Nothing to show for it?

Reader question:

Please explain “nothing to show for it” in this sentence: You may remember this iconic line by the mailroom guy in the famous Elf movie: “I’m 26 years old, and I got nothing to show for it!”

My comments:

That’s hilarious.

This is a joke because the speaker or anyone else amongst us mortals must have something to show for in the achievements department at the ripe old age of 26 years, right?

At the very least, you must have garnered a few wrinkles on your forehead, right?

And that should be enough to show that you’ve got some hard living under your belt, like, drinking and partying late into the night.

Or, quite literally, you may also have got some considerable fat under your belt.

At the very least, you’ve taken your meals without fail, haven’t you?

I mean, by and large, generally speaking and without putting too fine a point on it.

Anyways, all joking aside, “having nothing to show for it” is an expression that means exactly what it says: You’ve done something but can produce nothing in the way of proving that you’ve done it. You don’t have a result to show, to display, to demonstrate, to exhibit.

Or, if you will, to showboat and brag about.

In other words, you’ve got nothing to write home about.

In other words, perhaps, you’ve done nothing that’s distinguished and meaningful.

Still in other words, you’ve been a good for nothing, as the 26-year-old in the Elf film says, quite self-deprecatingly I’m sure, that he is.

Don’t take it too seriously, though. I mean, don’t be too hard on yourself. If you do something, having put in the hours and made an effort but have not got any reward, maybe it’s just bad luck.

Or maybe you’re too demanding.

I mean, maybe you truly deserve better.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, keep plodding on.

To begin with, keep eating your meals.

Got to eat your Wheaties, as they say.

Whatever happens, got to keep eating your Wheaties.

All right, no more fooling around. Let’s read a few media examples of people who feel they have “nothing to show for” their money and effort:

1. Since 1979, the U.S. Department of Education has spent over $3 trillion with virtually nothing to show for it. Despite per-pupil spending having increased by more than 245% over that period, there has been virtually no measurable improvement in student achievement:

*Math and reading scores for 13-year-olds are at the lowest level in decades.

*Six-in-ten fourth graders and nearly three-quarters of eighth graders are not proficient in math.

*Seven-in-ten fourth and eighth graders are not proficient in reading, while 40% of fourth grade students don’t even meet basic reading levels.

*Standardized test scores have remained flat for decades.

*U.S. students rank 28 out of 37 OECD member countries in math.

President Donald J. Trump and his administration believe we can, and must, be better.

Instead of maintaining the status quo that is failing American students, the Trump Administration’s bold plan will return education where it belongs – with individual states, which are best positioned to administer effective programs and services that benefit their own unique populations and needs.

Instead of a bloated federal system that burdens schools with regulations and paperwork, the Trump Administration believes states should be empowered to expand educational freedom and opportunity for all families.

Why would we keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect a different result?

- On Education, President Trump Knows We Can Do Better, TheWhiteHouse.gov, March 20, 2025.

2. The minutes ticked down on May 19, 2024 as Arsenal overturned a one goal deficit against Everton on the final day of the Premier League season. Kai Havertz scored the winner, a forlorn figure realising his last strike of the season was more academic than historic. Manchester City had defeated West Ham United and they were Premier League champions for the fourth year running.

Mikel Arteta pushed his mentor to the final day, yet there was nothing to show for it. Another season coming up short to the juggernaut they aspire to be. Different circumstances compared to the year prior, the sullen emotions similar.

Growth shown over 38 games, but now the pressure to get over the line amplified. How would Arsenal handle their next season? What reinforcements would they make? Who would step up? Who would falter? Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool a thing of the past, time to usurp Man City.

Fast forward a year, great news! They finished one place above Man City. Bad news, Man City finished third. Second place once again, this time to Arne Slot’s incarnation of the Reds. The Dutchman’s first season in the Premier League and he beat the perceived heir apparent to the title.

A season sprinkled with magical moments but no silverware to commemorate a campaign. A theme all too familiar for Arsenal and their fans. Doesn’t help Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, dreaded rivals Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur all lifted trophies this year.

Highlights include defeating Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinals both home and away. Lowlights? Their two performances against Paris Saint-Germain the following stage, any of the 14 draws they suffered in the league. Not to mention their unacceptable showings against Newcastle United and Manchester United in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup respectively.

As Steve McManaman said after their victory at the Santiago Bernabeu, the results won’t matter if they don’t win the Champions League. Context being, yes, of course celebrate one of the club’s biggest results in Europe, but don’t correlate a quarterfinals win to realising success you’ve never tasted. They had to get over the line, and they didn’t.

Injuries underlined their struggles, sure, but a lack of ambition in the transfer window put the hierarchy in the spotlight once again. Time and patience, seemingly theoretical constructs regarding Arteta’s tenure, are running out.

Next season is make or break.

- Arsenal 2024–25 Season: Magical Moments Without Anything to Show for It, SI.com, May 29, 2025.

3. Prime Minister Mark Carney said Monday his move to drop Canada’s digital services tax is part of the broader trade negotiation with the United States, even as the White House said Carney “caved” to U.S. President Donald Trump.

Carney’s government climbed down on Sunday, and rescinded the tax just hours before the first payment came due, and three days after Trump suspended trade talks with Canada over it.

“It’s part of a bigger negotiation,” Carney told reporters on Parliament Hill. “It’s something that we expected in the broader sense that would be part of a final deal.”

But in Washington, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said Carney “caved to President Trump and the United States of America.”

Trump, said Leavitt, knows how to negotiate.

“It was a mistake for Canada to vow to implement that tax that would have hurt our tech companies here in the United States,” she said.

“The president made his position quite clear to the prime minister, and the prime minister called the president last night to let the president know that he would be dropping that tax, which is a big victory for our tech companies and our American workers here at home.”

Carney said Canada and the U.S. restarted their talks Monday morning, and are still aiming for the July 21 deadline the two leaders set when they met in Alberta at the G7 summit earlier this month.

Trump’s suspension of trade negotiations with Canada on Friday, triggered a weekend of intense discussions between Canadian ministers and their U.S. counterparts.

Calls were made between Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne and Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and their counterparts in the Trump administration. The discussions culminated Sunday night when Carney called Trump to let him know Canada would rescind the tax.

The tax would have hit large tech companies, including Amazon, Google, Meta, Uber and Airbnb, with a three per cent levy on revenue from Canadian users. The first payment – retroactive to 2022 – was due on Monday and could have collectively cost American companies US$2 billion.

…

Business groups on both sides of the border praised the government for moving to eliminate the tax, while critics accused it of capitulating to the U.S.

Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet said Carney campaigned during the election on finding a way out from under Trump’s tariffs, and has compromised on multiple things including defence and counter tariffs, but has nothing to show for it so far.

- U.S. and Canada restart trade talks after conflict over digital services tax, StAlbertGazette.com, June 30, 2025.

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About the author:

Zhang Xin is Trainer at chinadaily.com.cn. He has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.

（作者：张欣）