Look before you leap.

Look before you leap. = Think before you act.

This maxim advises that we should look deeply upon the matter and think over on how it is to be done before we begin to act and also it warns that if we do not do so, we will be put into troubles after having done it wrongly.


This maxim advocates everyone who intends to excel in his endeavour. It stresses that one must be aware of planning before he begins to act on how to undertake the work. If a person wants to start a business or a project, he must plan the procedure to be followed and the methods of doing. Also, he must analyze the dos and don’ts and the pros and cons that may arise on the course of undertaking. During this analysis he can be fully aware of his venture and so he can eliminate the hurdles and hazards. Moreover he can require knowledge to rectify the unforeseen problems. The Tamil Poet and Sage Thiruvalluvar states to think and analyze thoroughly and then act accordingly and it is unwise to repent after starting to act for wrong manipulation.


Once there lived a rich man called Venkat. He reared a puppy called Tingu. It grew up into a brave faithful dog. One day, Venkat and his wife went out for shopping, leaving their little son under the care of Tingu. When they returned in the evening the dog ran out to greet his master. Venkat was shocked to find the dog’s mouth with blood. Alarmed for his child, he runs up to the cradle but he found the child missing. Seeing the ground covered with blood, he concluded that the dog had killed the baby and so he killed the dog. Just then he heard the baby’s cry and rushed there. He saw the baby unhurt and close to the dead wolf, the dog had killed. He repented for his not thinking before acting.


So, whatever we do and whatsoever manner we have, we should think before we begin to act. No action is correct which is done on the furious mood. We should apply our intellect and intelligence before we take the final decision and act upon those decisions. Because man is by nature an animal of instinct. We are moved by our emotions rather than by our wisdom. In order to save ourselves from the trap of emotions, we have to be cautious of our actions. Then only our future will be happy and peaceful.