About four and a half years ago, I wrote this post. Re-read it this morning. It got me to thinking.
What do you do when you achieve the American Dream? When you've got everything you've ever really wanted, and thought you could achieve?
You could sit and stagnate. You could let yourself become miserable, because even though you achieved what you thought you could, you didn't get the level of job recognition/compensation you thought you would.
Or, you could do what I did. Decide that since you achieved the likely possible dream, it was time to go for the more unlikely dream. Mine was being a published writer.
No, being a writer isn't easy. It takes a long time to actually write a book. Longer to edit. And it takes longer still if your attention and mental energy is diverted by your day job. But it is possible, even if it's unlikely, and it's possible to self-publish without breaking the bank like it used to.
I'm a published writer. And I'm happy, because I have a lot of different story ideas, ideas that are workable, writable, publishable, which lets me set small goals within that dream of being a writer. My next goal is to finish and publish Highway to Tartarus by Thanksgiving.
What's yours? Big or small doesn't matter. It only matters that you have something you're aiming for.
16 minutes ago
My dream to to live in a country that does not seek to micro manage every aspect of my life. I DON'T want a government that wants to tax, regulate, license or make me ask permission to do anything that is a constitutional right. So what do I do ? I don''t play by their stupid rules.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever decide to break off and create your own country, give me a heads-up, because I want to live there, too.
DeleteAs I thought about your post, I realized my perception of the American Dream has changed dramatically over the last few years. My wish is to be productive in my old age, insure my wife never suffers from the afflictions of age and the few tasks I perform mean something more than just an accumulation of wealth.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, I can have that piece of the American Dream.
If everybody achieved the American dream, the standards of the dream would be raised and the process would start all over.
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