Blog about Leadership

American’s Resilient Optimism

I was reading an interesting article from Reuters that was about a Pew Economic Mobility Project survey. The survey found that Americans still widely believe in the “American Dream” as success determined by one’s own effort and not external factors or birthrights.

The nationwide survey of 2,119 adults found that:

• 79 percent said it is still possible to get ahead in the current economy;
• 72 percent said they believed they will personally be better off 10 years from now;
• 74 percent said they were at least somewhat in control of their economic situation, but only 43 percent said that other people were in control;
• 71 percent said personal ambition was a more important determinant of success than external conditions.

The survey has a margin of error 3.4%.

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With the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, there is an optimistic feeling among many people all around this country and even beyond the borders of the United States. President-elect Barack Obama’s story is one that can only happen in this country, in these United States. This is a place where you can accomplish anything that you put your mind to accomplish.

The son of a Kansan mother and Nigerian father, President-elect Obama became the first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review. After gaining experience and ties to the Chicago community, he first ran for State Senator and quickly climbed the political later from two terms in the Illinois State Senate, one term in the US Senate, and now President of the United States.

He is often quoted for his statements on this Union, while far from perfect, is often perfected; like the evolution where it’s not the fittest who survive, but rather the best, brightest, and of highest character who thrive.

Even in the midst of an economic recession, where there is more than enough news touted to make anyone question just how bad it may get. Still there is the glimmer of hope, the light of possibility, and shinning beacon for all to see. Today we may struggle through the mire of financial woes. Tomorrow, on January 20th, 2009, we will rise to champion the American dream to not be limited to some based on color or creed, but to all who put their mind to succeed.

You can do it if you put your mind to it. YES WE CAN!!!

***Updated January 20th at 12:04pm EST***

Well, there it is – Barack Obama is now the 44th President of the United States of America.

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Quote for Leaders from Charles C. Noble:
“You must have long term goals to keep you from being frustrated by short term failures.”

On this site, I’ve written before that dreams can come true through the implementation of incremental goals. For the sake of consistency, relate dreams as long-term goals and it starts to make sense. I’m not talking about dreams like winning the lottery, but rather realistic dreams like building a successful, multinational company – something that can be accomplished with effort, ingenuity, planning, and, then, a little good luck. Remember, of course, the famous quote from Louis Pasteur, “Chance favors the prepared mind.” While in order to win the lottery, you have to prepare by buying a lottery ticket and/or selecting your numbers, the bulk of the event is locked in chance. Where chance is an additional factor, not the primary factor, preparedness can be the difference.

Too often, while working along the path of incremental goals, some of those goals may be failures, but it doesn’t have to cause the big picture to be a failure.

J.K. Rowling 

Last year, J.K. Rowling gave a commencement address at Harvard. In her speech, she said, “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default.” This is a woman who was a single mother, reliant upon welfare benefits, who went from poverty to wealth through creating the Harry Potter books. Harry Potter is now is a multibillion dollar brand and J.K. Rowling is very wealthy in her own right. The initial story was written at time when J.K. Rowling’s mother had died after a ten-year battle with multiple sclerosis, when she had dealt with a divorce from the father of her child, and suffered through her own battle with clinical depression and thoughts of suicide (the source of influence for the Dementors characters – the soulless creature who suck happiness from its victims). For J.K. Rowling, she found her success by knowing that failure was merely part of the journey to success, not the destination.

Dreams can come true through the implementation of incremental goals. Long-term goals are the focus to move beyond short-term failures.

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