The American DreamThe American Dream

Defining your own American Defining your own American DreamDream• The phrase the American The phrase the American

Dream came into the Dream came into the American vocabulary American vocabulary starting in 1867 when starting in 1867 when writer, Horatio Alger came writer, Horatio Alger came out with his book “Ragged out with his book “Ragged Dick.” It was a rags-to-Dick.” It was a rags-to-riches tale of a poor orphan riches tale of a poor orphan boy in New York City who boy in New York City who saves his pennies, works saves his pennies, works hard and eventually hard and eventually becomes rich. It became becomes rich. It became the model that through the model that through honesty, hard work and honesty, hard work and strong determination, the strong determination, the American Dream was American Dream was available to anyone willing available to anyone willing to make the journey.to make the journey.

Dream MakersDream Makers

• If one advances confidently in the If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected he will meet with a success unexpected in common hour.in common hour.

- Henry David Thoreau - Henry David Thoreau

Horatio AlgerHoratio Alger• Born in Revere, Born in Revere,

Massachusetts, Massachusetts, January 13, 1832, January 13, 1832, Horatio Alger, Jr., grew Horatio Alger, Jr., grew up in a Calvinist home up in a Calvinist home with a strong focus on with a strong focus on education and religion. education and religion. He graduated Phi Beta He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard Kappa from Harvard Divinity School in Divinity School in 1852.1852.

Horatio AlgerHoratio Alger

• In recognition of In recognition of individuals who have individuals who have achieved the achieved the American Dream, no American Dream, no other organization other organization has done more than has done more than the Horatio Alger the Horatio Alger Association Of Association Of Distinguished Distinguished Americans.Americans.

Abe LincolnAbe Lincoln • The question is asked The question is asked over and over again. How over and over again. How was it possible for a was it possible for a young boy born into young boy born into poverty in a log cabin in poverty in a log cabin in the backwoods of the backwoods of Kentucky with little formal Kentucky with little formal education to rise up and education to rise up and become the 16th become the 16th President of the United President of the United States, and perhaps States, and perhaps America’s greatest America’s greatest President ever?President ever?

Abe LincolnAbe Lincoln• A Lifetime of PersistenceA Lifetime of Persistence——

Age ChallengeAge Challenge

• 22 Failed in business.22 Failed in business.• 23 Defeated for 23 Defeated for

Legislature.Legislature.• 24 Failed again in 24 Failed again in

business.business.• 25 Elected to Legislature.25 Elected to Legislature.• 26 Sweetheart died.26 Sweetheart died.• 27 Had a nervous 27 Had a nervous

breakdown.breakdown.29 Defeated for Speaker.29 Defeated for Speaker.

• 31 Defeated for Elector.31 Defeated for Elector.• 34 Defeated for Congress.34 Defeated for Congress.• 37 Elected to Congress.37 Elected to Congress.• 39 Defeated for Congress.39 Defeated for Congress.• 46 Defeated for Senate.46 Defeated for Senate.• 47 Defeated for Vice 47 Defeated for Vice

President.President.• 49 Defeated for Senate49 Defeated for Senate• 51 Elected President of 51 Elected President of

the United Statesthe United States

Henry FordHenry Ford• Ford suffered two unsuccessful attempts to build his Ford suffered two unsuccessful attempts to build his

dream with the Detroit Automobile Company and the dream with the Detroit Automobile Company and the Henry Ford Company. Then, in 1903, along with other Henry Ford Company. Then, in 1903, along with other investors including coal merchant Alexander investors including coal merchant Alexander Malcomson, Ford and his team contributed $100,000 Malcomson, Ford and his team contributed $100,000 and incorporated as Ford Motor Company. Henry and incorporated as Ford Motor Company. Henry Ford became chief engineer and vice president and Ford became chief engineer and vice president and later bought out his partners.later bought out his partners.

• In 1908, Ford realized his ambitious dream of In 1908, Ford realized his ambitious dream of building an automobile for Americans that was building an automobile for Americans that was reasonably priced, efficient, and reliable with the reasonably priced, efficient, and reliable with the introduction of the Model T. To meet the increasing introduction of the Model T. To meet the increasing demand, Ford moved to a larger factory in Highland demand, Ford moved to a larger factory in Highland Park, Michigan. It was here that Ford put to work his Park, Michigan. It was here that Ford put to work his innovative, assembly line, bringing the automobile to innovative, assembly line, bringing the automobile to the worker, thus saving tremendous time and the worker, thus saving tremendous time and resources. Within the span of ten years, half the cars resources. Within the span of ten years, half the cars sold in America were Model T’s.sold in America were Model T’s.

Henry FordHenry Ford

• Failure is the Failure is the opportunity to opportunity to begin again, more begin again, more intelligently. intelligently.

• Whether you think Whether you think you can or think you can or think you can’t – you are you can’t – you are right.right.

Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin D. Roosevelt• How was it possible for How was it possible for

a man with polio, who a man with polio, who lost the full usage of lost the full usage of both of his legs, both of his legs, courageously overcame courageously overcame his limitations and his limitations and became the only became the only President of the United President of the United States to be elected to States to be elected to four consecutive terms?four consecutive terms?

Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin D. Roosevelt

• Let me assert my Let me assert my firm belief that the firm belief that the only thing we have only thing we have to fear is fear itself.to fear is fear itself.

• It is common sense It is common sense to take a method to take a method and try it. If it fails, and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and admit it frankly and try another. But try another. But above all, try above all, try something.something.

Thomas EdisonThomas Edison

• I didn’t fail ten thousand I didn’t fail ten thousand times. I successfully times. I successfully eliminated, ten thousand eliminated, ten thousand times, materials and times, materials and combinations which combinations which wouldn’t work.wouldn’t work.

• The three great The three great essentials to achieve essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are anything worthwhile are first, hard work; second, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense. common sense.

Thomas EdisonThomas Edison

• Born in 1847, in Milan, Ohio, with a great deal Born in 1847, in Milan, Ohio, with a great deal of curiosity in his blood, young Thomas Edison of curiosity in his blood, young Thomas Edison was an inquisitive child at an early age.was an inquisitive child at an early age.

• While Thomas was just seven years old the While Thomas was just seven years old the family decided to move to Port Huron, family decided to move to Port Huron, Michigan. He attended school for only three Michigan. He attended school for only three months where the teacher labeled him a slow months where the teacher labeled him a slow learner, quite possibly because of his early learner, quite possibly because of his early hearing problems.hearing problems.

Sam WaltonSam Walton

• From humble, hard-From humble, hard-working roots, Sam working roots, Sam Walton built Wal-Walton built Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Mart Stores, Inc. into the largest, into the largest, fastest-growing, fastest-growing, and most profitable and most profitable retailer in the world.retailer in the world.

Sam’s Rules for Building a Sam’s Rules for Building a BusinessBusiness1.1.COMMIT to your business.COMMIT to your business.2.2.SHARE your profits with SHARE your profits with

your associatesyour associatesand treat them as and treat them as partners.partners.

3.3.MOTIVATE your partners.MOTIVATE your partners.4.4.COMMUNICATE COMMUNICATE

everything you possiblyeverything you possiblycan to your partners.can to your partners.

5.5.APPRECIATE everything APPRECIATE everything your associatesyour associatesdo for the business.do for the business.

6.6.CELEBRATE your CELEBRATE your success.success.

7.7.LISTEN to everyone in LISTEN to everyone in your company.your company.

8.8.EXCEED your EXCEED your customers’ customers’ expectations.expectations.

9.9.CONTROL your CONTROL your expenses better than expenses better than youryourcompetition.competition.

10.10.SWIM upstream.SWIM upstream.

ReflectionsReflections

• Your dreams are your creative vision of Your dreams are your creative vision of your life in the future.your life in the future.

• Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today.you’ll die today.

• The future belongs to those who believe in The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.the beauty of their dreams.

• Each person’s destiny is not a matter of Each person’s destiny is not a matter of chance; it’s a matter of choice. It’s chance; it’s a matter of choice. It’s determined by what we say, what we do, determined by what we say, what we do, and whom we trust.and whom we trust.

ReflectionsReflections

• Most people are looking for security, Most people are looking for security, a nice, safe, promising future. And a nice, safe, promising future. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s called the American Dream.called the American Dream.

• Nothing is as real as a dream. The Nothing is as real as a dream. The world can change around you, but world can change around you, but your dream will not.your dream will not.

• Whatever the mind of man can Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve.conceive and believe it can achieve.

Chinese Stowaways die while Chinese Stowaways die while trying to enter the U.S.trying to enter the U.S.

It all begins with a Dream . . It all begins with a Dream . . . .

•You see things You see things and say, and say, “why?” But I “why?” But I dream things dream things that never that never were and I say were and I say “why not?”“why not?”

• The great danger for most of us lies not in setting The great danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.”our aim too low, and achieving our mark.”

• What is your dream?What is your dream?God Bless America

America: The Land of America: The Land of OpportunityOpportunity

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America: The Land of America: The Land of OpportunityOpportunity

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