The main thing I could not stop thinking about was an idea that one speaker presented. He said the key to success is all about hard work and sacrifice, not a revolutionary idea, I know, but what got my attention is when he blurted out "It's like bacon and eggs."
"Huh?" There were confused looks all around and a few laughs. He clarified by explaining that in bacon and eggs the chicken sacrificed it's egg, "but that pig" he said with his southern drawl, "that pig sacrificed on another level."He looked around at the silent students and repeated "Bacon and eggs." as if he aimed to coin the phrase.
Are you the Chicken or the PIG?
I wondered how he or more importantly, my future employers would want me to answer that question. I answered it in my mind....the chicken. I always wanna be the chicken. Is that wrong? Should I want to be the pig? No. Never.
I probably sound like an underachiever but let me explain.
If you're into bacon and eggs and you view the bacon and eggs as two separate products/outcomes then you'd have to agree that neither animal produced more actual product. The pig, assuming the pig agreed to this whole process, gave it all it had which sounds great but what does this pig know about balance?
The chicken, however, has contributed it's egg and will go on to create again as it will still be around fo
r the next breakfast. More importantly, the chicken lives. I want to live.Get Real!
Is is possible to live and be a success?
Can I be a good employee if I insist on clocking out when it's my time? Is it possible to be present with my family without being dead weight at work?
As a mother of three I find myself wondering what will be expected of me once I secure that well paying job that I have been waiting on. I watched an episode of Oprah recently where she applauded an employee of hers for never missing work despite some deaths in her family and other serious personal issues but I thought that was awful.
True balance for me is knowing when to call out and when to clock out. I guess I could never work for Oprah.
What an interesting take on things! The bacon and eggs theory. I am much like you. There are so many things that I want to accomplish in life that there is no way I am losing my life off of one thing alone! Especially if it doesn't center around family! Its funny how we idol people like Oprah so much, the things she does for everybody, her success, her money, etc. and not take the time to think about the people in the back round who actually are responsible for getting everything done! It's a toss up...do we put everything we have into something to come out "successful" in one's (like an Oprah) eyes? Or do we keep our sanity? Nice post!
ReplyDeleteThanks Danielle,
ReplyDeleteI think we are a nation of appearances. We want other people to approve of and in some cases envy our lives but in the pursuit of that we don't actually live.
I bet that woman on Oprah is quite content being able to tell people that she works for Oprah so much so that she does not mind that she is absent at home. She can keep it!
I will take my sanity every time!
"The pig, assuming the pig agreed to this whole process, gave it all it had which sounds great but what does this pig know about balance?"
ReplyDeleteBWV, I nearly spit out my coffee when I read this. Talk about having a distinct and interesting voice. Well done.
You've taken an experience had by many - a presentation that leaves everyone wondering, "Huh?" - and turned it into something original and insightful. Your readers will respect you for that. They will respect you for being able to say things in a way that they could not. I could read ten more posts like this one.
I love the details you included here, such as "the confused looks" and the "southern drawl" of the speaker. Those are tactile and specifick, and they made me want to keep reading.
Your style speaks for itself. You don't need the graphics which, while they fit the tone of the piece, are also distracting. Let your words do the work for you.
I'm interested to see how you integrate this voice into your chosen topic. I certainly look forward to reading more. Cheers!
-Prof. Nichols