Success

When I was 12, I wanted to be an air hostess when I grew up. My best friend wanted to be a traffic warden. She even drew a picture of herself in a beige uniform handing out a parking ticket.

Vintage Hurley, not living like the common people. Photo: AP.

Neither of us achieved our dreams, what with me becoming a journalist and her having to make do with working for one of the world’s biggest film companies.

So she, in particular, was astounded that today’s children no longer have such civic aspirations as we did. Instead, they just want to be famous.

Latest 2 of 6 comments

View all comments
 
  • jg says:

    09:24pm | 01/05/11

    compared to the ALP, ‘We have no f%%king idea.’ Read more »

  • Not telling says:

    08:21pm | 01/05/11

    It’s true - I was never famous or even nearly famous but from my late teens to the end of my twenties I was pretty well recognized in my sport of choice and it totally sucked.  I’d read garbage about myself in magazines, people would think I’m a snob if… Read more »

 

Our society puts great stock in the merits of hard work.  You know how it goes.  If you work hard enough, you can achieve anything. 

No one ever accused Rudd of being a slacker. Picture: Kym Smith

Fail to achieve a goal?  If only you’d worked harder.  For an upcoming Lateline interview, I’ve read a book called Bounce by Mathew Syed. 

His theory is that God-given talent is a myth and that the key to achieving greatness lies in how hard you’re prepared to work. I’m not sure I buy all of that.

Latest 2 of 25 comments

View all comments
 
  • Ture Sjolander says:

    03:11pm | 09/07/10

    I’m not writer, but I’m a bloody good reader. So this is my point of view: http://www.unitednation.homestead.com/unitednations.html If you can’t handle this Internet language, well than try this: http://www.newstime2010.net/ You are just one click from a new brave world! Ciao Read more »

  • Ture Sjolander says:

    11:41am | 06/07/10

    Can you imagine the whole Australian population of 22 million citizens being dogs and you have to pick a PM among them? I would pick a Golden Retriever. It struck me after seeing the interview with Alexander Downer on TV. There is less politicians talking during parliamentary debates than during… Read more »

 

Facebook Recommendations

Read all about it

Punch live

Up to the minute Twitter chatter

ToryShepherd

RT @saline: Touche Miriam. Touche Barry. Wicked old thespians taking the pith. #qanda

ToryShepherd

The best haters are the worst spellers #qandadelayed#godihopeididntmakeatypo

Anthony Sharwood

How much fun is it retweeting people who can't spell?

Anthony Sharwood

In other Olympian news, Steph rice is advertising Sunrice Chinese style Mongolian chicken. Think about that for a tick

Recent posts

The latest and greatest

Is there a nicotine patch strong enough for this?

Is there a nicotine patch strong enough for this?

Ok. I am not a leading expert in world’s best practice on prisoner rehabilitation — my experience…

A great win by Webber, but it sure as hell wasn’t sport

A great win by Webber, but it sure as hell wasn’t sport

This morning I joined millions of other Australians in accelerating, braking, swearing and spilling coffee…

Fighting Assad one strongly worded statement at a time

Fighting Assad one strongly worded statement at a time

This weekend’s massacre in Houla, Syria, is one of those stories that invites but doesn’t…

Nosebleed Section

choice ringside rantings

From: They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments

Michael S says:

"A teacher at Geelong Grammar had criticised her for using words that were too long, which had left her confused and had made her doubt her ability to write essays. She became ''quite distressed'' when her English marks began to fall." I can sympathise. My scholastic mentors conveyed to me a causal relationship… [read more]

From: Welfare for breeders is a bonus for everyone

Change Up! says:

I have no problem paying my taxes. As a single, childless person on a very decent income, I can afford it and not have my life severely altered. Plus I understand that my taxes paying for things like schools, childcare and infrastructure is ultimately a good thing. A better community is better for me… [read more]

Gentle jabs to the ribs

They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments

They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments

A private school girl’s family is sueing her elite, extremely expensive private school for not… Read more

243 comments

Newsletter

Read all about it

Sign up to the free daily Punch newsletter