In Japanese, there’s a saying: “Tame a wild horse by grabbing its bridle from the front.” It means that even the most challenging situation can be brought under control if you face it head-on. It’s a lesson in leadership, resilience, and problem-solving. But in my everyday life, this saying often reminds me of a much more mundane struggle: cooking seafood.
I love eating seafood, but preparing it? Not so much. Whenever I need to clean a fish or peel shrimp, I hesitate. I try to avoid direct contact by using gloves, newspapers, or any kind of barrier. But this usually backfires spectacularly. Inevitably, I end up wrestling the fish barehanded, scales flying everywhere, and my kitchen looking like a battlefield. What should have been a 10-minute task often turns into a sweaty, chaotic 30-minute ordeal.
Through these experiences, I’ve come to realize how true this proverb is. If I had just faced the challenge directly from the beginning—gloves off and bridle in hand—I could have saved myself a lot of trouble. And this doesn’t apply only to seafood. How many times in life do we avoid tackling something head-on, only to make things harder for ourselves?
This proverb isn’t just for epic challenges; it’s also about small, everyday battles. Whether it’s a task you’ve been dreading or a situation you’ve been avoiding, the quickest and kindest way forward is often to face it straight on.
What are the “wild horses” in your life, and how do you tackle them? I’d love to hear your stories!
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