new inventions which make life easier from generation to generation all testify to mankind’s thirst for more achievement,” wrote authors Leonard and Thelma Spinrad. “No matter what kind of society or political system a country may have, it seeks to provide recognition for what it regards as achievement.”

Outstanding efforts, great courage, heroic deeds, superior commitment and innovative accomplishments all deserve acknowledgement. But recognition shouldn’t be the primary motivation for achievement.

I can tell you from personal experience that achieving a goal or completing a major business or civic project is a reward in itself. Yes, my ego appreciates the kudos, but it doesn’t make the achievement any sweeter. I just want to do the best and most complete job I can do.

Finding the motivation to achieve is sometimes a challenge. You know what you can achieve; it’s the getting started part that inhibits results. When you feel stuck, you can pull yourself up with an attitude adjustment. The Success magazine website offers some ideas on how to make the change.

-- Rely on yourself first. You’ll have to ask others for advice, assistance and support, but remember that in the end, your success is your responsibility alone.

-- Have a plan. Don’t go off in all directions at once. Work out a solid, detailed strategy for getting from your starting point to the result you want.

-- Focus on commitment. Are you really committed to your goal? If not, you won’t be motivated to pursue it.

-- Concentrate on gaining knowledge. Don’t expect instant results. Instead, work on accumulating the knowledge you need to get to where you want to go.

-- Have some fun. Don’t make the work all drudgery. Set a goal you’ll enjoy working toward, and look for opportunities to have fun along the way.

-- Spark your imagination. Be open to anything, no matter how wild it seems at first. Generate ideas through brainstorming with others, exploring the world around you, and seeking opportunities to learn new things.

-- Challenge yourself. Don’t wait for the perfect moment to take action. Take chances, get out of your comfort zone and be realistic about your mistakes and the causes of your failures.

We all have the potential to be great achievers. It may not come with a trophy or a job title, but achievement is measured on many fronts. Don’t just dream about achieving something -- stay awake and do it!

Gretchen Alexander refused to allow her blindness to limit her life experiences. She mastered archery, golf, softball, sailing and waterskiing, as well as a number of other activities her sighted friends had yet to learn.

Speaking to a group of high school students about her achievements, one student asked if there was anything she wouldn’t try. “I’ve decided not to skydive,” she answered. “It would scare the heck out of my dog.”

Mackay’s Moral: Getting something done is an accomplishment; getting something done right is an achievement.

2020 has presented challenges for all of us, not the least of which is the fear that life will never return to normal.

It’s been tough sometimes to be grateful, considering what is happening all around us. But I have an idea that a friend shared with me when I heard grumbling about not being able to go to a ball game, or gathering with friends, or having to cancel a long-awaited trip.

“Yes, I know it feels like so much has been taken from us. But there’s still plenty of material to mine,” she suggested. “Start by finding joy in small things. Think of all that you have instead of wishing for what you don’t have.”

Her point was simple: If you are not grateful for what you have, it is doubtful you will be grateful for what you will get.

I’ll admit, at first it took some time and thought to adjust my attitude. But once I started listing what I was grateful for, I just kept going. My list was pretty long. And most of the items were not “things” at all. They were the people and experiences in my life.

I’m betting that all of you can make a similar list if you try. Start looking for little things that you can appreciate.

November is National Gratitude Month. That seems logical, with Thanksgiving always falling on the fourth Thursday of November. But you don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving to show your gratitude and appreciation. There’s something to be grateful for every morning you wake up. Challenge yourself to greet each day with an attitude of gratitude.

In fact, there are some pretty significant physical and mental benefits to gratitude, which include:

-- Improved physical, emotional and social well-being.

-- Greater optimism and happiness.

-- Improved feelings of connection in times of loss or crises.crisis?

-- Increased self-esteem.

-- Heightened energy levels.

-- Strengthened heart, immune system and decreased blood pressure.

-- Expanded capacity for forgiveness.

-- Decreased stress, anxiety, depression and headaches.

-- Improved self-care and greater likelihood to exercise.

-- Heightened spirituality, i.e. the ability to see something bigger than ourselves.

That list alone should provide you impetus to look for reasons to be grateful for what you have. And remember, where you are isn’t where you have to stay. As you ponder the things that you are thankful for, you can also look forward to how you can use those gifts to move to the level where you want to be.

Maybe your job isn’t as challenging or fulfilling as you’d like it to be. But you have gained professional experience, developed people skills that could lead you to take on more responsibility, been provided opportunities to grow your network or discovered that your real passion lies in doing something different -- all while being able to pay the bills with, hopefully, a little left over. That kind of education is a reason for gratitude, especially when you move on to your new and better job.

Have you told the people around you how grateful you are for their roles in your life? Your words don't need to be flowery or formal, just sincere. You might be surprised at how they respond -- perhaps because no one has ever told them they’ve made a difference.

If a face-to-face conversation is awkward, why not go back to the best kind of mail anyone can receive: the old-fashioned hand-written thank-you note. And I don’t say that just because I’m an envelope guy!

Start looking around for reasons to be grateful. It won’t take long, and it won’t cost you anything. You don’t have to be a psychologist to understand that you are responsible for your own happiness and attitude.

A 4-year-old actress was appearing in a movie with an aging, crotchety star. One day, the star came on the set all made up beautifully, and the little girl said to her, “Gee, you look so nice.”

The actress made a pouty face and replied, “What am I supposed to say to that?”

The little girl politely remarked, “You could say thank you.”

Mackay’s Moral: Thanksgiving is good, but “thanksliving” is better.

A sixth-grade girl was running for the post of secretary of her school class. A major part of her campaign was a speech to be given to her classmates, but she had no idea what to say. So she asked her mother for ideas.

“Well, you love to cook,” her mom said. “Why don’t you look in a cookbook?”

It was the stupidest idea she’d ever heard, but, desperate, the young girl followed her mother’s advice. Then, flipping through the pages, it hit her: Why not write a recipe for what would make a good class secretary? Two cups of good handwriting, one cup of dependability and so on.

Jan Bolick, now a management coach, won the election. And she also learned to look in unusual places for creative solutions. As it turns out, creativity is part of the “recipe” for attaining success.

What is success? The answer might depend on whom you ask and the particular stage of their own journey. Yet, no matter your age, occupation or dream for the future, achieving success comes down to a few basic factors that will likely shape your future.

-- Know what you want. Build your dream, craft your vision, write down your goals and then create a plan. Whether or not you ask for advice, never let someone talk you out of something that you have your heart set on doing. As I always say, believe in yourself even when no one else does.

-- Search for creative approaches. Sticking to the old formula will produce old results. If you can find a new or better way to build the proverbial mousetrap, more power to you. Even little tweaks and bright ideas can make the difference.

-- Avoid comparisons. You have goals and aspirations that have little to do with what your friends, neighbors or colleagues are doing. Focus on what you are trying to accomplish and your plan for making that happen.

-- Cultivate patience. Worthwhile success takes time. If you’re in a rush, you’ll cut corners and ignore warning signs. Take a step-by-step approach that’s focused on long-term results. Go for quick wins only when they’re realistic and valuable.

-- Cut out negative self-talk. Perfection often gets in the way of achievement. Successful people stick to a path of continual growth and self-improvement; they are constantly working to become a smarter, better version of themselves.

-- Admit your mistakes. Failure/mistakes are not fatal. When they happen, learn from them. Figure out what went wrong, if you can. Then pick yourself up, get back on your feet and keep moving forward.

-- Don’t go it alone. Network. Get involved with a group or professional organization of individuals in your field. Include people at all stages of their careers. Stay connected through social media channels, and make an effort to meet in person regularly. Don’t take these relationships for granted.

Life should teach you who you are, Oprah Winfrey said in a commencement address at Wellesley College. The media mogul and former talk-show host says for a long time she spent her life wanting to be someone else. She recalled wanting to be like legendary television personality Barbara Walters, and discovered she was not when she could not pronounce “Barbados” on air.

She said she started to laugh on air, which was not very Barbaralike. From that moment on, Oprah says she knew that she could be a better Oprah than a Barbara, and she decided to pursue just being herself once and for all.

Her phenomenal success was the result of being “demoted” from news anchor to talk show host. She said, “I am just thrilled that I get paid so much money every day for just being myself. But it was a lesson long in coming, recognizing that I had the instinct, that inner voice that told me that you need to try to find a way to answer to your own truth, was the voice I needed to be still and listen to.”

Mackay’s Moral: Success is the difference between jumping on the bandwagon and leading the band.