The Wizard of Oz is an iconic 1939 American fantasy film based on the 1900 children’s novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum.  It features film legend Judy Garland in the role a 12-year-old Kansas farm girl, Dorothy Gale, who seeks to live far away from her humdrum farmhouse existence in a place “where there isn’t any trouble”.  

Due to a series of unfortunate events initiated by a tornado, Dorothy is rendered unconscious.  While unconscious, Dorothy fantasizes that she, her dog, Toto, and the farmhouse have been transported to the magical and seemingly trouble-free Land of Oz. There, Dorothy encounters Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, who advises Dorothy to follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City and meet the “all powerful” Wizard of Oz, who can return her to Kansas. During her journey, Dorothy meets a Scarecrow, a Tin Man and a Cowardly Lion, who join her in hopes that they will receive what they lack themselves: a brain, a heart and courage (respectively) while also attempting to avoid the Wicked Witch of the West and her attempt to get her sister’s ruby slippers from Dorothy, who received them from Glinda.  After overcoming insurmountable odds, Dorothy and her friends defeat the Wicked Witch of the West; learn valuable lessons about courage, bravery, innovation, gratitude (and themselves); receive their hearts’ desires; and, of course, live happily ever after.

The Wizard of Oz has many symbolic interpretations however there is one that is often overlooked: the art of illusion.

There is a scene in the film in which Dorothy, Toto, Scarecrow and the Tin Man, traveling to the great land of Oz, enter a dark, thick forest which immediately terrifies Dorothy.  She trembles with fear and says, “I don’t like this forest. It’s dark and creepy…Do you suppose we’ll meet any wild animals?”

Assessing the environment and believing in the high probability of attack, the Tin Man surmises that the forest will be filled mostly with “lions and tigers and bears.” (Note that Dorothy, Tin Man and Scarecrow had just cause for concern.  Lions, tigers and bears are fierce and extremely dangerous animals. Individually and collectively, they are to be rightfully feared for the abilities to devastating and usually fatal damage to their prey.)  Intrinsically aware of that fact, a dialogue ensues.

A timid Dorothy asks: “Lions?”
An even more frightened Scarecrow echoes: “And tigers?”
A concerned Tin Man exclaims: “And bears!”
Dorothy exclaims: ” Lions…and tigers…and bears, oh my!”

As they march along the twisting Yellow Brick Road, fearfully repeating the phrase and rapidly gaining speed, a ferocious-looking lion bounds into their path with a strange roar. Both Tin Man and Scarecrow back away and cower on the ground. The lion then stands on two feet and challenges them with his bravado.  After posing a threat to Toto, Dorothy summons the courage to resist the lion only to find that he is cowardly and is in fact, no threat to any of them at all.  The Cowardly Lion had, until the point of confrontation with Dorothy, been living a lie.  He was operating under the illusion that he, the mighty king of the jungle, was ferocious, fearless and brave when he was really timid, fearful and harmless.  He was far different from what he looked to be.

There are three things that threaten your journey to the great land of success: illusions, mirages and myths.  Individually and collectively they are cause for concern because they can cause devastating and fatal damage to your hopes, dreams and plans. If you can summon the courage to resist their bravado, you can live successfully ever after.

Illusions
Illusions are defined as “those things that deceive by producing a false or misleading impression of reality”.  An example of an illusion is an obstacle.  Obstacles obstruct and hinder progress by producing the false and misleading impression that they cannot be overcome.  They ferociously bound into your path to get you to focus on them and to convince you that they are so insurmountable that your goals can never be reached. Never take your eyes off of The Emerald City.  The Yellow Brick Road will often be cluttered with debris but if you continue to look up, ahead and forward, you’ll pay less attention to impediments.

Mirages
A mirage is “an optical distortion that forms under certain atmospheric conditions, in which nonexistent objects seem to appear.”  Mirages are most often experienced in a desert.  Extreme heat, lack of water and shade, and desperation are the usual catalysts for the optical distortion.  Fear – the distressing emotion aroused by real or imagined impending danger, evil, pain, etc. – can also cause mirages.  Fear signals to your brain that conditions are extreme, dire; that you have no resources (money, talent, skill, etc.); and that you are desperate.  Desperate people often take desperate – not the most expedient – measures, resulting in remorse and regret.  Fear causes you to panic and lose focus.  The best way to see past a mirage is to embrace reality: good, bad, indifferent and prepare a plan. Preparation thwarts fear and uncertainty and helps to minimize the frequency of mirages.

Fully assess where you are currently (i.e. job, finances, relationships); be honest and truthful.  Brainstorm ways to improve your situation (no idea is too eccentric).  Narrow your ideas to the 2-3 of the most implementable and build a strategic plan accomplishing them.  Finally, work your plan. 

Myths
A myth is “an unproved or false belief that is used to justify a social institution; a fiction or half-truth that forms part of an ideology”; in essence, “a lie”.  Failure is also lie or myth.  None of us are perfect. To err or to fail is human.  We all fall short of achievement at one time or another.  Failure is another story. Failure is the state, being and condition of constant insufficiency. Its function is to pinpoint our individual errs and missteps and sort them into patterns over time.  Repeated patterns are falsely labeled as trends of under-performance.  Failure asserts that you are subnormal, your efforts to date have been subpar and that future attempts at success will be met with sub-standard efficacy. Failure and its assertions are bold-faced lies.  It is tempting to believe the myth of failure. However it takes courage to know and accept the truth that although you may fail, you are not a failure. It is just as to easy for focus on all of your successes as it is to center your attention to your faults. 

Surround yourself with reminders of the things you’ve accomplished.  If you have certificates, awards and commendations, hang them up so that you can see them every day.  If you have letters of recommendations, read them frequently.  When you accomplish a task – large or small – revel in your success.  Enjoy the truths of what you’ve accomplished and say goodbye to the lies.

Just beyond the ominous forest of defeat, away from sinister predators, illusions, mirages and myths, awaits an Emerald City of prosperity, fortune and gratification.  Keep your eyes on the prize, click your heels thrice and say with a smile, “There’s no place like success.  There’s no place like success.”

FINAL THOUGHT

Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.  ~Booker T. Washington