Drawing & Sketching

Sometimes when I'm just not so keen on whittling, I'll start to sketch and draw some things that I could carve.  I have always thought that there was a link between drawing and carving.  Although I am not so sure anymore.  I am sure that you can improve what your finished whittling or carving looks like by practicing both sketching and whittling/carving.  I have learned that as I sketch I think of my pencil as a knife.  In doing this, I am attempting to be sure that what I draw I can actually whittle or carve.  I am also reasonably sure that sketching
and drawing can motivate me to get back to my knife and whittle.