Pride

The American Dream is a fear of success.  A fear that if you do not achieve the standard, you have failed.  In a world where anything is possible and you can be whoever you want to be, rags to riches and bottom to top with all that hard work; you forever face the pursuit of coming up short.

Look around yourself, your friends, collegues, teachers, idols.  You hold some up in high esteem and on their pedistle they stay, regardless of their flaws.  We watch as those on top live, and base our choices on becoming them, when really they have looked to someone else all along.

To base yourself on someone else is a sure path to not being good enough.
To base yourself on something new is a direct line to not fitting in.
American Dreams are wonderful things, and everyone should have their own.  But fresh new trails are assumed to be derailment from the norm and dreams, when based on others' pride, can only leave you stranded.

A path of your own, leaves you lost and when you find your way it's new. When there's nothing to which you compare yourself, there is only success in your own right. When no one can define you, you have achieved a dream of your own.