📦 In the Bag: Surefire Success and Other Illusory Certainties 🔮
Welcome to a whimsical exploration of the phrase “sure to succeed” and other grand promises wrapped up in cozy clichés. Prepare to chuckle, learn, and maybe even roll your eyes as you dive into the bag of guaranteed victories and slight disappointments.
Root of the Cliché
The phrase “sure to succeed” alludes to game bags that hunters would use for small birds and animals, simply referred to as “a bag” since the 1600s. This tranquil hunting term snuck its way into optimistic promises of future success around the early 20th century. A noteworthy early print appearance was in Raymond Postgate’s mystery, Verdict of Twelve (1940): “Don’t you worry, it’s all in the bag.”
Related and Similar Terms
- Slam dunk: An easy, certain success, especially in basketball or metaphorically in other contexts.
- Home run: Derived from baseball, symbolizing a significant success or accomplishment.
- Piece of cake: Indicating that something is very easy to do.
- Walk in the park: A term suggesting an activity is notably easy or uncomplicated.
- Sure thing: A guaranteed outcome.
- Done deal: A situation or agreement that is finalized or assured.
Synonyms
- Certain
- Guaranteed
- Surefire
- Inevitable
- Assured
Antonyms
- Doubtful
- Uncertain
- Risky
- Insecure
Humor-Filled Quotes
- “Optimist: Someone who figures that taking a step backward after a step forward is not a disaster, it’s a cha-cha.” – Robert Brault
- “The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.” – Lily Tomlin
Proverbs
- “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.” — Meaning not to assume the outcome of something before it happens.
- “The early bird catches the worm.” — Encouraging preparation and action for success.
Recommendations for Further Reading and Viewing
Literature
- Raymond Postgate: Verdict of Twelve (1940)
- Mark Haddon: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2003) — Features unconventional successes.
Books
- Stephen R. Covey: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People — Insightful habits for assured success.
- Angela Duckworth: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance — A study on the compelling aspects of long-term success.
Songs
- Queen: “We Are the Champions” — An anthem celebrating victorious moments.
Movies
- Rocky (1976) — An underdog story epitomizing hard-fought success.
- The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) — An inspirational journey through struggles to triumph.
Farewell Thought 💭
As you close up this bag of verbal treasures, remember that while guarantees in life are as elusive as a snowflake in July, the journey although sometimes paved with clichés, is uniquely yours. Keep aiming for those slam dunks, even if, at times, you miss a basket. Success is often in trying, not just in the certainty of the outcome.
