{"id":70,"date":"2013-08-28T21:41:35","date_gmt":"2013-08-28T21:41:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/morales-associates.com\/blog\/?p=70"},"modified":"2013-08-29T14:51:43","modified_gmt":"2013-08-29T14:51:43","slug":"the-coyote-the-roadrunner-the-american-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/morales-associates.com\/blog\/the-coyote-the-roadrunner-the-american-dream\/","title":{"rendered":"The Coyote, The Roadrunner & The American Dream"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Photo<\/a>

Photo courtesy: Warner Bros.<\/p><\/div>\n

We all want to be happy and successful, learning, growing and doing what we love.\u00a0 Yet as we approach Labor Day 2013 and the end of year five \u2013 beginning with an acute financial meltdown in 2008 to an economy that\u2019s currently recovering but still under performing – there might be some things we can learn from the Coyote and the Roadrunner about how to move forward in an uncertain world.<\/p>\n

Remember those Chuck Jones cartoons?\u00a0 With an assist from ACME products our Coyote was always falling off a mile high desert cliff, getting creamed by a rushing locomotive or, my favorite, finding himself at the wrong end of an explosive device while the Roadrunner jets by uttering his signature mock \u201cBeep, beep!<\/em>\u201d as the hapless Coyote gets smoked again.<\/p>\n

My theory is that during boom times we are more likely to see ourselves as the Roadrunner, leaving everyone in the dust with the calm and righteous certainty that comes from truly believing we know how this cartoon will end; with us as the winners, of course.<\/p>\n

But now the tables have turned and we\u2019re in a new cartoon, one where we\u2019re not so sure about the outcome anymore and one where we\u2019ve become <\/em>the Coyote who just can\u2019t seem to catch a break.\u00a0 Mark Twain once described the coyote as \u201c… a living, breathing allegory of Want.\u00a0 He is always hungry!\u201d\u00a0 Whatever the optics, our world has changed and so must we.<\/p>\n

Various new studies indicate there are \u201cbig picture\u201d reasons why so many of our citizens are feeling that the American Dream \u2013 our country\u2019s defining metaphor – looks like a mirage.\u00a0 The belief that one can be successful despite the economic conditions of one\u2019s birth seems as elusive as the Roadrunner; today signaling a \u201ccatch-me-if-you-can\u201d version of the American Dream.<\/p>\n

So what does the two-lane desert highway look like?<\/p>\n

* Recent Gallup polls<\/a> tell us that 70 million Americans are consistently disengaged<\/em> from their work, with 20 million of those who outright hate<\/em> going to work.\u00a0 The primary cause for this malaise is having a boss from hell \u2013 a boss who has no concern for their employees or in creating a positive workplace, doesn\u2019t track their performance and motivate them, or invest in their development so they can do what they do best.\u00a0 The price for this discontent is staggering.<\/p>\n

* The American Psychological Association reported<\/a> in 2011 that 36% of workers are stressed out due to low salaries, few advancement opportunities, overwork, unclear job expectations, and job insecurity.<\/p>\n

* Drilling down deeper, a team of economists<\/a> at Harvard and Berkeley studied millions of anonymous earnings records and compared them across the metropolitan areas of this country.\u00a0 It turns out that upward income mobility – like real estate \u2013 depends upon location, location, location.\u00a0 Where<\/em> you live matters.<\/p>\n

* Finally, new research<\/a> by economist Miles Corak from the University of Ottawa concludes that having successful parents is now the primary factor<\/em> in achieving the American Dream.\u00a0 While most people understand why a person born on third base might actually believe they\u2019ve hit a triple, the reality of privilege is now more acute than ever.\u00a0 Rags-to-riches is now looking more like riches-to-more riches, or rags-to-rags.<\/p>\n

With the accident of birth and where one lives stacking the deck on our chances to realize our dreams, no wonder so many are feeling like Wile E. Coyote.\u00a0 Having a boss from hell doesn\u2019t help either.\u00a0 Sure, it\u2019s hard not to admire Coyote\u2019s cleverness and persistence.\u00a0 He\u2019ll go anywhere and try anything to get that bird.\u00a0 Yet he always fails, which means he\u2019s really not so wily after all.\u00a0 Cleverness and persistence are not enough.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re feeling like Coyote, on an endless loop of bad results, what can you<\/em> do to break the cycle?\u00a0 Here are a few tips:<\/p>\n

* Stop and Take a Breath<\/strong> –<\/strong> Coyote is obsessed and single-minded at the expense of reaching his goal.\u00a0 Atypically, he has no peripheral vision. Plus, he never stops to wonder why things always blow up in his face.\u00a0 First, take a breath. \u00a0Remember who you are. \u00a0Sometimes you have to slow down before you can speed up.<\/p>\n

* Connect the Dots –<\/strong> Coyote\u2019s a clever tactician but his strategy is flawed, and he never learns from his mistakes.\u00a0 Painful though it may be, nothing changes unless you\u2019re honest with yourself and question your core assumptions.\u00a0 That means being inquisitive, asking tough questions and facing your demons. \u00a0 With a new set of lenses you can see reality more clearly and critically, and move forward with renewed confidence.<\/p>\n

* Change the Context\u00a0 – <\/strong>Coyote is always in the desert, a stark and unforgiving place where there are few options.\u00a0 To change the context and rewrite your story means opening your mind to new possibilities \u2013 to thinking differently, taking responsibility and assuming some calculated risk.\u00a0 Reconsider your objectives and your strategy, and make sure you have both the assets and the will to succeed.<\/p>\n

* It\u2019s Tough Being a Loner – <\/strong>Most coyotes travel in packs, yet Wile E. travels alone.\u00a0 Not so smart.\u00a0 There is strength in numbers.\u00a0 We all need help and support, and a chance to return the favor.\u00a0 Find your tribe, expand your networks and increase your chances of success.\u00a0 There are only two characters in Coyote\u2019s world but countless others in your own. \u00a0 Decide what you want and work with others to make it happen.<\/p>\n

* Find Your Voice – <\/strong>Do you notice how Coyote almost never speaks?\u00a0 He never howls or expresses himself. \u00a0 Rather, he toils silently alone pursuing an elusive goal that\u2019s become his obsession. To change his fortune and find his voice Coyote needs to change himself.\u00a0 He needs to ask for help. You can\u2019t shape your future unless you declare your intentions, and that means having the confidence and clarity to do so.<\/p>\n

* Take Action<\/strong> –<\/strong> We can\u2019t fault Coyote for not<\/em> taking action.\u00a0 The old dog is always in motion, except for when he\u2019s getting clobbered time and again.\u00a0 He\u2019s stuck.\u00a0 Taking action is ultimately rewarding when you\u2019ve done your homework – sized up your situation, clarified your objectives and committed to goals based on reality.<\/p>\n

So if you\u2019re one of millions of Americans enduring a boss from hell, not emotionally connected to your work, stressed out by your situation, living in the wrong place or not born into privilege, don\u2019t despair.\u00a0 Pull your inner Coyote over to the side of the road for a pow-wow to consider how you might change both the landscape and the approach to get what you really <\/em>want.\u00a0 In so doing you can learn from your experience, define success on your own terms and with some good fortune, reclaim your dreams if you so choose.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We all want to be happy and successful, learning, growing and doing what we love.\u00a0 Yet as we approach Labor Day 2013 and the end of year five \u2013 beginning with an acute financial meltdown in 2008 to an economy … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[24,38,28,44,43,33,25,42,29,40,23,32,41,31,39,22,21,30,46,26,27,34,45,35],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/morales-associates.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/morales-associates.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/morales-associates.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/morales-associates.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/morales-associates.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"http:\/\/morales-associates.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":98,"href":"http:\/\/morales-associates.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70\/revisions\/98"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/morales-associates.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/morales-associates.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/morales-associates.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}