When I moved to the East Village in the late seventies, I wanted to be a street performer, so I practiced daily. I never did work up the skills or the courage to perform on the street, though.

Meaning: The back and its burden form an image of carrying responsibilities or difficulty. Read cautiously, the saying can encourage confidence in responding to a particular task; it cannot prove that every load is bearable or that hardship was assigned for someone’s benefit.

Meaning: A decisive first step can provide an advantage in a difficult undertaking. Read the battle image figuratively; initiative is not a justification for violence, coercion or rushing past necessary preparation.

Meaning: Decisive action can create opportunities that hesitation misses. Courage may help someone benefit from an opening, though it cannot control luck or guarantee success.

Meaning: Another worker can often find something to improve in work already considered finished. The second barber’s remaining task suggests that completion depends on standards and perspective, without proving that earlier work was careless or endless correction is necessary.