The American Dream. It’s a phrase packed with ideals, aspirations, and visions of success, freedom, and opportunity. Over the years, it’s morphed, shifted, and grown, but one thing remains constant: it fuels our collective imagination. And who better to explain what the American Dream means than through the words of influential thinkers, leaders, writers, and everyday dreamers? Below are 50 unforgettable quotes about the American Dream, along with some insight into each.
Let’s dive right into these quotes and explore the many dimensions of this concept that has shaped America’s identity—and continues to.
1. James Truslow Adams
“The American Dream is that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.”
Adams, who first coined the phrase “American Dream,” (Learn more about James Truslow Adams and the origin of the American Dream) captures its essence—a land where your success is tied to your own ability, not your circumstances. It’s about the possibility that anyone, anywhere, can make it if they work hard enough.
2. Langston Hughes
“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.”
Hughes beautifully articulates how dreams, including the American Dream, are essential to life’s vitality. Without them, we’re grounded, our wings clipped.
3. Martin Luther King Jr.
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”
King’s famous speech speaks directly to the American Dream’s deepest promise—equality and justice for all, far beyond material success. Read the full text of Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.
4. Ralph Waldo Emerson
“America is another name for opportunity.”
A succinct way of saying that America, in all its complexities, still stands as a beacon of possibility.
5. Thomas Jefferson
“I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.”
For Jefferson, the American Dream was forward-looking, with the best still ahead. Always the optimist.
6. F. Scott Fitzgerald
“Americans, while occasionally willing to be serfs, have always been obstinate about being peasantry.”
Fitzgerald, through his literary wit, reminds us of the American refusal to settle for less. The American Dream is about rejecting the idea of a predetermined lot in life.
7. Barack Obama
“In the face of impossible odds, people who love this country can change it.”
Obama reflects on the power of love for one’s country to transform it for the better—a cornerstone of the American Dream.
8. Oprah Winfrey
“The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but on significance.”
Winfrey’s wisdom reminds us that the American Dream isn’t just about personal success—it’s about making a lasting impact. Explore the life and success of Oprah Winfrey.
9. Henry David Thoreau
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”
Thoreau encourages boldness, which is exactly what the American Dream requires. Dream big, and don’t hold back.
10. Eleanor Roosevelt
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
Roosevelt speaks to the dreamers—the ones who believe, despite the odds, that they can shape the future.
11. Bill Clinton
“There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.”
Clinton’s optimistic take on the American Dream emphasizes that our problems can be fixed by tapping into our inherent strengths.
12. Colin Powell
“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.”
Powell nails the truth of the American Dream—it’s not about wishful thinking. It’s about action.
13. John Steinbeck
“Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat, but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.”
Steinbeck’s wit offers a glimpse into why the American Dream remains so persistent, even when the reality doesn’t always match.
14. Steve Jobs
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward.”
The American Dream often requires faith in the unknown, trusting that one day, all those sleepless nights and struggles will make sense.
15. J.K. Rowling
“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all.”
Rowling speaks to resilience, a key trait for anyone chasing the American Dream. Failure is part of the journey.
16. Ayn Rand
“The ladder of success is best climbed by stepping on the rungs of opportunity.”
Rand distills the Dream into a ladder, built by seizing opportunities, one rung at a time.
17. Jay-Z
“I’m not a businessman, I’m a business, man!”
Leave it to Jay-Z to define the entrepreneurial side of the American Dream, where personal brand and business are inseparable.
18. Mark Twain
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did.”
Twain urges risk-taking. The American Dream isn’t for the timid.
19. Bruce Springsteen
“Born down in a dead man’s town, the first kick I took was when I hit the ground.”
The Boss often highlights the struggles faced in the pursuit of the Dream, reminding us that it’s not always sunshine and rainbows.
20. Will Smith
“Money and success don’t change people; they merely amplify what is already there.”
Smith’s take on the Dream? Success simply reveals who you’ve always been.
21. Franklin D. Roosevelt
“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.”
Roosevelt focuses on the generational aspect of the American Dream—it’s about preparing future generations for even bigger dreams.
22. Maya Angelou
“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive.”
Angelou’s powerful words highlight the resilience needed to transform survival into success, another facet of the Dream.
23. Andrew Carnegie
“The man who dies rich dies disgraced.”
For Carnegie, the American Dream wasn’t about hoarding wealth but about giving back.
24. Mark Zuckerberg
“The biggest risk is not taking any risk.”
Zuckerberg’s philosophy boils down to this: without risk, the American Dream remains just that—a dream.
25. Walt Disney
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
The man who built an empire from a mouse believed in persistence above all.
26. Joe Biden
“Don’t tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.”
Biden’s pragmatic approach: the American Dream is as much about priorities as it is about passion.
27. Benjamin Franklin
“Energy and persistence conquer all things.”
Franklin knew that the Dream takes work. And more work. And then some.
28. Arnold Schwarzenegger
“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths.”
The American Dream isn’t just about victories. It’s about the strength we build along the way.
29. LeBron James
“You can’t be afraid to fail. It’s the only way you succeed.”
James reflects the essence of every Dreamer: fear of failure holds you back; embracing it pushes you forward.
30. John F. Kennedy
“Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”
Kennedy shifts the Dream from personal success to communal responsibility.
31. Alice Walker
“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”
Walker calls out the self-limiting beliefs that often prevent people from chasing their dreams.
32. Jeff Bezos
“If you double the number of experiments you do per year, you’re going to double your inventiveness.”
For Bezos, the American Dream is closely tied to innovation, experimentation, and yes, a lot of trial and error.
33. Muhammad Ali
“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”
Ali speaks to the heart of the Dream—it’s impossible without courage.
34. Malcolm X
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
Malcolm X makes it clear: the American Dream requires preparation and knowledge.
35. George Washington
“Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.”
The Dream thrives in the fertile soil of freedom, and once planted, it grows exponentially.
36. Robert Frost
“Freedom lies in being bold.”
The American Dream isn’t passive—it’s about taking bold steps toward freedom and opportunity.
37. Ernest Hemingway
“Courage is grace under pressure.”
Hemingway reminds us that grace, under the immense pressure of chasing the Dream, is what separates those who succeed from those who give up.
38. Steve Harvey
“If you can see it in your mind, you can hold it in your hand.”
Harvey puts visualization at the core of the American Dream. If you can imagine it, you’re halfway there.
39. Teddy Roosevelt
“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.”
Echoing Steve Harvey’s sentiment, Roosevelt places belief as the foundation of any Dream.
40. Elizabeth Warren
“A country that has the power to dream big should not settle for small realities.”
Warren calls out for an ambitious version of the Dream, where we push past limiting ideas and aim higher.
41. Tony Robbins
“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”
The American Dream, according to Robbins, starts with clear, focused goals.
42. Elon Musk
“When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.”
Musk embodies the risk-taking side of the Dream, where odds don’t dictate action.
43. Warren Buffett
“Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.”
Buffett reminds us that the Dream often takes time to bear fruit, but it’s worth the wait.
44. Sheryl Sandberg
“What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”
Sandberg pushes us to dream without fear, asking the question that keeps many from chasing the Dream.
45. Howard Schultz
“Dream more than others think practical.”
Schultz, the mind behind Starbucks, speaks to the need to dream bigger than what seems feasible.
46. Serena Williams
“I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall.”
Williams captures resilience—the heart of the Dream.
47. Dolly Parton
“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”
Parton’s folksy wisdom nails the reality of the Dream—it’s not all easy, but it’s worth it.
48. Ronald Reagan
“We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”
Reagan touches on the communal aspect of the Dream—it’s about lifting each other up.
49. Betty Friedan
“Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength.”
Friedan sees the Dream as a lifelong endeavor. You’re never too old to chase it.
50. Hillary Clinton
“Every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving forward.”
Clinton’s call to action? Don’t dwell on the past—keep moving toward your Dream.
FAQs about American Dream Quotes
1. What is the origin of the American Dream?
The term “American Dream” was first coined by James Truslow Adams in 1931. It refers to the belief that every American, regardless of where they come from, has the potential to achieve success through hard work and perseverance.
2. How has the American Dream evolved over time?
Initially, the American Dream was about land ownership and wealth. Today, it includes broader aspirations like equality, freedom, and personal fulfillment.
3. What do American Dream quotes symbolize?
These quotes symbolize hope, ambition, and resilience, reflecting the diverse ways people interpret the pursuit of success and happiness in America.
4. How do modern American Dream quotes differ from past ones?
Modern quotes often emphasize innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship, while older quotes focused on liberty, equality, and traditional success markers like wealth.
5. What role does failure play in the American Dream?
Failure is seen as a necessary step in achieving success. Many quotes emphasize learning from failures to ultimately reach one’s goals.
6. Can the American Dream be achieved by everyone?
While the Dream suggests that anyone can succeed, many argue that systemic barriers make it harder for some than others. Nonetheless, the ideal persists.
Conclusion
The American Dream is a fluid, ever-changing ideal that reflects the hopes, struggles, and triumphs of generations. Through these 50 American Dream quotes, we see the many ways this concept resonates—whether in the form of hard work, resilience, or the relentless pursuit of something greater. Each of these voices contributes to the complex tapestry of what it means to chase the American Dream. Keep dreaming, because it’s not just about reaching the goal—it’s about enjoying the journey, too.
