The phrase "I would rather be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix" means that I would rather be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix. It describes that I would rather stand out in a lower-level environment and be sharp. Now, I don't want to be unknown in a high-class circle.
"I would rather have a chicken head than a phoenix tail" is a common saying. From "Warring States Policy·Han Ceyi" and "Su Qin Wen Chu He Cong Speaks of the King of Han": "It is better to be the mouth of a chicken than the queen of an ox". In ancient times, the phoenix was considered to be large, indicating wealth, while the chicken was considered to be small, indicating humbleness. The meaning of this sentence is: It is better to be the leader in a small and less wealthy organization than to be the tail and be dominated by others in a large and prestigious organization.