Recently I read a sign that said, “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.” I had been told this American Proverb before, but had not fully analyzed what a dream killer this phrase could be.
Know Your Phrase, sites that it originated from Samuel Butler in the years 1663-1664 it was used for the most part in a poem called Hudibras.
According to The English Language Learning Cyber Center, this proverb is used to warn someone not to plan anything that depends on a good thing you expect to happen in the future, and tell him/her to wait until it really happens.
Wikipedia defined it as:
- You should not count on something before it happens.
- You should not expect all of your hopes to be fulfilled.
In my opinion to, “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch,” is a dream killer because it limits endless possibilities of what your future can be. Can you even plan for a future without faith or hope? Some people would argue that it is wiser to be realistic even if it requires a pessimistic view. “Chicken Counters,” or optimists only have positive expectations and prevail most of the time. When they don’t, they readjust their sails and try again! “Chicken Killers,” or pessimists have such views because the thought of falling may be too great. In their views it’s better not to as Wikipedia puts it, “expect all of your hopes to be fulfilled.” This view is based on fear. When we think this way we can talk ourselves out of wonderful things. We know that the Steve Jobs and Robert Einstein would have not done what they did if they had not visualized their dreams first. They stuck with their inventions because they, “Counted their chickens before they hatched.” They expected good results and that is why they succeeded. “Chicken Killers,” disappointed by end results so we disappoint ourselves before we even get started! We decide to fail before we get to the finish line! Mentally this makes you settle for worst case scenarios not best case scenarios. Look around you every invention or creation that was ever done started from the visualization that it was, “possible.” It started with the belief that it could happen and gave fuel to the end results.
I used to be scared to, “Count my chickens before they hatched.” I guess it was the belief that if you think positively you can jinx or bring bad luck to a desire, because in my humble little mind positive things could not happen to me! I also believed it was better to not have high expectations, so I would not end up disappointed. You know the strangest thing? I could not believe that great things could happen, but bad things I would bet on all the time! In other words I could count that I was not going to get any chickens, but was not able to stay optimistic to the belief that all my eggs would have chicks. Funny how our brain works! Or should I say, funny how the brain works us!
As I write this blog, I am becoming a believer of visualization and I’m “counting ton’s and ton’s of chickens before they hatch! But not without putting in hard work and dedication to all my hopes and dreams.
I love this quote by Marianne Williamson where she encourages visualization. Visualization is the key element to fulfilling your destiny by supporting your dreams come true!
Why not try visualization? You have nothing to lose and many wonderful things to gain. Visualization is the first step to your dreams. but there is an element of hard work that follows.
Ordinary people believe only in the possible. Extraordinary people believe in the impossible.
To “Count your chickens before they hatch,” gives you the self belief that what ever you desire for your life is on it’s way.
Jim Carrey, also shares why visualization is important but it also requires work, dedication and commitment.
In conclusion, I hope that I was able to influence you to be a, “Chicken Counter!” I hope I reminded you that you are EXTRAORDINARY and that for this reason you should only see the possibilities not the limitations. Remember dream big and only have positive expectations. Until then, BELIEVE. CHANGE. BECOME! See you next Monday!