Someone liked my pony story so much that she asked me to share the pig story that I wrote about in See Jane Lead.  This was a story a friend told me when I was upset about losing a rather large contract and had no idea why.  In a barnyard filled with animals the crow challenges the blue bird to a singing contest.  The blue bird figured it would be a pretty easy win.  After all, there’s no comparison in how the two birds sing.  Together, the crow and the blue bird decide the pig will be the judge of the contest.  The blue bird goes first and magnificently sings her little heart out.  All of the other barnyard animals smile, nod and applaud at the conclusion of her song.  Then the crow sings — in the screeching way that crows do — and the barnyard is silent.  Finally, the pig steps forward and breaks the silence.  “And the winner of the contest is… the crow!”  With this the blue bird begins to sob and many of the other animals surround her reassuring her that she sang so much better than the crow and should have won the contest.  When she finally composed herself enough to speak, the blue bird says, “I’m not crying because I lost the contest.  I’m crying because I let myself be judged by a pig.” 

TAGS: self-esteem