A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

Recent entries:
“Civil engineering implies the existence of criminal engineering” (4/23)
“Dungeness crab implies the existence of Dragoness crab” (4/23)
Entry in progress—BP15 (4/23)
Entry in progress—BP14 (4/23)
Entry in progress—BP13 (4/23)
More new entries...

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z


Entry from October 23, 2008
“Plan your work and work your plan”

“Plan your work and work your plan” (or “Plan your work, then work your plan”) was used often in church sermons from at least the 1880s. The origin of the saying is unknown.
 
The scuba expression “Plan your dive and dive your plan” has been cited in print since 1970 and the finance expression “Plan your trade and trade your plan” has been cited in print since the 1990s.
 
 
3 December 1887, Oshkosh (WI) Record, pg. 2, col. 6:
SUCCESSFUL LABORS.
“Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan” a
Good Motto for Christians.

A friend of mine tells of a successful Chrisitan worker, who was always in demand for any church activity that was sick and dying. “Oh, call in Bro. G. Give him charge of it. He’ll have it in a healthy condition very soon.” Now, this very effective Br. G. had a motto which he repeated often, and to which he ascribed in large measure his success. The motto was: “Plan your work and work your plan.” This motto is two in one, and of both mottoes it may be said, “useless one without the other.” Put them together, however, and they are very effective. Plan and expect or make a team that, by the blessing of God, will pull almost any forlorn hope out of the mud. That is, if it is worth pulling out. Is your noble enterprise stuck in the mire? Don’t stop praying, but in the name of common-sense do begin planning and working. The first thing you know you will hear the sucking noise of the croakers. That is a sign the wheels are beginning to give. Put the lash to the team. Push them for all they are worth. Why, thank God, almost before you know it, you are out on hard road. Now, don’t unhinge your team and leave your wagon standing in the road. If you are not an idiot the thought will come to you that the wagon won’t run itself. better keep your team on, and keep them going at good speed, then the next mud-hole will be more easily passed.
  (...)
Rev. Weber A. Hall, in N. W. Christian Advocate.
   
Google Books
The Model Sunday-School:
A Handbook of Principles and Practices

By George Mills Boynton
Boston, MA: Congregational Sunday-school and Publishing Society
1892
Pg. 90:
As some one has wisely said, “Plan your work and work your plan.”
 
5 November 1900, Atlanta (GA) Constitution, “Some Sermons Heard in the Pulpits Yesterday,” pg. 10:
“‘Plan your work,’” declared the minster, “and then ‘work your plan.’”
(Rev. Dr. Landrum—ed.)
   
Chronicling America
4 May 1904, Mt. Sterling (KY) Advocate, pg. 4, col. 4:
“Plan your work thoroughly, and then thoroughly work your plan.”
       
OCLC WorldCat record
The Lesson plan book: plan your work—work your plan.
Type:  Book; English
Publisher: Huntington Beach, Calif. : Creative Teaching Press, 1981.
   
OCLC WorldCat record
Plan your work/work your plan
by James R Sherman
Type:  Book; English
Publisher: Los Altos, Calif. : Crisp Publications, ©1991.

Posted by {name}
New York CityBanking/Finance/Insurance • Thursday, October 23, 2008 • Permalink


Commenting is not available in this channel entry.