Remon Talks

While I was zapping through all the TV channels last night, I came accross a documentary about some poor people. One of the guys (let’s call him Jimmy since I don’t know his name) was asked how he thinks his future looks like. He said he dreamt of being rich and live the american dream.

Jimmy worked all day for a crappy salary, only to “invest” his money in rent, food, clothing and his car. When he came home after a long day of work, he did nothing to make his dream a reality. He sat down on the couch to watch tv until it was time to go to bed.

For Jimmy, the american dream will probably never be more then that. A dream. Why? Because Jimmy is not trying to reach any goals. He doesn’t even have any goals in life which may make his dream come true. All Jimmy does is work to pay the bills.

The american dream, in my opinion, is the idea that anyone from anywhere can reach whatever they want with working smart (not hard), courage and determination. For example, the case of Tamir Sapir. An immigrant from the former U.S.S.R. Sapir arrived in the US in 1973 and started as a taxicab driver in New York City. Saving up to become a partner of an electronics store, he catered primarily to Russian clients. Eventually he made contacts with the oil and chemicals minister of the U.S.S.R, and traded electronics for oil contracts, which he then sold to American companies. Investing the profits in Manhattan real estate, he became a billionaire by 2002, less than thirty years after arriving penniless in the US.

Now which differences do you see between Jimmy and Tamir? Let me sum it up for you:

1. Tamir worked smart, Jimmy does not.

Tamir started as a cabdriver in NY, a easy job for raising cash to invest. Jimmy works also, but he doesn’t save up to invest and doesn’t plan to either.
2. Tamir had courage, Jimmy does not

Tamir used his saved up cash, to become the fellow-owner of a electronics shop catering to russians. Most people wouldn’t have the courage to invest all their savings like this. Most people (like Jimmy) don’t even have the courage to give up their jobs to start a business like Tamir!

3. Tamir was smart again, Jimmy is still dreaming

Catering to russians has a few benefits. Due to cultural differences, it’s very easy to create a network of usefull people like the russian minister of oil and chemicals. Russians usually offer eachother a glass of vodka after a closed deal (like buying something from an electronics store). As you understand, this is a great opportunity to network.

4. Tamir was smart yet again, is Jimmy ever going to wake up?

With one of his contacts, the minister, he started trading electronics for oil contracts. Russia has (had?) a lot of oil, making it cheap there. In the US however, oil contracts demand huge sums of money. No wonder Tamir sold them to American companies.

5. Tamir is off the charts, where did Jimmy go?

With his newfound wealth, Tamir started investing in real estate in NY. The real estate market was at an alltime low when Tamir bought a 20 floor building for only $2.3 million. He figured that if the prices where this low, they must go up sometime. A few years later, this building was worth over $200 million.

Now, the american dream doesn’t necessarily means you have to become a billionaire. For me, the american dream is reaching financial freedom. Financial freedom for me means there’s more money coming in from passive income streams (no work required) then there’s going out.

Unfortunately, most people keep dreaming. They usually don’t have the courage or determination to make their dream reality, just like Jimmy. They keep working for a boss, because it’s “secure”. They put all their savings in a savings account, because it’s secure.

If they do start a business, their goal usually is something like working less hours for the same money they earned when they worked for a boss. They usually don’t work smart, if you can hire someone to run your business and still make money do it! If you don’t make enough money to hire someone, find ways to make your business more profitable and then hire someone. With your newfound free time start another business and do it all over again.

Most people rather dream the american dream, instead of living the american dream. They think they can’t do it, or that they will fail. I understand though, they’ve been told by their parents, family and teachers since birth that working for a boss is the thing to do to become succesfull and secure their income. Of course they know what they’re talking about because they NEVER owned a business *cough*.

Take action to make your dream a reality. Don’t take advice from people who don’t know what they’re talking about. Believe in yourself and believe in your goals. Be determined, have courage and work smart, that’s how you’ll live the american dream.

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