Grab the brass ring

Posted by Bob on June 16, 2000

In Reply to: Grab the brass ring posted by Deepak Patney on June 16, 2000

: I am writing an article for BrassRing.com, a technical career site,
: about how the phrase "Grab the brass ring" came to mean going for career
: success and shooting for the top of one's profession. I have enough
: information about the origin of the phrase, which pertains to the brass
: ring one could grab for a reward when riding a carousel earlier in the
: 20th century. However, I don't know how the connection was made from
: carousels to careers. Would anyone have any information on this matter?
: Thank you.

: Deepak Patney
: Marketing Content Manager
: BrassRing.com
: 408-566-1403
: dpatney@brassring.com
: www.BrassRing.com

Frankly, I think it would be a much greater challenge to find a metaphor involving effort and reward that *hasn't* been used for career success. Every possible sports metaphor, for example, has been used, verbally and visually and often.