How to be Successful

Recent political developments have offered me the chance to reflect on success and prosperity. While I agree that all people deserve opportunities to grow and find success, I do not agree that people are entitled to success. Success comes as a result of hard work; plain, old-fashioned work.

Too often we see the Ponzi schemes of society, offering something for nothing. We all took elementary school math, right? Zero cannot equal 100, so why would it be any different in the business world? Even the fundamentals of physics affirms the impossibility of something for nothing in the Conservation of Matter theorem; that matter cannot be created nor destroyed, only reallocated.

In ages past, alchemy was a sought-after skill. Later it was gold digging and treasure hunting. The get-rich-quick schemes that are so prevalent today are merely the alchemy and gold digging of our day.

One would be seen as unwise to pursue a career in alchemy or gold digging, yet today people regularly get involved in schemes that promise rewards for very little or no work or investment. All too soon becomes clear that the meager amount invested, in some cases an entire savings account, is lost and there is nothing to show for it.

Unfortunately, for many this is an experience that has to be lived before they learn that lasting success, cannot come from taking shortcuts. As my mom always taught me, “Cheaters never prosper.” It was this pursuit of shortcuts that contributed to the current economic situation. How can we hope to rebuild an economy if we don’t use the proper materials and processes to lay the foundations?

Egypt was built on the backs of slaves; slaves who were not allowed to skip details; slaves who completed the process in full, however agonizing is must have been. The pyramids and tombs that they built are a lasting monument to the merits of hard work.

P.T. Barnum once said, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” Most of them soon lose everything the have if they don’t learn from the mistakes of those who have gone before them. For true success, you must put forth true effort.