By David Magallanes /Guest contributor
We hear a lot these days about the “American Dream,” often meant to encompass home ownership, meaningful and remunerative employment, the love of family and friends, children or dogs or cats, and enough prosperity to enjoy it all. But everyone has their own variation of the American Dream; it could include a boat rather than a home, business ownership rather than a job, or a life without children.
So everyone’s American Dream will differ, but that’s what makes our country great: we can all have different dreams, and we’re blessed with the freedom to pursue them. That’s one of the things that makes the U.S. so unique: as a nation, we actually encourage people to live their dream rather than subjugate them to the circumstances of their birth. Foundations (often funded by the rich, the condemnation of the “99%” notwithstanding) provide millions of dollars to give students or the sick or disabled, for example, a shot at success, or at the very least a more tolerable life than they might have otherwise. We tend to cheer on and help the underdog, not kick him when he’s on the ground—as long as he makes an effort. American society does not support nor encourage the slacker lifestyle. Which apparently disturbs some people we see in the news these days. But I digress…
I would divide American Dreamers into two categories: 1) those on the outside who want a chance to arrive at this land of milk and honey and have the freedom and support to construct their own dream, and 2) those already inside the fence, born or otherwise established in this country, and who have a smorgasbord of opportunity before them. In the latter case, it’s like walking into the proverbial candy store: so much is offered to us — and it’s within our reach! But so many of us walk in, and then don’t even consider the range of offerings.
But let’s think about what brought us to this table of offerings. In my case, I had the privilege of being born here. I feel, therefore, that I have no excuse. If I don’t succeed and prosper, it’s not the government’s fault, nor that of the “rich,” nor that of anyone else. It’s because I don’t strive and put in the hard work and pursue my own American Dream. Of course, the path toward attainment of that dream has washed out in some places, and perhaps the footing is less secure in others, and some of the bricks in the “yellow brick road” have crumbled a bit— OK, maybe a lot—in some places, but nonetheless, the American Dream, however we define it for ourselves, is still within reach, especially if we’re willing to be flexible in our desires as circumstances change around us.
Next week, I would like to being tracing the roots of my American Dream so that my readers can put their own dreams in perspective and thereby map out a plan to attain them. I feel this is necessary at this particular junction in time because pessimism regarding the economy and our future reigns supreme in our national dialogue. As I explore these roots, perhaps I will reconstruct my American Dream in the process.
Perhaps with some reflection we will transcend the limitations that we believe exist at the lower levels until we reach those mountaintops upon which we can see where we’ve been and where we want to go. Perhaps this meditation on the American Dream over the next few weeks will inspire us to discover ours and empower us to convert that personal American Dream into our personal American Reality.
— David Magallanes is the creator of his own enterprise, Real World Projects, a speaking, writing and Internet marketing business dedicated to the advancement of the American Dream. An emerging branch of Real World Projects is Edifiquemos, a Spanish language enterprise dedicated to teaching the Spanish-speaking how to create a profitable international (U.S./Mexico) enterprise with low investment and high earning potential. David may be available for speaking opportunities. To contact him and for more information, you are invited to visit and explore his web sites at www.realworldprojects.info and at www.edifiquemos.com. His e-mail is dmagallanes@RealWorldProjects.info