One of my favorite books of all time is Alexander Dumas’ “The Count of Monte Cristo”. I’ve read it to death at this point, and it is an absolute masterpiece. It is a tale of intrigue, of accomplishment, and masterful revenge. I recommend everyone read this book. It’s classic, it’s entertaining, it’s amazing. The story also happens to contain the keys to personal success. I’m going to divulge its secrets here.

Synopsis of the plot (you may skip if you wish):

*Spoiler alert…  although I don’t believe that spoilers count for classic literature. So too bad for you uncultured swines that haven’t partook in Dumas’ masterpiece as of yet ;).

Edmond Dantes is the main character. He is a humble, hardworking, kind young man who comes from a rather poor background. The guy has got everything going for him in that he has a beautiful fiancé, he works with his best friends, and he’s about to become captain of a merchant ship. Everything in the world looks great for Edmond.

The problem is that his friends are actually dicks. One of them, in particular, is a spoiled rich boy named Fernand, who can’t believe that Edmond is getting the girl, the promotion to captain, and seems to have everything going for him. He can’t deal with someone from such meager beginnings surpass him. You’ve seen this guy in real life. You’ve seen him on a college campus wearing something pastel, living off of his dad’s trust fund on his way to the next kegger with a popped collar. Fernand plots with some of his other compatriots and manages to get Edmond sent to prison for treason.

They bring Edmond to this island prison and throw away the key. This is a life sentence with nothing but suffering in store for Edmond. What’s more, while Edmond is in prison, Fernand gets everything he wants! He becomes the boss, marries Edmond’s fiancé, and lives a life of luxury in high society.

Edmond is in solitary confinement this entire time. He is about to give up hope and commit suicide around year seven when he meets someone one cell over. The man is another political prisoner, a learned man, Abbe Faria (a priest). The priest pulls Edmond from despair and begins teaching him languages, philosophy, history, science, and a host of other subjects. As the years go by, Edmond becomes an extremely learned man.  Abbe Faria also tells Edmond about a treasure on the isle of Monte Cristo and how to find it should he never escape. Edmond escapes by hiding in Faria’s body bag and getting tossed into the sea. Keep in mind that by this time, Edmond has been in prison for nearly 15 years

From there, Edmond gets the treasure, sets himself up under a new identity, “The Count of Monte Cristo,” and prepares himself for some good ole revenge.  Edmond is playing the long game and makes sure his identity is complete.  He becomes successful, powerful, and seemingly all-knowing. Then when the time is right 9 years later, he begins to weave his way back into the lives of those he despises and dismantles everything they hold dear. It’s very satisfying and much more satisfying than if he would have just immediately gone and had them killed.

It sounds like a good story, but how does it contain the keys to success?

At the end of the book there is one line that is perhaps my favorite quote from any book. I’m going to break down my interpretation of it. It is on the very last pages of the book in a letter that Edmond writes:

So, do live and be happy, children dear to my heart, and never forget that, until the day when God deigns to unveil the future to mankind, all human wisdom is contained in these two words: ‘wait’ and ‘hope’.

I’ll be the first to say that I’m not very religious, so I’ll tell you what this statement means to me and how it contains the keys. It is really easy to write off this statement as “religious mumbo jumbo” but hang in there.

This statement tells me that you have to have patience and fortitude. This statement says that no one can tell the future, so you’ve basically got to let the world do its thing and trust that the universe is going to do its thing. That said, Edmond is not suggesting that crossing your fingers and praying is the way to accomplish your goals. In order for the universe to do its thing(for you and not against you), you’ve got to stack the deck in your favor. You have got to create the environment in which the universe is most likely to deliver results. Synchronicity is a thing. It happens.

It’s also not suggesting some blind positivity. What it does suggest is a single-minded purpose. The Count did not let his passions run wild.  Passion without purpose is impotent and useless. It gets you nothing. Passion without purpose is a car spinning its tires but not actually going anywhere.

You will wait.

While you wait, you are investing in yourself. You are creating the environment that will most likely deliver the tools that you will need to follow through with your purpose. This is work. It is hard work. This “waiting” is not sitting around. It is not fruitlessly asking some mysterious force to heal you when you really need to get to a doctor. While you wait, you will make your purpose and self-development ubiquitous until the universe cannot ignore you.

The universe will do what the universe will do, of course, but if you let it in, it is incredible what happens. Not only should you let the universe in when it comes knocking, but you should also leave the doors open.  One should build bigger doors that stay open, with signs and neon lights pointing to them. There should be tracks from miles around intended to make it easier for the universe to do its thing.

You will hope.

This is not blind positivism. It is picturing the future state clearly while you work in the now. This is acknowledging that you will hit bumps in the road. It is saying that this is a marathon, and while you will become exhausted, you can always take one more step. You cannot have a timer on some things. Instead, you have a destination. Hope transforms into positive momentum. This hope is planning. It is failing and adjusting your course. Hope is learning.

The Count became his purpose. He invested in his education. He patiently planned and made sure everything was right before springing into action. All of these things have proven real-life analogs in business or otherwise.

Nelson Mandela was once asked how he “survived” prison all those years.

Mandela responded by saying, “he didn’t survive; he ‘prepared.'” 

These days, what’s more, is that we have access to unlimited free information. There are so many ways to learn anything now. Edmond Dantes was lucky enough to have an extremely learned man appear who could teach him. Each one of us has access to the internet, a library, etc. You can change your outcome through self-investment, steadfast effort, purpose, and time. I would even venture to say, that if you’re doing it right, the journey becomes the point.

If you invest in yourself, clearly envision the future state, create good goals and plans, and follow through with steadfast work, you will have not to do but “wait and hope.”