Success in a Dream

Many define their American Dream as being successful. But what is success in people’s eyes?

I think success can be many things. It could be having money, power, achievement in a certain subject, or popularity.

Success in people’s eyes could be money. Money gives people pride and sense of achievement. Money is something that can get you many other things like popularity or power. It is what most people define success as. Money is something that gets you many other things that people want in life.

Others defined success as achievement. Achievement is even a broader term of success than money. It is something that everyone has a different limit on. Some people think that achieving so much is already enough while others do not think it is enough at all and they want to do much more. But everyone has a limit on what they want to achieve.

Some others also define success as gaining popularity. As we are going into a globalized world where everyone has a chance to get to know everyone else by going on the Internet. Things like popularity gain ground as something people compare other people to. It also something that has a different perception in different people’s minds.

How I define my success is something very different than anyone else. I know I have been success in achieving my American Dream if the moment before I die, I do not regret not doing something I could have done in my life. It has a drawback in that I do not know my success till I die. It also is a plus because I cannot and will not compare my success to others.

What do you guys think is your definition of success in achieving the American Dream?

Dream of Others

I interviewed my friends and family on the ideas of the American Dream. Here are the questions and the responses from them:

 

Do you think the recent recession has changed the American Dream?

Neighbor: Yes but it is temporary to those affected.

Cousin: It didn’t really change the American Dream.

Friend: Yes because it ruined the dream of owning a house. People have to compromise on their dreams.

Friend 2: Yes because there’s been inflation. Those people who lost their job now their dream is not as grand. Those people that lost a house in the recession just want a house as their American Dream. What people took for granted turned into their American Dream.

 

What is your American Dream?

Neighbor: It is to move to be with family.

Cousin: I don’t have one.

Friend: It is to get enough to support the family that I want and not feel like I am always in trouble or always in need of others assistance. I can support them on my own.

Friend 2: It is to be successful. Success is completing college, decent amount of cash, and happiness.

 

Do you think you can achieve your American Dream or have you already achieved it?

Neighbor: I can achieve it.

Cousin: It is a possibility.

Friend: I know I can. I just need the motivation to do it and when I complete it I complete it.

Friend 2: It is achievable in the future but I haven’t achieved it yet.

 

What do you think the American Dream of society today is?

Neighbor: It is to get a good education, graduate, pursue the work your liking, travel, get married, and have kids.

Cousin: It is probably better economy, better health care, and no SOPA.

Friend: It is to feel like they had an impact in the world; it may not be necessary if they made a difference. They just don’t want to die in oblivion.

Friend 2: I guess it is similar. It is to have a nice loving family, nice house, job that pays a lot without long hours, life outside of work, job that still pays everything, and a decent house.

 

How do you think society changes the American Dream or does it not change it at all?

Neighbor: It changes when there is a war or a deep recession.

Cousin: It depends on the person.

Friend: American dream had always been the same. Ever since the pilgrims and the immigrants. It had always been to support your family and support what your dream is.

Friend 2: Yes, society made the American Dream. Each person has an idea of his or her American Dream. Those ideas that are the most popular collectively make the American Dream that we know. Each single person affects the American Dream also.

 

I am sure you have your own take on your American Dream. Famous people also answer questions about their American Dreams. Does reading the responses of other people make you question your own perception of your own dream?

American Dream for Later?

Many people have felt the effects of the recent recession. In the news and in the papers, some are saying that the American Dream is gone. But is it really?

Many people have at least heard of the recent recession even if they haven’t been directly affected by it. We all know that Americans lost much money in the recession, but what else do you think changed since the recession?

I believe that the change most noticeable to me is the change in society. Nothing has changed more in the last few years other than the bank account number than the change in society. Social issues now a days make the news more than ever. Society today wants to hear about another part of society and what other people are doing. We have become a socially conscious society when before all the people we knew were family, friends, and neighbors.

As society changes, so does the American Dream. The American Dream is based on what society collectively aims for. When society doesn’t think about dreams because of other issues like money, the American Dream slips from society. I believe that we lost the energy and the passion for the American Dream. I am not saying that we do not have an American Dream anymore. It is just that society collectively doesn’t want to pursue a single American Dream.

I don’t think that the American Dream is truly gone; it is just temporarily out of people’s minds for now. Perhaps after the recession, the American Dream will change.

Realize the Magic

Meaning of dreams

Many would agree that life is a long and hard road. We all have happy times but we also have sad times. Our dreams help shape our lives and the way we think during those happy and sad times. What makes dreams special is the way they help us throughout our lives.

Most of us dream at one time or another. We dream about things we do not have or things we want to accomplish in the future. Now how many of us think about why we even dream at all? Not many of us think about the reason why we dream. Dreaming comes natural to us. I think I know why we want to dream at all.

Dreaming gives us many things. Dreaming gives us hope, life, encouragement, and the strength to continue life. Dreaming gives hope to people to accomplish what they want. Dreaming gives support to people who were not encouraged. Dreaming gives encouragement to those who were disheartened. Dreaming gives strength to those who are pursuing a dream. I call this the magic of dreams.

Having a dream can mean anything, anything in the world. I have a dream like most people and I believe what a dream gives me. A dream gives me the desire to go through life no matter now bad it may be.

Pass on the Magic

Sometimes life beats us down. The prime example of when life beats us down is when we get cancer. Most of us probably know a person who had cancer at one time or another. Most of us would also know how hard it is to go through cancer by first person accounts and stories that we hear. But even in the darkest of times, some people do look to the brighter side of things. “The Last Lecture” was a speech by the late professor Randy Pausch. Given before he died, the speech was about achieving childhood dreams. Professor Pausch had cancer and was on a limited time span. Despite all the challenges, Randy Pausch was empowered not only to talk but also to give the power to others to achieve their childhood dreams. He gave this power to his students to pursue their own childhood dreams. Randy Pausch discovered the magic of dreams in his life. Randy Pausch passed on that magic to his students and to all who heard his speech.

The magic comes to all of us at one time or another. All it takes is a little push by those who have received the magic. We can all pass the magic on or we can keep it selfishly to ourselves. Choose to pass the magic on. We can all give strength and encouragement to others.

Dream of a Genius

Einstein’s Early Life

One of the few people that I consider to have achieved the American Dream is Albert Einstein. What Einstein did was change the face of theoretical physics and made a mark in history. He did come from a good family background as a child. As Einstein was a in his twenties, his family failed their electrical business and had gone bankrupted. Around the same time, his family opposed the love of his life and refused to allow them to marry. Despite all of the bad things in his life, it did turn around. He had to sneak around and secretly write his papers while working in Switzerland. Despite a few bumps in the road, he still set his goal and never deviated from trying to come up with equation. Einstein immigrated to the United States after the rise of Nazi power in Germany. From then, he had a job at Princeton and soon became an American citizen.

Changed the World

He was very curious as a child and it led to his success as a physicist. Most people remember his most famous equation E=mc². The world remembers Einstein because of his personality and his math. He made his mark on the world. He made a difference in people’s lives. Even though you might think that a simple equation does nothing to your life, think again. Without Einstein’s equation, we may not have nuclear bombs or rockets. Now think we may not have landed on the moon. Everything in this world revolves around Einstein’s equation, from the very sun to the vast universe.

Inspire the World

Einstein changed the way we see the world and I think he is the type of person I want to be. Anyone from anywhere in the world can find opportunity in America and achieve what they can. Achieving the American dream is finding the opportunity, making a mark in history, and inspiring others to do the same. I think that Einstein achieved the American

Dreams and Opportunity

Money, fame, status, a house and the list goes on. All of these things are part of people’s American Dream. I do not desire to be super rich, only enough that I can live a comfortable life. I do not desire fame; I only want to be recognized for my hard work. Neither do I want status; I just want to live the life I want. What I want in life is the result of my hard work. My American Dream is the opportunity to work hard and earn the rewards from my hard work.

Basis of My Dream

I came from China, a country that is the land of the rich and the land of the poor. Opportunity is a big word if you are in China. In China, if you have connections to the government, you have all the money and the opportunities you want. If you do not have connections to the government, do not believe in your life that you can climb the social ladder because it’s only a dream. If I were in China right now, I would be finishing high school and probably go directly into a job or go back to my grandparent’s house to farm. I am not at leisure to say, “Oh, I am going to college and getting a degree so I can get a good job.” It does not work like that. Only geniuses go to college and sometime even that doesn’t grantee a job. The only thing about China is corruption. That is why opportunity to me right now means so much.

What I Dream of

America is the land of equal opportunity. I believe that if I work hard and give it my all, opportunities will arise to give me a comfortable life. Nothing describes my ideal American Dream like the life of Steve Jobs. He came from the worst of situations to be one of the world’s most innovative people. I believe I also have the opportunity to work hard, use my brain, and lead a comfortable life. No other word describes America better than opportunity.