Count your chickens before they are hatched
Definitions
doing things in the wrong order
Putting too much focus or effort into planning or expecting a desired outcome before ensuring that all necessary steps or conditions have been met.getting ahead of oneself
Becoming overly confident or assuming success before actually achieving it, often resulting in disappointment or failure.being premature
Making assumptions or predictions before having all the necessary information or evidence.overestimating
Assuming a certain outcome or result based on incomplete or unreliable information, often leading to disappointment or regret.learning from experience
Reflecting on past experiences and mistakes to avoid repeating them in the future, particularly in regards to making assumptions or predictions.
Examples of Count your chickens before they are hatched
Jane had a promotion in her dream last night, so she already started planning her retirement party.
This is an example of counting your chickens before they are hatched because Jane is assuming that the promotion is definitely going to happen, even though it hasn't been officially announced. In reality, there could be other factors that influence the decision, which Jane is not aware of.
The construction company has already ordered the building materials for the new project, seeing as how they have secured the contract.
This is an example of counting your chickens before they are hatched because the building materials have not been actually delivered, and there could be a delay in the delivery. The company is assuming that everything will go smoothly, and the project will begin as planned, which might not be the case.
The boss told the team that they will be going on a trip next month, and they have already booked the hotel and arranged for transportation.
This is an example of counting your chickens before they are hatched because the trip has not been officially confirmed, and other factors such as the budget and schedule could affect the decision. The team is assuming that everything will go as planned, which could lead to disappointment if the trip is canceled or postponed.
The athlete has already engraved her name on the trophy, assuming that she will win the championship without actually participating in the event.
This is an example of counting your chickens before they are hatched because the athlete is assuming that she will win the championship without putting in the effort or facing the competition. The athlete is overconfident, which could lead to a lack of preparation and focus during the event.
Sarah had already spent a considerable amount of her salary on a luxurious vacation to Bali. When her boss asked her to work late again, she was about to complain, but then she stopped herself, realizing that she still needed her job to pay for the trip. She thought, "I should count my chickens before they are hatched."
Sarah's boss had asked her to work late again, and she was tempted to refuse as she had already spent a significant portion of her salary on a luxury vacation to Bali. However, Sarah realized that her job was crucial in paying for the trip, and thus, she should not jump to conclusions and should wait for the outcome of the request before getting carried away. In other words, Sarah should not assume that everything would go according to plan and should postpone making any irreversible decisions until she was certain that the situation was settled.
Jack decided to quit his job without having a new one secured. However, soon after making his decision, the company had a change of heart, and they offered him a promotion with a significant raise. Jack was taken aback, remarking that he had been eager to leave but should have "counted his chickens before they were hatched."
After Jack decided to leave his current job, he had not devised a backup plan or explored other options. He was confident that he would secure another job soon enough. Unfortunately, his former company had second thoughts and offered him a promotion with a raise. Jack realized that, in his excitement to leave the company, he had failed to consider the possibility that things could have worked out in his favor, and in turn, he should have waited for the final result before making any definitive moves.
As Sarah explored a new business opportunity, she found herself daydreaming about the enormous profits that she would gain. However, she knew that she was getting a little carried away, and so she reminded herself that "a bird in hand is worth two in the bush."
While Sarah was pondering over a new business opportunity, she began to imagine the high profits that she would earn. However, she realized that her dreams could turn into bitter disappointments, and so she suggested that she should focus on the benefits that she currently possessed as opposed to the undefined potential of the new opportunity. In other words, Sarah should be content with what she has instead of getting her hopes overboard.
During a particularly tough period, John's biggest problem was his seemingly endless debts. He couldn't shake the feeling that "a problem shared is a problem halved."
John's debts seemed insurmountable, and he couldn't bear the weight of his unfathomable financial problems. At this point, John learned that he needed to share his concerns with somebody else, whether it be a trusted confidant, a financial advisor, or even a fresh perspective from someone outside his situation. By opening up to others, John would not only benefit from their shared experiences but would also be able to divide his troubles into more manageable pieces.In each of the above examples, "count your chickens before they are hatched" is used when the individuals are getting excited about something and assuming that everything will work out in their favour without considering the possible negative outcomes. The phrase is also used to remind individuals to be careful and not make any rash decisions before the full facts are available.Example 1: Sarah had already spent a considerable amount of her salary on a luxurious vacation to Bali. When her boss asked her to work late again, she was about to complain, but then she stopped herself, realizing that she still needed her job to pay for the trip. She thought, "I should count my chickens before they are hatched."In this example, Sarah had already spent a large portion of her salary on a luxury vacation to Bali. As a result, she was nervous when her boss asked her to work late again. Rather than make an immediate decision, she paused and considered the full implications of her boss's request. Sarah recognized that she needed her job to pay for her vacation, and so she realized that it wouldn't be wise to make any rash decisions before she knew the full ramifications of her boss's request.Example 2: Jack decided to quit his job without having a new one secured. However, soon after making his decision, the company had a change of heart, and they offered him a promotion with a significant raise. Jack was taken aback, remarking that he had been eager to leave but should have "counted his chickens before they were hatched."In this example, Jack was eager to quit his current job, convinced that it was the best decision for him. However, his employer offered him a promotion with a raise soon after he made his decision to leave. Jack realized that he had made a hasty decision and failed to consider the possibility that things could have worked out in his favour. He realized that he should not have jumped to conclusions and should have waited for the final outcome before making any definitive moves.Example 3: As Sarah explored a new business opportunity, she found herself daydreaming about the enormous profits that she would gain. However, she knew that she was getting a little carried away, and so she reminded herself that "a bird in hand is worth two in the bush."In this example, Sarah was considering a new business opportunity, and she couldn't help imagining the high profits she would earn. However, Sarah understood that her dreams could
Conclusion
This idiom is commonly used to caution against making assumptions or predictions before all necessary information or conditions are present. It serves as a reminder to avoid getting ahead of oneself and to not underestimate the importance of careful planning and preparation.Origin of "Count your chickens before they are hatched"
The phrase "count your chickens before they are hatched" is thought to have originated from the famous fable "The Milkmaid and Her Pail" by Aesop. In the fable, a young milkmaid begins to daydream and plan for all the things she will do with the money she will earn from selling her pail of milk. However, she trips and spills the pail, losing all the milk and her potential profits.
The moral of the fable is to not count on things before they actually happen, as there is always a chance for unforeseen circumstances to occur. This lesson is reflected in the idiomatic use of the phrase, reminding individuals to not become too confident or assume success before it is actually achieved.