Don't count your chickens before they hatch
Meaning
Do not make plans or assumptions based on future events that have not yet occurred and may not happen.
Origin
The wisdom of 'Don't count your chickens before they hatch' springs from the ancient Greek world, specifically from Aesop's timeless fables. The tale of 'The Milkmaid and Her Pail' captures its essence perfectly. A young milkmaid, carrying a pail of fresh milk to market, begins to daydream. She imagines selling the milk, buying eggs, hatching them into chickens, selling the chickens for a profit, then purchasing a beautiful new dress. So caught up in her future wealth, she playfully tosses her head, spilling all the milk and instantly shattering her meticulously planned, yet entirely premature, fortune. The moral, clear and enduring, warns against basing present actions or future hopes on benefits that are still uncertain and unfulfilled.
Examples
- I know you're excited about getting the promotion, but don't count your chickens before they hatch; wait until the official announcement.
- She was already planning how to spend the lottery winnings, but her friend reminded her not to count her chickens before they hatch, especially since she hadn't even bought a ticket yet.