November 16, 2008

Last month, I was on a bus with a group of colleagues. We were on our way to a ropes course, which was part of our leadership training. Instead of letting us chit-chat during the ride, the facilitator put a video in for us to watch. As we watched Beth Wheelan’s presentation at the 2007 National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) conference, I was struck by how much it coincided with the American Dream.

Wheelan’s address was about diversity in higher education – racial, age, economic, etc. We all have something to overcome to achieve our goals. She suggested that hard work and perseverance were the keys to success. The part of her speech that got me hooked was when she said that Americans may have different goals in life, but even if we are in a tough situation, we should remember the four most important letters in American - I CAN. It was a great pep talk and quite timely too, since we were about to spend two hours practicing teamwork at a ropes course.

My son is a fan of trains. From the age of eighteen months to just a few years ago, presents were easy – he wanted the newest Thomas the Tank friend. It’s no surprise that one his favorite books is The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper. As the little engine is pulling a train up a big mountain, he chants, “I think I can, I think I can…..” Isn’t that exactly what we need to do to achieve our dreams? Keep trying, keep plugging away until we reach the top of the mountain.

When our children begin getting frustrated while learning a new skill (or just whenever), my husband and I remind them, “I think I can, I think I can.” That little reminder gives them time to take a deep breath, regroup and try again. It also reminds them that if they want to achieve their goals, they can’t give up - they need to keep trying.

Throughout this semester, we’ve read many definitions of the American Dream. In my first blog entry, I suggested that the American Dream is the freedom to choose your own dream, and if you need to change your mind along the way, that is ok. To my original definition, I add that, part of the American Dream is the work that goes into achieving that dream.

The American Dream may not be so much about the dream itself, but more about the journey to achieve it. Think about all we’ve learned as we’ve worked to achieve our American Dream. And, if you’ve been sidelined in your journey toward to your American Dream, remember those powerful four letters, “I CAN.”

Until next time….keep dreaming.


Piper, Watty (1930). The Little Engine that Could. New York, NY: Platt & Munk.