The American Dream is NOT Dead
Last weekend, Matt Smith, myself, and two of our other business partners worked with 45 international college students on their business ideas. We set up the camp here in Lithuania like the show, “Shark Tank” or the “Apprentice”.
Each student submitted a business idea, we picked the best ones, and then the students formed groups. This was followed by a combination of teaching and group work over the next few days.
It was amazing to see these kids from all over the world bond together so quickly. Within 48 hours, the students gave nine group presentations and each one of them presented a perfectly viable business idea that solved a common problem. It was impressive, and the experience stands in stark contrast to the way others from their generation are behaving around the world.
But it still isn’t easy to take your ideas and create a six-figure business. It takes time and effort. I know all too well how hard it can be at the start.
In 2003 I was struggling. I had just failed with my first business venture and was working as a personal trainer from 6am to 8pm five days per week, followed by half-days on the weekend. While I enjoyed the work, it wasn’t what I wanted to do. My passion was in creating an online business in information marketing.
While I struggled for years, I never gave up on my dreams. In fact, what truly kept me going during those tough times were my vision and goals. You have to find hope. YOUR American Dream is NOT dead unless you quit.
I truly believe everyone reading this article can achieve their version of the American Dream. In fact, at a recent seminar I attended in Los Angeles I was asked to pick a topic in which I had complete certainty and “sell’ the room on my idea in less than 30 seconds.
Here’s what I chose:
“I am absolutely certain that everyone, no matter who they are, can succeed if they put their mind to and follow a set of proven success strategies. I have no doubt that if you persist, you will succeed.”
In simpler terms, I believe in the “American Dream”.
Unfortunately, a lot of people feel like the American Dream being taken away from them today. Opportunities for small businesses are being sacrificed, not supported.
But if it means anything, there?s at least one Canadian (me) who still believes the American Dream is alive. I travel all across the great country of the America and I meet with hundreds of small business entrepreneurs every year. When I attend internet marketing and information marketing seminars, that’s where I feel the positive energy is unlike anything else.
Online marketers create their OWN economy. They create their own future. They don’t rely on anyone. They get it done themselves.
That’s why I believe the American Dream is still alive, but I also know that it has changed. The NEW American dream is global.
You could live in the heart of America and run your one-person information publishing business from your kitchen table selling to other Americans and completely replace the income you make from your traditional job. And you can learn everything you need in the comfort of your own home as well.
Or you could be an American living in Argentina, selling your product in the UK, Australia, and all over the world.
Or you could move from India to the United States to attend the high-energy online marketing seminars where you network with the best and brightest and then set up shop to sell products online back in India while living the NEW American Dream stateside.
The possibilities are almost endless.
But I know this for certain…
The world is not going to be improved by the politicians.
The world is going to be improved by the people.
YOU can create your own economy.
Now is the time take charge of your future.
To learn more about building an online business and making money by simply solving other people’s problems, please watch this video.
Let’s get to work,
Craig Ballantyne
“Nothing can stop an idea whose time has come.” – Victor Hugo
What It REALLY Takes to Succeed
By Bedros Keuilian
You and every single successful person you know are alike. In fact you have every capability that the most successful entrepreneur has. And you?ve got access to the same (if not better) information then many of the ultra successful people do.
So what does it take to succeed?
Today I?m going to tell you The Formula.
In 1980 my family came to America from Armenia, then a communist country. We arrived in America with two suitcases and less than $200 cash for a family of five just before my 6th birthday.
I didn’t know a lick of English. We were broke to levels you can’t even imagine. I was a chunky six year old kid with a funny hair cut, wearing second-hand clothes. I spent the afternoons being lifted into dumpsters behind supermarkets so I could pull out fruits, vegetables, breads, and other “expired” food that hadn’t gone bad yet but couldn’t be sold.
Over the next twelve years I attended three elementary schools, two junior high schools and two high schools. I dropped out of college and at one point was evicted from my apartment and lived in a Toyota pick-up truck because I had nowhere else to go.
But today I own and live on an acre estate in southern California that cost seven figures. In addition we have multiple rental homes that provide an additional income stream for us. I own or co-own four corporations that collective generate multiple seven figures annually and the work it takes to run them is pretty manageable for the most part.
Like I said, what I’m telling you about my life here is probably something I wouldn’t normally share, but I’m going to because it’s going to help me make a point. It’s not like I have anything to hide, because I don’t, I just don’t like to be flashy and I think it’s silly when people showboat about possessions and status – when most of the time those are the people who are living paycheck-to-paycheck.
The reason I’m telling you all this is because I’m also the guy who as A.D.D. And I’m pretty sure I have a learning disability or two because what takes most people an hour to do I get done in two hours.
And what would take you maybe a day or two of studying to memorize your talking points for a speaking gig takes me a week and a half at studying and repeating 3-4 times per day…
…But I’m okay with that because of two things.
I LOVE what I do
I’m a workhorse.
So in all reality YOU are better equipped than ME for success.
But the one thing EVERY successful self-made person has is heart.
Like I said earlier, we’re all the same in every way. We’ve got the same capabilities and the access to the same information, and the same number of hours in a day…
a.
Heart to realize that you deserve more, even if you were brought up on crumbs like I was.
Heart to want to change your circumstances.
Heart to step out of your comfort zone.
Heart to be willing to do whatever it take to get whatever you want.
Heart to realize that you are going to fail, and often knowing that failure is the price that you have to pay.
But you’ve never really failed if you get back up and try again. It’s the folks who fall down and stay down that end up as failures for life.
And guess what? If you want to be a successful entrepreneur Your’re going to fail and probably more than once before you make it.
Heart to make the HARD decisions that others won’t.
Heart to take the actions you know you need to take even if it’s going to hurt.
Heart to be willing to take a risk.
And heart to be willing to deal with fear, doubt, rejection and uncertainty.
Listen, if you’re sitting around waiting for some major secret to success then you’re probably feeling pretty let down by now. And anyone who says they have the ONE thing to make you successful is full of it.
If you’re waiting for permission to become successful, I give you permission. Better yet, look yourself in the mirror, man up and give yourself permission because no one is going to give it to you.
You’ve been given access to the tools, tactics, resources, action steps, systems, strategies and ideas to get your business or career to multiple six or even seven figures.
What I can’t give you is heart.
What I can’t do for you is the action taking.
What I can’t instil in you is the work ethic.
I don’t know where you are with your attitude right now. But what I do know is that if you’re reading this then you probably want more money, more independence, more freedom, and a reliable income, right?
I’ve got really good new for you. The information here at Early to Rise alone can easily get your business to six figures.
All you need to bring to the table is a burring desire for more out of your life and heart.
[Ed. Note: Bedros Keuilian has coached hundreds of fitness entrepreneurs on how to not only survive in business but to completely dominate their marketplace. Through his live events, workshops, and educational products he's helped thousands of fitness professionals realize their full business potential and in some cases become quite wealthy. These days, nothing makes Bedros happier than hearing a success story from a trainer who has used his techniques and strategies to take their business to the next level.]
Craig Ballantyne
Editor
Early to Rise
There will be days when you struggle, but that is okay. Just never give up. Do your best, and try to do better tomorrow.
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Tags: american dream is not dead, american dream on the rise, american dream success stories, building business, essay american dream not dead, goal setting, internet business, marketing
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