My old friend, Jay Lieskie, told me this story.
Sometimes in nonprofits you get a certain group of well meaning people who have time and money but little self discipline. They mean well, but their lack of consistency and unwillingness to be mentored by or apprenticed to an old hand can be damaging to the long-term goals of a nonprofit. Sometimes these well meaning souls would wander into the door of Jay’s nonprofit.
Jay would just smile at their outlandish plans and crazy ideas. Then he would look them up and down and say, “Are you sure you know what you are getting into? I have the the feeling you are not really committed to helping us out.”
The well meaning volunteer would explain again their outlandish impossible idea again clearly demonstrating their complete lack of experience or knowledge of the actual cause. “Well, sounds to me like you are just a little involved – but not really committed to getting anything done.”
Jay would frown at this point. The volunteer would then chime in on how much they held to the fanatical belief in the eventual success of their cause – even with no track record. Jay would look them in the eye and say “I don’t think you know the difference between involvement and commitment.”
Over their response he would continue… “Let me explain… You see, when you go to breakfast at your local diner and you order a plate of bacon and eggs, you know that a chicken was involved in bringing you those eggs.“ He would then pause here for effect. “But you also know that a pig was committed to bringing you that bacon.”
I would add to Jay’s words only this – You are tomorrow what you do today.
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