We’ve all heard that familiar line from The Price is Right, “Come on down, you’re the next contestant!” The person who wins the floor competition gets to come up on stage and play for bigger prizes. Sometimes a contestant is asked to choose between keeping a small consolation prize or trading it for a chance to win a better prize. It’s always disappointing when they quit playing and settle for the lesser prize. 

There is an analogy that can be drawn between game shows like that and American life. Imagine for a moment that you are the contestant. The big prize is the American Dream, and the consolation prize is a paycheck.

The American Dream

What is the American Dream? Is it a car and a house with a white picket fence and 2.1 children? For some that’s what it is, but the American Dream isn't necessarily centered around material possessions. The accumulation of things tends to snowball with no end in sight. What is treasured one day feels inadequate the next. A johnboat gets traded in on a skipper, which is just a stepping stone to a yacht. A Camry is discarded for a Mercedes, which collects dust in favor of a private jet. It’s just human nature. For those who love money, there is never money enough.

The American Dream is about freedom. Freedom to live your life as you please. Freedom to decide when you come and go, what you do, and where and when you do it.

There’s not a lot of freedom that comes with earning a paycheck. You are told when to come to work, when to leave, what to do, who to do it with, who to report to – everything, right down to what kind of clothes to wear and how to behave. It’s like work has crawled up inside us and taken over. We become work-possessed. Does that sound like freedom?

Living Hand to Mouth

Besides the lack of freedom, most people who earn a paycheck live hand to mouth, or paycheck to paycheck if you prefer. A recent study found that the majority of Americans cannot handle an unexpected expense over $500. Meanwhile, the people who own the companies have more money than they know what to do with.

We shouldn't envy the business owner and demand a share of profits we don’t deserve. We didn't put our capital at risk to start the business. Instead of envying the owner, we should be emulating the owner.

Is there an idea you’ve tossed around that could be developed into a marketable product or service? Is it something that could provide a living someday? If so, maybe you should do something about it. Make a list of everything you would need to do to turn your idea into a reality, then get busy doing it. The Amerian dream is there for the taking, so take it.

Photo credit: Pixabay The Eggstack Blog will never post an article influenced by an outside company or advertiser. Our mission is to help you overcome uncertainty about retirement planning and inspire confidence in your financial future.