The Secret of the American Dream

There is a secret to the American Dream. And it’s not even a complicated thing—in fact, it couldn’t be simpler. My advice is: Do what you love.

Doing what you love is the one non-negotiable requirement of the American Dream. The instant you put your passion first, you turn the tables on conventional thinking and make the journey more important than the destination. And unlike the destination, which exists in the far-off future, the journey can begin today.

By making such a choice, you have also instantly distinguished yourself from the world of people who struggle for the next title or promotion. To succeed, to truly succeed, you have to love what you do first, and love the results second, if you pay much mind to them at all.

Have you ever wondered at the incredible energy of some people? How they achieve what seems like a tireless level of dedication? The secret is when the mission is your own, and not someone else’s, and inspired by real passion, words like “dedication” no longer apply. You work because you’re driven to.

Now, you might say “I don’t know what I love” or “I don’t have a passion.” But you do; we all do. It can be so close sometimes we can’t even see it until we really look. So break down the wall that separates “work” from “pleasure” in your life. See what happens when the two intermingle. Allow yourself to think big. That’s where the American Dream starts.