“The ‘successful man’ is becoming a modern cult. On social media, ripped guys in expensive suits beside flashy cars outside suburban houses — the very image of the successful man — invite me to free seminars guaranteed to deliver success,” says Dokuchaev of his photo project.
Pavel studied dozens of websites in search of success tips.
“I started out looking for unique advice, but soon realized it’s all basically the same,” explains the photographer.
In the end, he drew up a list of ten standard tips for a successful life:
1. Dress business-style
Pavel Dokuchaev
2. Do what you love
Pavel Dokuchaev
3. Work hard
Pavel Dokuchaev
4. Take risks
Pavel Dokuchaev
5. Develop communication skills
Pavel Dokuchaev
6. Do sport
Pavel Dokuchaev
7. Say yes
Pavel Dokuchaev
8. Read more
Pavel Dokuchaev
9. Surround yourself with like-minded people
Pavel Dokuchaev
10. Create an altar of success
Pavel Dokuchaev
When working on the project, Pavel realized that in order to appear successful, it was important to possess the main “attributes of wealth” — expensive suit, car, nice apartment, and vacation abroad every year.
“Some Instagrammers only come to life 1-2 times a year when on holiday. A vacation abroad is an a priori attribute of success in Russia,” says Pavel. “You get the feeling that people are afraid of showing their everyday life because it’s drab in comparison. They’re afraid someone might say: 'Ah, she’s gardening at the dacha again.' That makes me sad. Because of these imposed stereotypes, we're often forced to create the illusion of success, instead of just being ourselves.”