The World is Not Your Oyster

This world is not your oyster. It’s not. If you think otherwise, I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this…but wake up.

If your lucky enough to have encouraging parents, they probably fed you this line. They probably drilled it into your head.

Now you think you can do whatever you want. You think you can have it all. You think you are entitled to some great life, some great spouse, some great job. Just because you work hard at it for a few years. Just because you stay late at the office. Just because you did a few good things or a few nice things. Just because you think you know more than the next guy.

You can’t. You won’t. You’re not. All that stuff matters, but it grants you nothing. That’s not how it works.

Some of you might have misinterpreted what I have written here. Misinterpreted what I talk about repeatedly. That you can choose to be successful at anything and just be successful. That with a bit of effort and a bit of drive, some dream career is going to be realized. That’s just not true. It’s not something I would ever tell you. That would be a load of crap.

There is one general manager of the New York Yankees. There is one CEO of General Electric. There is one president of the United States.

And you are not it. You are in all likelihood never going to be it. A million people want that one great job and only a few people deserve it.

And worse, even if you deserve it, you might not be it. Because guess what? Surprise, the world is not fair. That means you will be passed over for promotions. You will be fired from jobs. Sometimes without any justification whatsoever. What you deserve won’t just come to you.

The world isn’t fair. Get over it.

You know who gets handed something? You know who are entitled to something? Rich people’s kids. And not just any rich people’s kids, really rich people’s kids. Because even kids that I would classify as rich, aren’t given everything by their parents, because there really isn’t much to give. Not in the way that would give them limitless possibilities.

So, the world isn’t your oyster. So what do you do?

You make it your fucking oyster.

I am not saying you will never get it. I’m saying you’re going to have to rip its head off to get it. With your bare hands. With strength you built. With tools you built. And let me be very clear, this isn’t like tearing off a Band-Aid. This isn’t instantaneous. This is like pushing a giant rock up a long, steep hill.

Your encouraging parents were right. What you want is up there. And it’s all possible. They just failed to mention that it’s just going to take a hell of a lot to get at it. They only told you the good part.

But there are people from the low who rise to power. And rise up to take their seat at great positions in this world. You could be one of them. But that comes with a big price. You just have to be willing to pay that price. And if you haven’t gotten what you want yet, well, you haven’t paid enough. And because the world’s not fair, the price isn’t the same for everyone. You have to be willing to pay what it’s worth to you. You have to be willing to pay that much more than the other million people that want that one in a million job. That one in a million life.

If  you’re not willing to pay, then don’t sit there and bitch when what you want is sitting in someone else’s lap. That person paid for it.

The world is not your oyster. The world isn’t your anything. Unless you make it something.

Sound daunting? Don’t want to put that much out there? I get it. That’s OK. I don’t fault anyone for that. I know what I want out of this world. And I know what it’s going to take to get there. And I am here to get what I want. I am here to get what I will eventually deserve. What I will eventually earn. I haven’t gotten there yet. I don’t deserve it yet.

You deserve nothing. You are entitled to nothing. You will get nothing. Other people have what you want already. And there are additional people lining up to get what you want. I guarantee that. If you want it, you’re going to have to take it.

This world is not your oyster. This world can be your oyster.