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CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – When I say “the American dream”, what comes to mind?
You probably think of a two-or-three bedroom house in the suburbs, a yard with an oak tree, a white picket fence. People living the American Dream are probably married with two kids and a dog. There are two cars in the garage. The husband has a mid-level management job; the wife, if she wishes, works and contributes.
The website Investopedia asked ‘how much does it cost?’ The price tag of the American dream is $5.4-million. And the cost went up about 4% in the last year. The website estimates that the average family is $1.2-million short.
I’m not going to suggest to you that the American dream is out of reach. It isn’t.
What I am suggesting is that we all should consider the dream carefully. Not everyone wants that house in suburbia, the two cars, the kids, and the dog. And if you don’t… stop chasing something you don’t want, especially if it’s very expensive and won’t make you happy.
I can declare, right now, that I am living my own version of the American dream. It looks different because I’ve customized it just for me. My house is small – exactly as I want it. One bedroom, one car. My kids are grown, and I’m happy, for them and for me, that they are out on their own. I’m not married, and am not actively looking. Perhaps someone will come along someday that will make me think differently. I have a wonderful and satisfying career. I could have made more money if I took over my father’s accounting business, but I would not have been as happy. And I’m content living in Wausau, not in the much more expensive suburbs of a major city.
My version of the American dream is affordable and achievable for me. I didn’t get sucked into the ‘standard package’ which is much more expensive.
Your American dream should be a good fit for you. Maybe it’s living out in the country. Maybe it includes hunting, and fishing, or horses. Whatever it is, don’t get suckered into what the rest of society tells you you’re supposed to want. That can be very expensive. And, if you get it, you’ll find that it’s less than satisfying.
Chris Conley
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