   Don’t Worry About the Mule Going BlindIn Appalachian and Southern speech, "Don’t worry about the mule going blind - just keep plowing to the end of the row" means "stay focused on your work and don’t fret over things you can’t control." It’s a vivid farm-based metaphor for perseverance. #SouthernSayings #Appalachia #OldTimers #Southern #FarmTalk #Proverbs Hillbilly Dude Says...  The whole sayin' is ‘don’t worry about the mule going blind - just keep plowing to the end of the row.’ This one is probably regional and mainly old timers. Pronunciation[DONT WUR-ee bout thuh MYOOL GO-in BLIND " JUS KEEP PLOW-in tuh thuh END of thuh ROW] Meaning & Usage- Stay focused; don’t fret over things you can’t control (proverb / metaphor)
Mae:
I’m worried about what might go wrong.
Earl:
Don’t worry about the mule going blind - just keep plowing to the end of the row.other spellings: keep plowing to the end of the row, and focus on the task at hand ★ This saying takes its imagery from farm life. A blind or balky mule might worry you, but the lesson is: keep moving and finish the work regardless. It’s a Southern way of saying "control what you can and don’t stress about the rest." ★ OriginDocumented in Southern and Appalachian folk-saying collections, sermons, and political speeches from the mid-20th century onward. Draws on everyday mule-and-plow farm work familiar across the rural South. NotesStill heard among older Southerners, preachers, and businesspeople as a homespun motivational line. Outside the South it’s rare and often quoted to evoke a "country wisdom" feel. Say It Like a SouthernerSaid plain: "don’t worry ’bout the mule goin’ blind, just keep plowin’ to the end of the row." Often shortened to just the first half or the "keep plowing" part. | About We are a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia, but wide as the world. Read more... |
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