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COMMENTARY | It's difficult to avoid lethargy in wake of our current state of affairs. The economy is in the toilet, the Euro is on deck for a good flushing, most people I know lost the majority of their money in the stock market and everything corruptible in government remains business as usual. From many accounts, the American Dream is about as realistic as a mythological figurehead is and some Americans believe the dream is as dead as a doornail.
There are different reasons for the morose outlook. Some believe the American dream and way of life was oppressed by the "1 percent" while others believe our government leaders are the villains. Me, I'm different. As opposed to joining the ranks of apathetic extremists, I'd rather wax sanguine. I (still) believe in the American Dream.
Say what you will, but ours is still a land full of opportunity; ours is still a country where cream can rise to the top. Don't believe me? Think about people like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg. They all had one thing in common. They were essentially nobodies who hit the big time with a little ingenuity and a great idea. Isn't that what the American dream is, and has always been? Today, young entrepreneurs still doe-eyed and optimistic fuel the lifeblood of the American dream. They go after life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, not the guarantee therein.
Want more? Take me for example. No one ever expected me to make it, let alone accomplish anything. My roots run deep, but crooked. I was born to a lower-middle class family. I was raised by a mother who was a fanatical zealot, a father who was incredibly abusive and grandparents who (while wonderful people) had only the benefit of an 8th grade education. By all accounts, by every statistic, my only option was to fail.
Then, my fate was sealed. At 15-years old, I became a teen mom; not just having one baby, but twins. After they were born, no one expected me to finish high school. Yet, I did --a year early. But there was no fanfare over my diploma. After my success, no one expected me to set my sights on college. I did that too. I finished college and got my marketing degree.
Through it all, I knew struggle, I was no stranger to failure, but I believed hard work and perseverance would pay off. I know that setting your sights (and your feet) after a dream of personal betterment will lead you to victory, eventually.
Over the years, I have had nearly every job you can imagine in order to make ends meet. I scrubbed floors, I cleaned walls, I ironed, I was a telephone psychic, I sold alarm systems, and then, I found my niche in sales, which lead to entrepreneurship. The allure of entrepreneurship dug me out of the trenches and gave me hope, and a plan for the future.
As I write this, I can brag about having over 10 years of lucrative sales experience under my belt. Sales experience where I was a repeat award winner, a titan and a manager. I grew from a shy, introverted girl into a force to be reckoned with. I have sold everything from alarm systems to cars to real estate. I now run several internet companies that I started in late 2011; which are all doing unbelievably well. I live beneath my means. I save. I invest. I have a strong investment portfolio. I have a robust retirement account. I am authoring two books, scheduled for release this year. I made something from nothing, regardless of my cast off, sure-to-fail social status. Indeed, in spite of it. At 32years-of-age, I am far more efficacious than anyone ever banked on me being, including me.
If you were to ask me if the American Dream is alive and well today, I would say that it is. Because, I'm living it.
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