Success and Self Improvement

"Make your vision larger than yourself" is a contemporary statement by Chris Gardner that I believe uses the notion of the 'American Dream' and also relates to the ideas of success presented in Ragged Dick. As of 2012, Chris Gardner is a successful American entrepreneur, investor, stockbroker, motivational speaker, author, and philanthropist. However, Gardner's success began with a personal struggle of establishing himself as a stockbroker in the early 1980's whilst also managing fatherhood and homelessness, which is portrayed in the 2006 motion picture The Pursuit of Happyness. 

Gardner was living on the streets with his young son whilst trying to pursue a career in finance, despite not having any experience or a degree. Gardner also describes his childhood as "marked by poverty, domestic violence, alcoholism, sexual abuse and family illiteracy". It can then be said that the ideas of success presented today match those present in Ragged Dick since both stories have their similarities. Dick, like Gardner, grew up in poverty, having lived on his streets his whole life, and also suffered with illiteracy. The success stories are further similar as whilst Gardner had to work on a low paying training program in order to gain experience for a more prestigious job, Dick too had to increase his education as a form of experience in order to achieve a more prestigious job.

I therefore believe that the statement "Make your vision larger than yourself" uses the notion of the 'American Dream', and presents the same idea of success that is present in Ragged Dick, since both stories contain the theme of starting at the bottom and rising up through handwork, patience and endurance.

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