Young men in Bermuda need to focus on their long-term goals, be committed and not aim for material things if they are to find true success in life, a packed dinner reception was told last night.

Three speakers each gave their opinion on how men and boys on the Island could find success when The Writers' Machine held its Success Is No Mystery event last night at La Coquille.

CedarBridge Academy headboy Josue Paulos, XL Capital president Brian O'Hara and long-time businessman Alpheaus (Ardie) Black each gave inspirational speeches to the audience of young boys and their fathers and guardians on what they believed success was and how it could be achieved.

And they each agreed that success did not come overnight, and often followed failure. They said taking the easy way out was not the answer.

Mr. Black, who first started his own business 50 years' ago, said young Bermudian men needed to re-take their Island by acquiring a trade and skills. And he encouraged more young boys to become businessmen.

He urged parents and caregivers to push and guide their children, and said he believed his parents were behind his own success story.

Mr. Black said much emphasis was placed on young Bermudians entering the white collar field of work, but he believed they should not be deterred from becoming skilled tradesmen, if that is where their talent lies.

"I'm 78-years-old and I have been in business for 50 years and have been married for 47 years," said Mr. Black. "I have never had to pay rent. I thought about the future before I thought of the honey. Business came first.

"There are a lot of opportunities out here and you need to get out here with our young men and find those opportunities."

He said the construction industry was booming, but said only about 20 to 30 percent of people on the sites were Bermudian. "Let's hope that the fathers can encourage these young men to get into some of these industries. We have carpentry, plumbing and masonry work. Bermuda has even lost its sense of tailoring," said Mr. Black.

"We need to get back and get all of these things in our hands. To young people, we always say `the youth is our future'. But we need show that.

"Young people, you need to stay in school and the day you come out of school you need to keep your chest high and your head high and be full of self-esteem. Think a lot of yourselves. Don't go about like a lot of people around here with your trousers around your butt.

"You don't know who is looking at you."

And he said too often young people turned their back on apprenticeships and trades because they could earn more money sooner doing more basic work, such as labouring.

But he said sometimes you had to take the lower paid jobs to acquire the skills.

"Don't worry about the small money you might get to start with. If you stay with it, the money will come," he promised.

"There are privileges out there for you. Grab the reins and turn this country around. Success is no mystery. It's hard work, but it's no mystery."

Josue, 17, who is due to go to the United World College in New Mexico in August, said success was not about owning a big house, flashy car and having the best sneakers.

He said success was doing what you enjoyed and doing it well. "Material things do not make the person - it's what is on the inside that counts," said Josue.

"Before you see that first $1 million cheque or sell your first piece of artwork, you have to work. Winston Churchill once said that success was going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm. Success will have many obstacles. Remember, you reap what you sow and if you put in 100 percent, you will receive 100 percent."

Mr. O'Hara said he had been in Bermuda for 24 years and found it had much to offer.

He said some people believed success was down to luck and how much money you made, but he said they were both by-products. And he said while education was a pre-requisite in life, people could be successful no matter what their strengths and weaknesses, so long as they applied themselves and made sacrifices along the way.

He added: "And if you really want to set the bar high then you must learn to be a leader. The higher you want to climb, the more you need leadership skills.

"Leadership develops daily. It's not developed in a day. It's about doing it day in and day out and not expecting instant success. Do it one step at a time.

"Success is truly living up to your potential. There is nothing sadder in life that seeing potential wasted. And success can be relative. It's not about making money. It's about being the best you can be."