17/02/2026
The Secret of Success
Once, a young man asked the wise philosopher Socrates what the secret of success was.
Socrates patiently listened to the young man’s question and told him to meet by the river the next day, where he would explain the secret of success.
The next day, the young man went and met Socrates. Socrates asked him to walk with him toward the river. Then Socrates stepped into the river and signaled the young man to do the same. The young man obeyed and entered the river.
Socrates walked deeper into the river, and the young man followed him, eager to learn the secret of success. They walked until the water reached their necks.
Suddenly, Socrates placed his hand on the young man’s head and pushed it underwater.
Socrates held his head down firmly, not allowing him to raise it. The young man struggled desperately to come up for air, but Socrates was stronger and kept him underwater until he could barely breathe.
Finally, Socrates released his hands. The young man quickly lifted his head and took a deep, fast breath, gasping for air.
Socrates put his hand on the young man’s shoulder and said,
“Don’t be upset. Tell me, when your head was underwater, what did you want the most?”
The young man, still breathing heavily, replied,
“Air… I needed air to breathe.”
Socrates smiled slightly and asked him to walk back to the riverbank.
When they reached the riverbank, Socrates said,
“That is the secret of success. When you were underwater, the thing you wanted most was air. You struggled and fought to get air. You did not focus on anything else. The only thing you wanted was air. If you want success as badly as you wanted air, then you will understand the secret of success. There is no other secret.”
Socrates explained.
If you have a burning desire to succeed, that is the starting point of your achievement. Just as a small fire cannot produce much heat, a weak desire cannot produce great results.
To build a burning desire for success, you must choose something you truly love and deeply desire.
If you are a parent, you should not force your children to follow your own desires. Instead, allow them to follow the good path they truly love. Help them. En
