“There’s no education in the second kick of a mule.” Anonymous
Having been raised in the farm country of the Midwestern United States and having been kicked by a mule as a kid, this quote has a special meaning for me. First of all, you can bet that after that experience, I was very careful to keep my distance from the back end of not only mules, but horses, ponies, and anything with hooves. Trust me, it was a painful experience that taught me a lot about situational awareness with animals. Fast-forward to today and the world of common sense as it relates to careers and lives in general. I don’t think anyone would willingly subject themselves to that second kick, but how many times have seen, or done yourself, a similar thing by repeating something that you know you shouldn’t do–again? It could involve anger, over-enthusiasm before doing the required due diligence, talking a short-cut instead of doing it right the first time, or not returning a phone call or email in a timely fashion. Think about it. Are you standing behind a mule right now and, if so, don’t you think this would be a good time to apply the lesson that should have been learned from that first kick?
Good luck on your journey!
