"Achieve" - Bahamas AI Art
©A. Derek Catalano
Work With the System
The boundless fields of your ambition lie,
Beneath the gaze of a structured sky.
You dream of peaks, of banners widely flung,
The silent anthems that remain unsung.
But pause, before you charge the towering wall,
And heed the wisdom whispered to us all:
For best results, for progress sure and deep,
Work with the System before you leap.
The System is the river, vast and cold,
The channeled path where fortunes are unrolled.
It is the ledger, and the law's embrace,
The established current, setting time and pace.
It is the network woven fine and strong,
The way the world decides what's right and wrong;
Not perfect, no, for human flaws reside,
But still, the vessel on the surging tide.
Understanding the Mechanism
Don't see it first as foe, as crushing weight,
A solid barrier sealed by cruelest fate.
Instead, observe the cogs, the wheels that turn,
The rules by which the greatest lessons burn.
What is the process that promotes and pays?
What key unlocks the necessary ways?
It might be knowledge, credentialed and refined,
Or subtle codes of conduct for the mind.
It could be patience, steadfast, slow, and true,
The careful climbing that the seasoned do.
A blueprint of success is laid in place,
Adopt its angles, learn its measured grace.
The Strategy of Flow
The rebel's fire, while noble, bright, and bold,
Oft burns itself to ash before it's old.
To fight the flow is costly, slow, and hard,
A lifetime spent perpetually on guard.
But if you choose to launch within its stream,
And harness power from its flowing scheme,
You gain the strength of motion, vast and free,
The inertia of all that’s meant to be.
Learn where the currents draw the lighter boat,
What skills and talents effortlessly will float.
Invest the time to master what they seek,
The polish, not just passion, makes you sleek.
Giving and Receiving
It is a compact, silent, deep, and old,
A story in the marketplace unfolds.
First, make your peace, and offer what they need,
A fertile talent, a productive seed.
Bring value to the structure you embrace,
And find your necessary, valued place.
When you contribute, steady, loyal, strong,
The System sees where your deserved belong.
It tracks the effort, marks the worth you bring,
And soon, the bells of opportunity ring.
The paths you cleared, the duties you fulfilled,
Are the foundations that your dreams will build.
The Reciprocity Unveiled
And then, the magic, the rewarding turn,
The central truth that all aspirants learn:
The System begins to work for you.
Its weight and muscle carry your life through.
The networks you helped build now lift your name,
The rules you followed now secure your fame.
The doors you opened for the company's sake,
Are now the pathways that your journeys take.
The stability you once helped to create,
Now shields your progress from the whims of fate.
The structure's power, steady and immense,
Becomes the buttress of your confidence.
The summit is achieved not just by might,
But by the choice to walk within the light
Of what is ready, ordered, and prepared,
The infrastructure that the world has shared.
So study well the map before you run,
Align your compass with the rising sun.
For when you offer skill and mindful trust,
The great machine delivers what it must.
Work with the System, master all its laws,
And it will grant you fuel without a pause,
Propelling you to goals you wished to find,
Leaving the fruitless struggle far behind.
©A. Derek Catalano/Gemini
Related poem: Make It Happen
Related poem: Believe in Yourself
Related article: Achieving the Bahamian Dream
Related poem: Believe in Yourself
Related article: Achieving the Bahamian Dream
