The American Dream

1. The American Dream

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

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

4. Horatio Alger • Born in Revere, Massachusetts, January 13, 1832, Horatio Alger, Jr., grew up in a Calvinist home with a strong focus on education and religion. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard Divinity School in 1852.

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

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

7. A Lifetime of Persistence— Age Challenge 22 Failed in business. 23 Defeated for Legislature. 24 Failed again in business. 25 Elected to Legislature. 26 Sweetheart died. 27 Had a nervous breakdown.29 Defeated for Speaker. 31 Defeated for Elector. 34 Defeated for Congress. 37 Elected to Congress. 39 Defeated for Congress. 46 Defeated for Senate. 47 Defeated for Vice President. 49 Defeated for Senate 51 Elected President of the United States Abe Lincoln

8. Henry Ford • Ford suffered two unsuccessful attempts to build his dream with the Detroit Automobile Company and the Henry Ford Company. Then, in 1903, along with other investors including coal merchant Alexander Malcomson, Ford and his team contributed $100,000 and incorporated as Ford Motor Company. Henry Ford became chief engineer and vice president and later bought out his partners. • In 1908, Ford realized his ambitious dream of building an automobile for Americans that was reasonably priced, efficient, and reliable with the introduction of the Model T. To meet the increasing demand, Ford moved to a larger factory in Highland Park, Michigan. It was here that Ford put to work his innovative, assembly line, bringing the automobile to the worker, thus saving tremendous time and resources. Within the span of ten years, half the cars sold in America were Model T’s.

9. Henry Ford • Failure is the opportunity to begin again, more intelligently. • Whether you think you can or think you can’t – you are right.

10. Franklin D. Roosevelt • How was it possible for a man with polio, who lost the full usage of both of his legs, courageously overcame his limitations and became the only President of the United States to be elected to four consecutive terms?

11. Franklin D. Roosevelt • Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. • It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.

12. Thomas Edison • I didn’t fail ten thousand times. I successfully eliminated, ten thousand times, materials and combinations which wouldn’t work. • The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.

13. Thomas Edison • Born in 1847, in Milan, Ohio, with a great deal of curiosity in his blood, young Thomas Edison was an inquisitive child at an early age. • While Thomas was just seven years old the family decided to move to Port Huron, Michigan. He attended school for only three months where the teacher labeled him a slow learner, quite possibly because of his early hearing problems.

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

15. COMMIT to your business. SHARE your profits with your associatesand treat them as partners. MOTIVATE your partners. COMMUNICATE everything you possiblycan to your partners. APPRECIATE everything your associatesdo for the business. CELEBRATE your success. LISTEN to everyone in your company. EXCEED your customers’ expectations. CONTROL your expenses better than yourcompetition. SWIM upstream. Sam’s Rules for Building a Business

16. Reflections • Your dreams are your creative vision of your life in the future. • Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today. • The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. • Each person’s destiny is not a matter of chance; it’s a matter of choice. It’s determined by what we say, what we do, and whom we trust.

17. Reflections • Most people are looking for security, a nice, safe, promising future. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s called the American Dream. • Nothing is as real as a dream. The world can change around you, but your dream will not. • Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve.

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

19. It all begins with a Dream . . . • You see things and say, “why?” But I dream things that never were and I say “why not?”

20. The great danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” • What is your dream? God Bless America

21. America: The Land of Opportunity • Nygren’s Men’s Wear • Journey Inn Rentals • Hansel and Gretel • Ragedy Ann • Red Hot Pants • Burger King • Hallmark Cards • Pengo Wireline

22. America: The Land of Opportunity • Val-Pak • Chick-Fil-A • Italia Factoria • Lubricators • Valley View • Corn Roasters • Commercial Properties