The Road to Success

A young man was excited as he came upon the old timer sitting on a wooden bench next to a roadside shack. The older gentleman was unshaven and looked like he had slept in his clothes, but there was a certain charm about him and his voice was full of energy as he spoke.

"Good morning," he said. "Can I help you?"

The young man smiled and extended his hand. "Why, yes. I was told the road to success is somewhere around here."

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"Yep," replied the old man. "You thinking about takin' it?"

"Why, of course. Who wouldn't?" 

"Well," said the man, breaking off part of a tree branch in his hands, "I guess that's right. Everyone wants success." He looked down and kept fiddling with the branch. 

The young man grew impatient. "Is that it?" he said, pointing to a turnoff about a quarter mile ahead. 

"That's the road to failure," said the older fellow. "It's full of potholes, road blocks, detours, blind curves. All kinds of trouble. Most people avoid it."

"Sounds hard," said the young man.

"It is. It is."

"So, where's the road to success?" His voice was more insistent this time.

The old man chuckled. Then he looked away as if to ponder the question.

"Well?" 

The older gentleman looked back at the young man, smiled and said, "It's the same road." 

"The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same." 
~ Colin R. Davis