Women will never be as successful as men because they have no

Hear now the witty yet piercing words of Dick Van Dyke, who once declared: “Women will never be as successful as men because they have no wives to advise them.” At first glance, this saying may appear as jest, a light remark by a man known for his humor. Yet beneath the laughter lies a truth profound, for it speaks to the hidden labor of those who stand beside the great, the unseen wisdom of companions, and the quiet counsel that shapes destiny. It is a reminder that success is rarely born in solitude, but is nurtured by the voices and hearts of those who walk alongside us.

From the dawn of time, kings, warriors, and rulers have been adorned with crowns and praised for their triumphs. Yet behind the throne often stood another presence, unacknowledged yet essential. In the courts of Rome, the whispers of wives and mothers shaped the paths of emperors. Livia Drusilla, wife of Augustus, held no sword nor official title, yet her counsel steered the empire, guiding decisions that endured for generations. Thus, Van Dyke’s words reveal an irony: that men who boast of their success may owe it to the unseen wisdom of their wives, while women, long denied such partners in counsel, have had to forge their paths with fewer allies.

Consider too the tale of Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, second president of the United States. In her letters she urged her husband to “remember the ladies” when shaping the laws of a new nation. Though her advice was not fully heeded, it revealed the moral compass she sought to provide, wisdom that echoed long after her words were penned. Her presence, her mind, her courage—these were not the trophies of public triumph, but the pillars of private strength. Without such unseen foundations, the towers of men’s success might have crumbled.

And yet, the saying is edged with bitter truth, for it exposes the imbalance of history. If men have often thrived with wives as trusted advisers, why have women been denied the same? For centuries, women were expected to serve as counsel, as support, as the invisible hand guiding the visible figure. But when women themselves stepped into the arena, their burdens doubled. They bore the weight of labor without such partners to shield them from the storm, forced to be both actor and adviser in a world reluctant to honor them equally.

Van Dyke’s words, though playful, thus become prophetic. They reveal the injustice of a system where the roles of support and wisdom were unevenly granted. They remind us that success is not simply the fruit of individual effort, but of community, counsel, and companionship. If women had been afforded the same networks of support, the same recognition of their allies, the story of history would read differently.

The lesson, O listener, is clear: never believe that triumph is yours alone. Behind every achievement stands a chorus of unseen helpers—partners, friends, mentors, loved ones—whose voices shape your journey. Acknowledge them, honor them, and remember that to advise, to encourage, to support is as noble as to lead. And know this too: the path to justice is to ensure that both men and women have equal access to such counsel, that success may no longer depend upon hidden imbalance.

Practical action lies before you. If you are lifted by the wisdom of others, speak gratitude for it. If you stand in a place of power, extend your hand to build networks of support for those who have none. And above all, strive for equality—not only in rights, but in the unseen bonds of counsel and companionship that make success possible. For only then shall the jest of Van Dyke become a relic, and not a prophecy.

So remember: “Women will never be as successful as men because they have no wives to advise them.” Take these words not only as humor, but as warning and wisdom. Build a world where all may find counsel, where every soul has a partner in the struggles of life, and where success is no longer a tale written by one gender, but by the shared strength of all humanity.