MEASURE OF SUCCESS

Are you fit for this job? I’m the man.

Can you meet the criteria? Yes, I can.

Can you follow this itinerary? I am able.

Can you shoulder this responsibility? I am capable.

Are you as good as your word? I am good.

Can we count on you? Yes, you could.

Can you take what we dish out? I can take it.

Can you achieve our objectives? I can make it.

 

This game we play of positive professions.

The things we say in place of honest confessions.

Our daily bread, dependant on our reputation,

A nation run upon fabricated presentation.

We learn to lie, to reinforce their confidence.

Endeavour to try to live up to our pretence.

Under duress, compelled to serve in this farce,

Placed under stress, not knowing what will come to pass.

 

Will the job get done? I don’t know.

Will the assignment be completed? I’ll have a go.

Will the destination be reached? I might get near.

Will the deadline be met? I’ve no idea.

Will the vision be realised? There’s a possibility.

Will the brief be followed? I doubt my ability.

Will the program be executed? Wait and see.

Will the quota be fulfilled? I’m thinking maybe?

 

‘If the Lord wills…’, an unacceptable excuse.

Causing cold chills to those planning our use.

They seek for certainties for their fortunes to be projected.

If we give no guarantees, we candidates will be rejected.

But is it possible to commit to anything at all,

If we can not predict the coming pitfall?

Whether acts of God or acts of nature,

All have an effect on us securing the future.

No promise should be given if it can’t be kept.

So how can we accommodate this moral concept?

 

If we could somehow measure our chance of success,

We may be able to untangle this mess….

 

I was positively sure that I would have enough time,

But I came up short before the clock’s last chime.

My qualifications matched the stated criteria,

But the challenges proved my knowledge inferior.

I accounted how much money I was required to save,

But the overheads swamped me like a tidal wave.

I planned ahead to have enough resources,

But they were drained before time by undeclared sources.

 

These material elements on which our performances depend,

Deliver no guarantees for achieving our end.

 

Our lack of desire can leave us short sighted,

And unprepared to accommodate factors uninvited.

Our slack of commitment can dull our convictions,

Then parameters we set can become our restrictions.

Allocation of resources we stingily ration.

This conservative thinking must be overcome by passion

For the quality of our work to not resemble inferiority,

It is necessary for our goals to become our priority.

 

Will you follow this fashion? I’ll set the trend.

How far will you go? I’ll fight to the end.

Can you commit to this cause? To the fullest extent.

We’ve expanded our horizons…I’ll enlarge my tent.

Prepare for the unexpected! Before I begin.

Will you cave under pressure? I’ll never give in.

Can you swim against the tide? You’ll see me progress.

Your vision of the future? I’ll be a success!

 

Poem by Danny Baxter © 2010 Xian Force Productions

 

 

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