From the Desk of:
Polish PeterQuestion for you...
What is your definition of the American Dream?
If you answered something along the lines of living in a beautiful house with 2 1/2 kids, a dog, 2 nice cars, vacations on a beach or somewhere in the mountains, white picket fence while living the financial freedom, you are pretty close to the general idea of what most people, especially immigrants, see their life in US as living the American Dream.
In fact, that was my American Dream when I came here back in 1991.
My view of the United States and living here was being successful, having enough money to do whatever I want, whenever I want living in a beautiful mansion, in a city with high skyscrapers, driving beautiful cars (Lamborghini to be exact) on a perfect sunny day down a perfect street with palm trees, while beautiful women walk all around.
Guess where I got that image from?
Beverly Hills Cop movie when Axel goes to Hollywood. lol (Ok, I was 14 at a time but regardless of my own view, that's kind of how we envision our lives here in US, don't we?)
And then, I landed in Detroit with a suitcase in my hand, no English and no idea what's coming my way.
No palm trees, no beautiful cars and women, no beautiful streets! And it was September so the weather wasn't the greatest either.
And then, my American Dream went something like this...
I learned English (in an ESL class from a teacher who had an accent haha), graduated high school, went to college, got a degree with whole bunch of student loans, then got a job, a house, car, got married and had 3 kids.
And after all of that, got ton more debt, worked more hours than I could ever imagine (many nights and weekend doing 80 or so hours a week) being stuck in a rat race.
And for me, that ultimately resulted in a divorce.
Today, my story is much different. I own a very successful company where I personally work 25 hours a week on it, make a lot of money, get to travel to all kinds of different places, am debt free and love, love what I do.
So, let me ask you...
Isn't it how the typical American Dream really plays out?
If you are being 100% authentic with yourself, (don't worry, nobody is looking right now and judging you), are you living the life you always wanted to live?
Or are you living what I call, the distorted American Dream?
You have a mortgage on the house, pay debt on the cars and personal credit cards and work, work work, Whether you own your own business or work for someone else, if you're lucky, you only work 9 to 5, 5 days a week until hopefully, you'll retire, some day.
When I say that you're lucky to work 9 to 5 (40 hours a week in your job or your business), I say it because most people I meet when they enter the mastermind are actually working, 50...60 and sometimes even 100 hours a week.
Does that sound more like the hours you put in? And then...
What happens outside of those hours, you sleep right?
So where's the American Dream? Even worse...
When do you spend time with you kids, wife/husband, friends? How often do you vacation? No wonder the divorce rates in US are over 50%.
Ask me how I know (just watch the video below to hear more of my story).