The “American Dream” has long been equated with economic achievement and wealth.
Getting rich feels harder to achieve than ever — leading Americans to develop a new definition of success.
That’s according to a recent GoDaddy survey, which asked more than 1,000 U.S. small-business owners to describe what achieving the American Dream entails, to them. Fifty-four percent of respondents defined it as “feeling happy in life,” and 49% said it involved “freedom to follow my passions.”Fifty-six percent still cited wealth as a motivator, saying they wanted to make enough money to live “a comfortable lifestyle.” But roughly three-quarters of the respondents said their definition has changed since they were a kid.Owning a home, historically seen as a marker of success, was only the fourth-most popular answer, at 45%.
Small-business owners are often considered a litmus test for the American Dream, as some entrepreneurs see startups as an opportunity to climb the socioeconomic ladder.
Many of today’s small-business owners are also millennials and GenZers — demographic groups that have become increasingly more vocal about living life on their own terms, in recent years.
Today, it’s more about feeling a sense of belonging, freedom, happiness and work-life balance.
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