How wonderful it would be to have lived in the 20th century!
Not because I crave the world wars or the absence of facebook; but because I would have lived in the same century as Frank Sinatra. Arguably one of the most popular and influential singers of the 20th century, I would give anything to ask him what exactly he meant when he said Massive success is the best revenge!
This quote has seen many versions of itself, most popularly when Beyonce sang in her hit song flawless that “The best revenge is your paper “ . Khloe Kardashian also started a reality show called Revenge Body with Khloe, where it is constantly repeated that “The best revenge is a hot body”. Okay Avengers, let’s start from the basics.
To take revenge means to take a retaliatory action against someone or people who have hurt you and success? Well, the concept of success is so broad, it’s hard to confine to a definition. However, people have likened success to many terms including content, time, fame, peace and the ultimate; money (let me know your definition of success in the comment box below ).
There are 3 reasons why you should stop saying success is the best revenge.
- It Belittles Your Hardwork.
I got into secondary school at the age of 9 and stayed top of my class for the five years that it mattered. In my final year, I managed to get suspended and struggled to pass my final exams; WAEC, UTME and post UTME. I got admission into the University of Ibadan to study Physiotherapy and I’m currently in my 4th year, struggling to maintain good grades.
To become a practicing physiotherapist after my five years in college, I must undergo a one year internship and from there move on to the National service to the country; NYSC. After these, I can begin to practice at the lowest level and would begin to look into getting a Masters and Phd.
Besides being a physiotherapist, it is my desire to be a certified nutritionist and Yogi and to pursue modelling and photography as a hobby while maintaining a writing and public speaking career.
Whew!
Picture me, a few decades later, strolling the streets of Florence. In my eyes, the unmistakable quality of happiness so sweet you could almost taste it, hand in hand with a husband as shiny as a freshly peeled egg. The picture of a perfect vacation.
I stop to take a selfie.
Selfie taken.
I click on the instagram app and select my just taken selfie to be uploaded, my brain thinking of a caption.
I write.
Stay grinding. Success is the best revenge.
In 7 words, 60 seconds and 90 heartbeats, I have managed to confine my entire story to one phrase.
“A retaliatory action”.
2.You have no assurance of their suffering.
I get it. We want to become successful so that we can stick it up the noses of those who didn’t think we would. But if the aim of revenge is to hurt the other person, you have no assurance that your success is actually a pain in the necks of your “haters”. I hate to be such a bummer but what if they’re actually happy for you? What if they’re not even aware of how “successful” you are? What if you’re just one more in their lives?
In the event that your success does hurt the person/people you were out to get, then…
3.You’re no different from them.
A priest once told me.
If you don’t like a pig and decide to wrestle with it, soon, there would be no difference between you and the pig.
They took pleasure in your hurt/poverty/failure. You set out to be successful and stuck it up to them. Now they’re hurt by your success and you take pleasure in it. Two peas in a pod!
I call it the cycle of evil and it’s probably what Selena Gomez tried to break when she said Kill them with kindness.
I don’t know if success truly is or isn’t the best revenge, but I know that Success is the best showoff! And for instagram captions and witty tweets, that should suffice!