Mission Mondays: Patriotism, Politics, and Productivity

Happy Memorial Day, everyone! In this last installment of Mission Mondays, I'm going to delve into the dangerous world of politics a bit, just to keep things interesting and controversial enough to retain my 3-person reader base. I promise I won't get too offensive, and, in reality, I guess what I have to say is more patriotic than political. But, let's face it: which title word caught *your* attention more? I thought so.

I've always been interested in the political processes of our country. And I pretty much mean always. During George Bush's election campaign of 1988, I would get so excited whenever he appeared on TV that I would run up and kiss the screen. I would also repeatedly declare that, "Michael Dukakis is a tax-raiser!" I was seven. Do you realize how few of my first-grade friends were following the presidential campaign at the time? Well, I never got around to taking a Gallup poll during recess, but I would venture to say NONE.

Things hardly let up during my high school years. I took Government and Economics, found out about the dangers of Communism, and made an obscene number of statements that began with "If we do....., then the Communists win!" If they're looking for descendants of some secret love child of Joseph McCarthy, they might want to check my DNA.

As I've gotten older, I've come to realize that there is more to America than political campaigns and propaganda. That political theories debated in the classroom become presidential policies which affect an entire population. But, more importantly, individuals still have the power to change the tide of their family, their community, their nation.

Through my career, I get to offer people the freedom to craft a future of their own making. It doesn't matter what your past is like; you can still shape your future. My students can exchange junk food for real food; they can trade in channel surfing for power walking;  and they can trade in their "I have bad genes" attitude for one that says, "I will beat the odds."

The unemployed and unfulfilled can choose genuine well-being over welfare. Like the amazing Melting Pot we as Americans enjoy, my business team is made up of diversity that shows that the American Dream comes true for those who do. I've never been in a career where age, education, social standing, ethnicity, business experience, or credentialing matter less. Give me a person who is willing to learn and work, and watch the changes take place. When people are given control of their own future, some pretty awesome things happen.

The American Dream is still worth fighting for. I would like to think that all of troops who have ever sacrificed anything for this nation--including their time, their lives, and their own personal comforts--have not sacrificed in vain. That we in gratitude can give them an America filled with people who value freedom as much as our troops do. That we would be a nation of independents, not dependents. That we would never trade in freedom for free-loading. That we would be an America that they are proud to return to, a country full of individuals who realize that the power to choose is a precious gift, given to us at the expense of others, and stripped away from those who no longer value it . America would look like this:


"It is my right to be uncommon--if I can.
I seek opportunity--not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me.
I want to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed.
I refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia.
I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout. I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat.
It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafrid; to think and act for myself, enjoy the benefit of my creations and to face the world boldly and say, "This I have done.'"
--Dean Alfange


This inspiring little quote is the essence of the American Dream, the spirit of the entrepreneur. All too often, we are willing to trade our joy for a job, our dreams for a deposit, and our hustle for a handout. Somewhere along the way, we need to be willing to trade in a little security for a lot of success, so that we can prove to the world that the free market works for those who try.


While I didn't really embark on this career path to save America, it's kind of cool to think I can play a small role in making her future brighter just by inviting someone to join my team. Forbes Magazine says that small businesses and entrepreneurs are the key to turning our economy around, and I believe it. My "Now Hiring" sign will never come down, because there is always room for one more self-starter to take the lemons life has handed him and make lemonade from them. Entrepreneurs can put America back to work, and give her the courage to dream about life beyond the unemployment line, about a life that never settles for less than its true worth. 


So this Memorial Day, the best way I can honor our men and women in uniform is to go out and make a difference in the America they love. I hope you'll join me in finding a way to do the same. Because if we don't, then the Communists win. Just had to throw that in there.

Bonus Quote: “Those who surrender freedom for security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one.” ― Thomas Jefferson

Interested in what I do? Or just freaked about the Commies taking over? Stick it to them with an entrepreneurial career! Check out this video and let me know how I can help you craft a better future!