AMERICAN DREAM? OR YOUR DREAM?
❝You can do anything you want. This is your world.❞ -Bob Ross
You have probably heard of the American Dream before. There are various versions of this, but it usually has something to do with what you're supposed to do in order to be happy. People tend to be proud when they say they are living the American dream.
Many versions of the American dream describe a traditional path through life: do well in high school, go to college, get a high-paying job, buy a house, get married, start a family, retire early, and on and on we could go.
While this might be a good starting point for someone who doesn't know where to start, it doesn't fit for everyone. The one-size-fits-all approach rarely works for anyone.
Understanding what you want out of life helps you focus your resources on living a life that you would be proud to look back on without regret.
THE AMERICAN DREAM
This is all easier said than done, of course. Part of what makes it more difficult than it has to be is that we are constantly under attack. We're under attack from marketers, retailers, advertisers, social media influencers, social media algorithms, friends, family members, neighbors, the proverbial Joneses, and so on. I think you get the idea. We are constantly being influenced.
If we mix all these influences together, we get something close to what most of us think about when we hear the term American dream. The American dream has a lot of different definitions, but whatever the definition, it can be used to manipulate us into parting with our money.
Some claim the American dream is getting a good job, starting a family, buying a house, and so on. That's the messaging we receive - constantly. That's why it's easy to believe that this is what everyone does and, of course, what we "should" do.
Without examining what kind of life we want, it's natural to think that this is what we "should" want.
This just makes us susceptible to the Joneses effect, where we spend our time trying to keep up with those pesky Joneses. We spend our time chasing the American dream, the Joneses' dream, or any dream that isn't yours, not only wastes your time and energy, but it disadvantages you because it makes it more difficult to end up getting to where you actually want to go.
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The Meaning in Life Questionnaire assesses two dimensions of meaning in life, the presence of and search for meaning. Presence measures how full you feel your life is of meaning. Search measures how engaged and motivated you are in efforts to find meaning in your life. |
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FOLLOWING YOUR VISION
It's tempting to do what we think we're supposed to do. It's far too easy to start climbing the ladder of success without knowing where it leads. Doing something feels more productive than doing nothing.
Understanding what you want out of life gives you the confidence to live in alignment with what would bring you satisfaction and joy. It helps you see through the noise of constant marketing messages. And it gives you the confidence to pursue your own vision for your future and now some vision of what society wants you to do.
Don't go after the American dream unless that happens to be your dream. Figure out what's important to you, live your life in a way that allows you to focus on your values, and find more meaning along the way.
You get one life; live intentionally.
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REFERENCES AND INFLUENCES
Barker, Dan: Life Driven Purpose Becker, Joshua: Things That Matter Burkeman, Oliver: Four Thousand Weeks Hagen, Derek: Money’s Purpose in Your Life Hagen, Derek: Your Money, Your Values, and Your Life Kinder, George & Mary Rowland: Life Planning for You Manson, Mark: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck
McKay, Matthew, John Forsyth, and Georg Eifert: Your Life on Purpose Robin, Vicki: Your Money or Your Life Sinek, Simon: Start With Why Sinek, Simon, David Mead & Peter Docker: Find Your Why Sivers, Derek: Hell Yeah or No Vos, Joel: Meaning in Life Wallace, David Foster: This is Water Ware, Bronnie: The Top Five Regrets of the Dying
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