--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Be the lion’s tail rather than the fox’s…" description: "\"“Be the lion’s tail rather than the fox’s head! — Tractate Avot”\" — Dave Hoover" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/191/dave-hoover-56376_head_be-the-lion-s-tail-rather-than-the-fox-s_3171866.jpg" --- # Be the lion’s tail rather than the fox’s head! — Tractate… ![“Be the lion’s tail rather than the fox’s head! — Tractate Avot” quote by Dave Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/191/dave-hoover-56376_head_be-the-lion-s-tail-rather-than-the-fox-s_3171866.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/191/dave-hoover-56376_head_be-the-lion-s-tail-rather-than-the-fox-s_3171866.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/191/dave-hoover-56376_head_be-the-lion-s-tail-rather-than-the-fox-s_3171866.jpg) > ““Be the lion’s tail rather than the fox’s head! — Tractate Avot”” [Dave Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hoover/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocate for humble support over leading cunning schemes. **In simple terms:** Prefer modest roles over deceptive leadership. Key Takeaway Choose integrity over manipulation. Themes humility leadership ethics Mood serious contemplative Type ethical advice When to use this quote - business - politics - personal relationships Key Concepts moral philosophy strategy Questions to Reflect On - When is strategic leadership necessary? - How can humility coexist with authority? A Different Perspective Risk of undervaluing strategic thinking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head/) [Head Tractate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head-tractate-5776236/) [Lion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lion/) [Lion Tail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lion-tail-5776234/) [Tail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tail/) [Tail Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tail-fox-5776235/) ## Related quotes > [I would rather be the head of a fly than the tail of a lion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/i-would-rather-be-the-head-of-a-fly-than-the-tail-of-a-lion/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Speak of a wolf and you see his tail!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/speak-of-a-wolf-and-you-see-his-tail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Too much tail. All that jewelry weighs it down. Like vanity. Can't nobody fly with all that shit. Wanna fly, you got to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/too-much-tail-all-that-jewelry-weighs-it-down-like-vanity-can-t/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Go slowly, so that you do not bite your tail by accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/go-slowly-so-that-you-do-not-bite-your-tail-by-accident/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [As I get older I perceive Life has its tail in its mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/as-i-get-older-i-perceive-life-has-its-tail-in-its-mouth/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [His name is 'Mr. Spock.' And the first view of him can be almost frightening - a face so heavy-lidded and satanic you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/his-name-is-mr-spock-and-the-first-view-of-him-can-be-almost/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) > [Money will buy a pretty good dog, but it won't buy the wag of his tail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/money-will-buy-a-pretty-good-dog-but-it-won-t-buy-the-wag-of-his-tail/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [“You have no tail!" said Brightspot. her own whipped suddenly forward; she stared, first at it, then at Wilson."How do you manage?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-kagan/you-have-no-tail-said-brightspot-her-own-whipped-suddenly-forward-she/) [Janet Kagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-kagan/) > [“The cat's tail was straying into her face again; she was forced to expel air in a most unbecoming fashion to avoid a mouthful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/the-cat-s-tail-was-straying-into-her-face-again-she-was-forced-to/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [All through the kind of late '80s and '90s, every A&R record company man was saying, 'Now what we want is another record like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/all-through-the-kind-of-late-80s-and-90s-every-a-r-record-company-man/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [When you're born with a tail, you learn to go through doors fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-wagner/when-you-re-born-with-a-tail-you-learn-to-go-through-doors-fast/) [Kurt Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-wagner/) > [“As Fama put it, “Life always has a fat tail.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-lowenstein/as-fama-put-it-life-always-has-a-fat-tail/) [Roger Lowenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-lowenstein/) > [Computing shows up in many different ways. You have computing that you wear, computing that you carry. What you think of as the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dell/computing-shows-up-in-many-different-ways-you-have-computing-that-you/) [Michael Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dell/) > [“It’s a spur? Your males don’t have one?” “What’s it for?” “Nothing, I imagine. It’s just there, like my tail. Maybe it had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-dixon/it-s-a-spur-your-males-don-t-have-one-what-s-it-for-nothing-i-imagine/) [Ruby Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-dixon/) > [Keeping a woman to her word is like trying to hold an alligator by its tail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/keeping-a-woman-to-her-word-is-like-trying-to-hold-an-alligator-by/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) ## More by Dave Hoover > [“Anyone who has ever seen a programmer at work... knows that programming itself, if the programmer is given the chance to do it his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hoover/anyone-who-has-ever-seen-a-programmer-at-work-knows-that-programming/) [Dave Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hoover/) > [“Record What You Learn. If you have recorded the things you have learned, it is easier to share them with others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hoover/record-what-you-learn-if-you-have-recorded-the-things-you-have/) [Dave Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hoover/) > [“One of the most valuable things you can gain from any book is a list of other books that are worth reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hoover/one-of-the-most-valuable-things-you-can-gain-from-any-book-is-a-list/) [Dave Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hoover/) > [“If you come to me with a cup that is already full, how can you expect me to give you something to drink?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hoover/if-you-come-to-me-with-a-cup-that-is-already-full-how-can-you-expect/) [Dave Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hoover/) > [“If you’ve never fallen on your face, odds are you haven’t attempted anything worth a damn. — Christopher Hawkins,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hoover/if-you-ve-never-fallen-on-your-face-odds-are-you-haven-t-attempted/) [Dave Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hoover/) [Explore all 6 Dave Hoover quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hoover/) ## More Head quotes > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I used a psychologist when I was playing, It's one of the most powerful things: how you can have a concrete head and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-parker/i-used-a-psychologist-when-i-was-playing-it-s-one-of-the-most/) [Scott Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-parker/) > [This is how McGregor is, waging mental warfare before the fights. There's no way that guy is going to get in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/this-is-how-mcgregor-is-waging-mental-warfare-before-the-fights-there/) [Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I try to listen to all music with an open head, a clear head, try not to say just because I don't know it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghostface-killah/i-try-to-listen-to-all-music-with-an-open-head-a-clear-head-try-not/) [Ghostface Killah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghostface-killah/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [Love is in the heart not the head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shadow/love-is-in-the-heart-not-the-head/) [Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shadow/) > [Oh, I'm a great believer in the power of the pause. Radio is a bit brasher now. My style was slower. I just used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-wogan/oh-i-m-a-great-believer-in-the-power-of-the-pause-radio-is-a-bit/) [Terry Wogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-wogan/) > [I was painfully shy, so my aunt suggested to my mum that me and my brother go to Stage 84, a performing arts school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-cooke/i-was-painfully-shy-so-my-aunt-suggested-to-my-mum-that-me-and-my/) [Christian Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-cooke/) > [Growing up in Dallas, my first influences on the guitar were T-Bone Walker and Les Paul. T-Bone taught me how to play lead guitar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/growing-up-in-dallas-my-first-influences-on-the-guitar-were-t-bone/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [I chose a career in the kitchen because the thought of sitting and doing the same thing every day and being stationary was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-tosi/i-chose-a-career-in-the-kitchen-because-the-thought-of-sitting-and/) [Christina Tosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-tosi/) > [“All the tools, techniques and technology in the world are nothing without the head, heart and hands to use them wisely, kindly and mindfully”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-ogunlaru/all-the-tools-techniques-and-technology-in-the-world-are-nothing/) [Rasheed Ogunlaru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-ogunlaru/) > [I'm just insane. So what usually drives me is pure joy for something stupid. I'm also very visual. I'll have an idea in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-roiland/i-m-just-insane-so-what-usually-drives-me-is-pure-joy-for-something/) [Justin Roiland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-roiland/) > [We did a 'Vanity Fair' spread for 'The Hunger Games,' and we were on set, and I saw a little head pop up from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-ludwig/we-did-a-vanity-fair-spread-for-the-hunger-games-and-we-were-on-set/) [Alexander Ludwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-ludwig/) > [I say characters who are strong and wrong just have an assuredness about them that you can't even wrap your head around, you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ego-nwodim/i-say-characters-who-are-strong-and-wrong-just-have-an-assuredness/) [Ego Nwodim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ego-nwodim/) [Browse all 3,145 Head quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Be the lion’s tail rather than the fox’s head! — Tractate Avot”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dave Hoover" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hoover/be-the-lion-s-tail-rather-than-the-fox-s-head-tractate-avot/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Head" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hoover/be-the-lion-s-tail-rather-than-the-fox-s-head-tractate-avot/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/191/dave-hoover-56376_head_be-the-lion-s-tail-rather-than-the-fox-s_3171866.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/191/dave-hoover-56376_head_be-the-lion-s-tail-rather-than-the-fox-s_3171866.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/191/dave-hoover-56376_head_be-the-lion-s-tail-rather-than-the-fox-s_3171866.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Be the lion’s tail rather than the fox’s head! — Tractate Avot” — Dave Hoover", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dave Hoover", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hoover/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Be the lion’s tail rather than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hoover/be-the-lion-s-tail-rather-than-the-fox-s-head-tractate-avot/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hoover/be-the-lion-s-tail-rather-than-the-fox-s-head-tractate-avot/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```