When you think about achieving the American Dream, what comes to mind?
If you are like many people, your answer may have changed a bit over time. Recently, web hosting company GoDaddy asked more than 1,000 small-business owners across the U.S. to provide their own definition of what it takes to achieve the American Dream.
As Fara Howard, GoDaddy chief marketing officer, says in a summary of the findings:
“This survey data shows that American small-business owners are thinking beyond revenue and sales growth when they consider what the American Dream means to them.”
Instead, small-business owners cite the following as being closer to their definition of what it takes to achieve the American Dream.
8. Having equal rights and access to opportunities
Respondents who said this indicates you have achieved the American dream: 26.1%
We live at a time when people are more concerned than ever about the rights of groups and individuals. And that is true of today’s business owners too.
More than one-quarter of entrepreneurs believe that simply having the ability to access new opportunities means they already have achieved the American Dream.
7. Being able to pay off your debts
Respondents who said this indicates you have achieved the American dream: 27.2%
The nightmare of sinking deeply into debt makes it exceedingly difficult — and perhaps impossible — to achieve the American Dream.
If you are in the red, you don’t have to remain there. For tips on how to climb out of the hole, check out “How to Pay Off $100,000 in Debt.”
6. Having assets to leave to your children
Respondents who said this indicates you have achieved the American dream: 33.7%
Leaving a legacy for children can be a powerful motivator for small-business owners or any parent.
If providing for offspring is a priority for you, make sure you have the “8 Documents That Are Essential to Planning Your Estate.”
5. Being your own boss
Respondents who said this indicates you have achieved the American dream: 38.7%
Entrepreneurs are almost irresistibly drawn to the freedom to do things their own way. So, it’s only natural that for many of them, the American Dream means no longer having to answer to a boss.
4. Owning your own home
Respondents who said this indicates you have achieved the American dream: 45.2%
Traditionally, owning your own home was seen as perhaps the most important symbol of achieving the American Dream. But the survey indicates that being a homeowner has lost just a bit of its former luster.
Do you plan to buy a home soon? Stop by the Money Talks News Solutions Center and search for a great mortgage rate.
3. Freedom to pursue your own passions and interests
Respondents who said this indicates you have achieved the American dream: 49.2%
Some people chase financial riches. Others dream of something they view as more important than dollars and cents: The time and freedom to pursue their passions.
Small-business owners are a hardworking lot, but even they see the value of prioritizing things other than work.
2. Feeling happy about your life
Respondents who said this indicates you have achieved the American dream: 54%
Most people want to be happy, and many of us try to make the pursuit of happiness a priority.
If happiness is a priority for you, make sure to practice the “12 Habits Happy People Use to Make Life Better.”
1. Living a comfortable lifestyle
Respondents who said this indicates you have achieved the American dream: 56.4%
America long has been the land of plenty, a place where people who work hard can pursue their dream of a better life.
Today’s small-business owners place the ability to live a comfortable lifestyle at the pinnacle of what it means to achieve the American Dream.
