We have done with Hope and Honour. we are lost to Love and Truth, We are dropping down the ladder rung by rung; And the measure of our torment is the measure of our youth. God help us, for we knew the worst too young!
Rudyard KiplingRead
If you hit a pony over the nose at the outset of your acquaintance, he may not love you but he will take a deep interest in your movements ever afterwards
Interpretation
What this quote means
First impressions matter, and how we treat others initially can deeply influence their perception of us.
This quote by Rudyard Kipling highlights the importance of first impressions in relationships. The analogy of hitting a pony suggests that negative or aggressive actions at the beginning of any relationship can create a lasting impression, prompting the other party to remain curious or aware of you, even if the relationship doesn’t develop fondness. It serves as a reminder that our initial interactions shape how others may engage with us in the future, whether positively or negatively.
Themes
First ImpressionsRelationshipsPerceptionInteractionAcquaintance
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be shared during a team-building event to emphasize the importance of positive first interactions.
More from Rudyard Kipling
All quotes →Humble because of knowledge; mighty by sacrifice.
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Hear and attend and listen; for this is what befell and be-happened and became and was, O my Best Beloved, when the Tame animals were wild. The dog was wild, and the Horse was wild, and the Cow was wild, and the Sheep was wild, and the Pig was wild -as wild as wild could be - and they walked in the Wet Wild Woods by their wild lones. But the wildest of all the wild animals was the Cat. He walked by himself and all places were alike to him
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I keep six honest serving men.
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And when your back stops aching and your hands begin to harden, You will find yourself a partner in the Glory of the Garden.
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Savings represent much more than mere money value. They are the proof that the saver is worth something in himself. Any fool can waste; any fool can muddle; but it takes something more of a man to save and the more he saves the more of a man he makes of himself. Waste and extravagance unsettle a man's mind for every crisis; thrift, which means some form of self-restraint, steadies it.
Rudyard KiplingRead
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