If it walks like a duck...

If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck. That’s not to say it can’t be Daffy Duck, or a Superhero Duck.

“Success” is the mother of all misconception fuck-ups. I personally don’t like the word success because the mention of this bi-syllable term sends egos into the outer sphere of reality, and brings out the tall-poppy-syndrome-infected sheeple to point finger.

The real definition of success is “to achieve an aspiration or goal”.

A Middle Eastern taxi driver in the viaduct is the perfect example of what success really means. The man aspires only to provide his six children with a quality education and a lifestyle far from oppression. What’s irrelevant is the fact the he’s a retired brain surgeon with two doctorate degrees who’s only intellectually stimulating conversation comes from a drunk patron at 4am on the way home chewing their way through a mediocre pie from the Gull station. He’s the genuine article of success, and if any of you disagree, go to any graduation ceremony of any university and listen to the loudest cheer when the name, hardest to pronounce, is called out. Then follow them out as they hop into the taxi that drove them to this successful moment, driven by dad.

Now that I’ve given Ali, my favourite taxi driver at the viaduct, a plug, I return to my point. Success is achieving a goal. Success is not excessive wealth or fame. In fact I pity the fool that waists their life chasing a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. You must have a more noble cause than $ signs.

Taking this a step further, by definition, success is short-lived, because the moment you achieve the goal and become successful, you are no longer successful, until you achieve the next goal. So you’ll encounter a few moments of success in your life but can never hold on to these moments. Think about how funny the neighbour’s dog looks, chasing their own tail... that’s what I think of anyone who aims to be successful for the sake of success.
I think it was Einstein that said “aspire not to become a man of success, rather to be a man of value” or some words to that effect, I was drunk when I was given that pearl. (Thanks Ali, I learned more sitting in the back seat of your taxi than I ever did while sitting in the back row at my senior classes at university.)

Did you get that? “To be a man of value”... which leads me perfectly into the duck. Ask yourself this, what are your values? What do you stand for in this world? If you spend your life chasing success, you’re nothing more than a dog chasing your tail, a Scrooge McDuck at best, and a Duck Hunt at worst. You’re not even a cool duck like Daffy.

So here’s what you need to do. Write down your values and beliefs, and be true to them. Build a legacy that you can leave behind to inspire the next generation, instead of building a large bank account that’s likely to turn your daughter into the next Paris... and I don’t mean the city.

Now where’s that lotto ticket I got from my beautiful Nana.

P.S. If you don’t know what your values are and not sure how to find out, let me know. There’s an easy way to do it that takes no more than 30 minutes. And it’s well worth taking the time to do it. It will change your life. Who knows, you may even become the next Donald (Duck) Trump.

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