Don’t Burn the Ships: Why the American Dream is a Marketing Scheme
You’ve probably heard the story of Hernando Cortez. He was the Spanish conquistador who arrived in the New World and famously burned his ships so his men had to conquer or be killed. There was no going back.
I’ve honestly burned the ships so many times in my life, and I’m telling you now: I don’t recommend it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that advice from "gurus," and I think it’s dead wrong.
In my experience, it doesn’t work and it hasn’t paid off. Don’t get me wrong—you should commit and you should "marry the game," but leaving yourself no other option is foolhearted in today’s world.
The Mutual Fund Mirage
I was once duped by the American Dream. When I was 18, I started a mutual fund under a Roth IRA, figuring I’d contribute occasionally and watch it grow to buy a house or retire.
Twenty years later, I had only made a thousand dollars on a five-hundred-dollar start. When I pulled that $1,500 out and closed the account, it was because having that small amount of "wealth" would actually threaten the benefits I need to survive.
The system is designed so that if I ever have "too much" money, I'm punished. I’ve never been so convinced through experience that the American Dream is an utter lie designed for conformity—it’s just hope for a hopeless situation.
The Boomer Ladder and the Reality Gap
When billionaires tell you to save your "Starbucks money" for a home, it’s total bullshit. As I break down in my book Farming Humans, most people can’t even make ends meet, let alone save for a future that doesn't exist for our generation.
In the 1970s, you could have a house, a car, and a family on one single income. Today, nowhere in America can you afford a two-bedroom apartment working 40 hours a week on minimum wage.
The Boomers enjoyed the easiest ride in American history and then pulled the ladder up behind them. They left us with a housing crisis, a debt sentence for education, and unaffordable healthcare while overseeing the earth’s sixth mass extinction.
Play the Long Game
I tell artists all the time: you are an entrepreneur. You should try other businesses that are in demand to learn how to run a company, which will give you the capital to be successful in music.
Marketing takes money. This means you shouldn’t quit your job yet; you should make time for music until you have enough digital assets to leverage and go full-time.
Do not burn the ships. The American economy will make you homeless before you "make it," and that is the cold truth. Our generation gets more work with less reward, and the sooner you adjust your strategy to that reality, the better off you’ll be.
Build Your Blueprint
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Join the Helm 108 Skool community. Let’s figure out how to leverage your assets and survive this "American Nightmare" together.
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