The Man That Threw Away His Scissors
The Man That Threw Away His Scissors
Here’s a man who never went anywhere without his scissors. He went on holiday - so did his scissors. He went to friends - so did his scissors. He went to see family and so did his scissors. In fact, anywhere the man went those scissors were never far away.
As the years went on the man began to age, his body began to ache and his scissors despite not really being any heavier began to feel heavier.
After a long day in his salon doing haircut after haircut the man would go home. His body ached, his legs were sore, his feet would endlessly throb and he had spoken so much all day long he could barely utter a word.
His wife asked him, “Are you ok?”
He remained silent. She repeated the question and the answer was still nothing - not a single word came out of his mouth.
As time went on his wife would repeat the same question. His answer remained the same.
Then the day arrived. The man had an announcement to make to his wife to his fired and to anyone who would listen. It was this.
“I am selling my hairdressing salons, I am throwing away my scissors and I am making some dramatic changes in my life.” He then held out his £400 hairdressing scissors in front of him and threw them on the floor. Despite the high-quality Japanese tungsten steel, the scissors broke into three pieces.
One piece landed next to his wife’s foot. The second piece actually stuck into his shoe. Then the third and final piece flew out of the open door into the garden. The symbolism was as if a new life was about to begin. The old life was shattered.
And it was.
His family thought he was having some kind of breakdown. He was but this breakdown was with purpose. The man was breaking his old life and clearing the ground in preparation for the new life ahead.
No one believed he could rebuild. He was convinced the rebuild had already taken place. He knew that once the mind was conquered the rest was a formality.
I am the man who dropped his scissors. When I walked away from my 20-year-old and very successful hairdressing business to become a copywriter no one believed it was possible. I knew it was possible. I knew I was already there in my head.
Since the final days of my hairdressing businesses, I went on to build a new life as a writer, copywriter, author, filmmaker, director, scriptwriter, teacher, mentor and so much more.
Here is what I realised. A person that isn't creating is falling into a slow death. Life has never been better.
Are you ready to be the person that finally drops their scissors? I am ready and here to guide you, help you, challenge you, change you and show you the way I have already walked.
Alan Forrest Smith