Don’t get the cart before the horse
Lorelle wrote about the lone ranger. Alright, that wasn’t the whole story but she did mention the lone ranger. The thing is a lot of people don’t know who the lone ranger is. And there’s more… 
Take the classic expression “Don’t put the cart before the horse“. How many of you have ever seen a horse and cart? Does it even make sense if you were born after 1970?
So I’m looking for a new metaphor (okay it may be an analogy) and I found it this morning. When you make a peanut butter and honey sandwich, always put the honey on first.
Why you ask? Well if you dip your knife into the peanut butter first, then you’re gonna get peanut butter in the honey jar. Doh! Really… it was an epiphany to me!
Now it may not be earth shattering to get peanut butter in the honey, but it works better the other way. Sometimes the order of things just makes it a little better.
For instance:
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Listen before you speak
Waiting a moment to speak until you have really listened can be the difference between looking like a fool and looking like the source of wisdom itself. In fact really listening might alleviate the need for you to say anything.
Speaking before you listen could just be messy.
Why do we do that? -
Look before you leap
Ever heard the expression, ‘unlucky in love’? Maybe you’re not unlucky so much as not looking. Before you sign a contract; read it. Before you jump into a relationship; examine all the participants. That’s right I said all of them.
Leap before you look or you’ve got peanut bits in the honey.
Ever happened to you? -
Plan before you act
How much will it cost? How much time will it take? Do you have the resources, time and energy to finish what you’re starting? You might end up saying no instead of filling up your schedule with things that you shouldn’t be doing. Remember… get the order right: foundations first, then walls.
Plan to put the honey on before the peanut butter.
The difference between hot water and boiling water is only 1?.
The difference between average and above average is only 1%.
And sometimes the difference between mediocre and outstanding is just a matter of the order.
Don’t get the peanut butter in the honey!
Do you need to change the order of something? How is it messy? Let’s talk!
Comments (7)
Mostly, I believe we all know what to do an what not to do, but we sometimes end up doing things we aren’t suppose to. Can we change that? A book I read recently said, unless the conscious mind can command our subconscious and unconscious mind, we will continue to do what we want, and not what we should. Do I have the desire to change? Do I want the incentives I’ll receive if I made the change vs the sacrifices I’ve to make? These are the challenges I’m facing … …
how true vivienne. Risk versus reward. How strong is the reward?
Dave you always seem to write this kinda posts just when i need exactly that
“Plan before you act” – a lot of people tend to change the order, i’m a little like that sometimes (always room for improvement hehe), i so want to buy that new thing, i buy it, and then oopps should’ve planned that, so where’s all my money gone now?
before you can “have”, you gotta “do”, and even before that you gotta “be”, usually people tend to invert that and start with the “have”, then try to “do” something, but realize that “being” is the first step.
well i was born in 82, but i did saw a horse before a cart.. umm.. once, i think
That’s the kinda post that makes me think, and i can relate to Viviennes’ reply so much, especially this part “continue to do what we want, and not what we should”.
Jon… I like that! Before you can have you gotta do. That should keep you outa debt and smart wealthy and rich.
Yes, Jonathan, Dave does have this uncanny capability to jerk us awake when we were too busy with the everyday nitty gritty . That’s why no matter how busy I am with my deadlines at the creative agency, I always return for my fix.
So what do you do when you realized that you “comtinue to do what you want, and not what you should”?
“Listen before you speak,” is such good advice. And then listening some more. The fine art of using questions to draw out what the person we are speaking to is really saying. And like you say, sometimes that is all that is needed. We have a need to feel listened to, to feel heard.
I mean, just how wonderful is our wonderful advice anyway?
Hey Rory… I was thinking that if I never gave advice, I would never regret it. You are right! Can’t say enough about listening.