The American Dream and a Potato Peeler
The American dream is often defined as the ability to rise above one’s current status or class and achieve prosperity: monetary and material success. The greatest stories of those that embody the American dream are the ones who got there with inscrutable work ethic, perseverance, and incredible insight.
Take Joe Ades. He’s 74, works 6 days a week, 10 hours a day, on a street corner in New York. Doing what? Peddling potato peelers for 5 bucks a pop. Alright, so the guy works hard into his old age doing something average, if not a little bit peculiar. But here’s the gold: he lives on Park Avenue, one of the richest spots in the world. His walls are adorned with art, his former maid’s room is now for peeler storage, and his three young granddaughters college educations are more than paid for. Over the decades as a street salesman, he’s proved that slow and steady wins the race.
Born in Manchester, England during the second world war, he learned the tricks of the trade from peddlers who made their business on top of the bomb rubble. He’s been doing it ever since, getting up before the sun, donning a $1,000 suit and bringing his stock to the streets.
It’s an incredible story, but in an interview with MSNBC, what stole my attention was a statement he made about happiness.
“I think that’s the secret of happiness. Not doing what you like, but liking what you do.”
If you were to ask me if I want to spend several decades selling potato peelers on the street, chances are good I’d say ‘no way’. But Ades doesn’t see it that way
What do you think of Ades’ take on happiness? Do you do what you like or like what you do?
Tags: class, england, happiness, hard work, insight, joe ades, material success, monetary success, msnbc, New York, park avenue, potato peelers, prosperity, salesman, second world war, status, the american dream, work ethic
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