American Dream And Success Essay

Improved Essays
The American Dream: the dream that everyone lives for and hopes to experience. The dream that has always been defined as a life of personal happiness and material comfort as traditionally sought by individuals in the United States is commonly used as the concrete definition of success. The American Dream and success are all centered on material things. Success doesn’t necessarily mean a cottage on a lake or a huge boat or RV. Success has much broader concepts than just these narrow-minded associations. Success, when looked at from a different point of view, is not tied down to material goods.
It seems as if almost everyone believes that in order to be successful and happy, you need a huge amount of possessions and money. This however, isn’t the only definition of success. Wayne Dyer once said, “Successful people make money. It’s not that people who make money become successful, but that successful people attract money. They bring success to what they do.
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The toy is played with often, and for long periods at a time, but after which the toy has become boring and unexciting. Money can buy a person many different aspects of comfort, and lots of convenience, but one needs more than just superficial luxuries to life a well-balanced life that meets the true definition of success. Money will make a person’s life easier. Not better. The things in life that cause someone to be truly happy are gained without money. Knowledge and wisdom can only come through many tedious hours of studying. A healthy and long-term relationship with a spouse can only come through much commitment and many sacrifices. Character traits such as respect, leadership, appreciation or love are not things that can be bought. They can only be made. Yet, all of these characteristics are an essential part of what success is defined as. This leads to an unknown author’s saying, “There is no elevator to success. You have to take the

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