The Breakfast Pig and Chicken
Recently I heard a saying that made me stop and think: For breakfast, the pig is committed while the chicken is merely involved.
Huh?
This is how it was explained to me: For the pig to participate in breakfast, think bacon. For the chicken to participate in breakfast, think eggs. The pig’s participation in breakfast is much greater than the chicken’s participation! The pig is committed! The pig will be providing a life sustaining body part to provide breakfast! The chicken’s participation in breakfast is to provide a by-product of the chicken, an egg! The chicken is merely involved in breakfast.
What in the world does this mean?!?!?!?!
In a relationship, are you a pig or a chicken?
In a relationship there are pigs and chickens. For people who choose to marry, the commitment you make at the wedding is for the rest of your life, “till death do us part”. For people who choose to move in together, they may sign a lease, a legally binding commitment to live together for 6 months or a year.
There are people who enter into a relationship but are not committed to the relationship, but merely involved. They are not vulnerable. They give the illusion of being present, but they do not put much effort into the relationship.
Then there are people who enter into a relationship and they are “all in”. They are vulnerable. They give up their apartment or home to move in with their new significant other. They may move across the country to be closer to their significant other. They don’t have a Plan B if this relationship doesn’t work out. They are committed; they are the pig.
In your relationship, are you a pig or a chicken?
At work, are you a pig or a chicken?
At work, you may be a volunteer, employee, leader, mentor, board member or investor. There are people who give 110% at work. They are eager. They are “all in”. They believe in what they are doing and find fulfillment in whatever their job may be. They are the people who may give up family time to work overtime on that special project. They are committed; they are like the pig at breakfast.
Then there are the people who do the bare minimum at their job. They don’t have much commitment to what they do. They arrive exactly on time, take their legally entitled 15 minute break in the morning and their break in the afternoon. In their job they barely do what is expected of them, but nothing more. They are involved. They are the egg.
At work, are you a pig or a chicken?
When it comes to your community, are you a pig or a chicken?
We all live somewhere. We all have a community we call “home”. That community can be our neighborhood, town, county, or state. People who love their community are people who are likely to volunteer, to give back to their community. For example, they join their volunteer fire department, they become a soccer coach, they run for school board, they volunteer at the library, or even enlist in the military. These are the people who are the pigs at breakfast. They give of their time and themselves to make their community a better or safer place. They are the pigs, they are committed.
Then there are the people who are the chickens at breakfast in their community. They are merely involved by existing within their community. Their mentality and expectation is that, “Someone else will do it.” They vote, but would never run for office. They take their children to participate in Saturday morning soccer, but only agree to bring orange slices when it is their turn. They are the ones who will purchase items at the rummage sale or eat at the pancake breakfast of the local volunteer fire department, but are not the ones going to hours of training so they can safely rush toward a burning building. They will go to a Memorial Day Parade, but discourage their children or nieces and nephews from joining the military. These are the people who are the chickens. They are merely involved.
In your community, are you a pig or a chicken?
When it comes to a social cause, are you a pig or a chicken?
Many people care very much about social causes: climate change, transgender rights, Roe vs. Wade, the homeless, etc. These are people who have changed their life to reflect that belief. For example, climate change. People may alter their life style to reflect their belief system. They may recycle, downsize, or even forgo having children to save the planet from over population. These are the people who are committed; they are the pigs at breakfast.
Many people espouse to care very much about social causes, but it is all a façade put on to impress or demean others. These are hypocrites. These are the people who care about their image. For example, the person who says they care about saving the planet. They donate money to the social cause, but continue to fly in their private planes. They live in huge homes with a large carbon footprint. These are the people who are merely involved; they are the chickens at breakfast.
When it comes to social causes, are you a pig or a chicken?
Take Away Point
This is an interesting concept to think about. When I first heard it, and then took the time to think about it, I could see how it could be so true in so many different situations.
Until I heard this saying I had never really thought about the difference between commitment and involvement. It made me think about who I wanted to be as a person, how I wanted to live my life. How about you?
With warmest regards,
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