Another important aspect of this success model is that one has only one self’s to blame for one’s own success for failure. And yet given low success rate in Amway, "...the data from one investigative report reveal that only 1,000 of over 200,000 distributors ever achieved rank of Direct Distributor or higher," it is also quite clear that company does not offer success to anyone who enters business [Bromley, 1995:151]. How can all these well-meaning people not succeed? The only ideologically accepted explanation is that these well-meaning people had no commitment to "the dream.” The product is irrelevant. It is keeping dream alive and resisting everything that could possibly rob one of The American Dream that counts. For "the dream" is God’s blessing, divine will, American Way, family, morality, and free-enterprise system. Hence, The American Dream becomes a cardinal article of faith, a foundation stone of America’s civil religion. [Striker 1984: 128]As Streiker describes it, product lines in Amway come to signify and reveal something central to growth of company and role of ideology. Amway is a performance-based business that rewards people in direct proportion to their effort. The bigger financial goal, more time and effort a distributor will need to put into his or her business. With an Amway business, a distributor can work as much or little as he or she likes. The rewards are based directly on distributor's accomplishments.

Recently, American success model has been taken a battering. The competition for business markets and jobs is stiff . The faith in business has been eroded by corporate fraud scandals, massive layoffs, and outsourcing. However, at least for now, it remains predominant success model in today’s America.

Bio: Janet K. Ilacqua is a freelance writer based in Tracy, California. She specializes in academic and inspirational writing. For more information about her and about Ilacqua Associates, check her website at http://www.writeupondemand.com.

Another important aspect of this success model is that one has only one self’s to blame for one’s own success for failure. And yet given low success rate in Amway, "...the data from one investigative report reveal that only 1,000 of over 200,000 distributors ever achieved rank of Direct Distributor or higher," it is also quite clear that company does not offer success to anyone who enters business [Bromley, 1995:151]. How can all these well-meaning people not succeed? The only ideologically accepted explanation is that these well-meaning people had no commitment to "the dream.” Amway is a performance-based business that rewards people in direct proportion to their effort. The bigger financial goal, more time and effort a distributor will need to put into his or her business. With an Amway business, a distributor can work as much or little as he or she likes. The rewards are based directly on distributor's accomplishments. (from Amway The product is irrelevant. It is keeping dream alive and resisting everything that could possibly rob one of The American Dream that counts. For "the dream" is God’s blessing, divine will, American Way, family, morality, and free-enterprise system. . Recently, American success model has been taken a battering. The competition for business markets and jobs is stiff. The faith in business has been eroded by corporate fraud scandals, massive layoffs, and outsourcing. However, at least for now, it remains predominant success model in today’s America.

New Age Views on Success New Age philosophy got its name from belief that we are at threshold of a New Age. New Agers contend that world is going through a paradigm shift, a time when accepted ways of thinking and acting change drastically, because of new discoveries. For example, invention of writing and of agriculture triggered paradigm shifts that led to a completely new way of living. According to New Agers, we are going through a paradigm shift through new discoveries in physics and psychology. The judgmental (left)) side of our brain limits our possibilities for creativity. In contrast, right side of our brain tells us that reality is what we make it. We need to be more creative in order to live up to our possibilities. In fact, some New Agers believe that we are actually gods, possessing mysterious powers that we do not know that have, including ability to transform reality to conform to our desires. We have these abilities because there is already an underlying oneness between our beings and universe. Nuclear physics discovery that matter and energy is same suggests that everything is made up of same energy. Hence, we, as energetic beings, interact with energy of our environment to create our own destinies. The link between spirituality and money is evident in many New Age “self-help” books that combine techniques for psychological and spiritual well-being with techniques for financial success.8 According to New Age thinking, your spiritual health and financial health are closely related. As a result, idea that “reality is what you make it” often translates into “your economic reality is what you make it” Being open to new experiences and goes along with taking new risks and investments. The New Age movement has adapted many of same tools used by Eastern and Wicca tradition that we have discussed: crystals, Tarot cards, meditation techniques, astrology, etc. However, they have developed two powerful motivational tools of their own: affirmations and visualizations. Affirmations are positive statements Simply repeat them to yourself as you go about your daily routine. You don't even have to consciously "listen,” just play it in background. Your subconscious mind hears and retains spoken affirmations and thus begins creating a more prosperous mindset. Your mind will especially pick out personal issues and focus on them. Examples are: •There is limitless supply and it is mine •I release my need for financial insecurity •I am financially secure •I am surrounded by loving, giving people •I release my need to feel needy •I have everything I want or need •I release my fear of wealth and wellness •I am healthy and wealthy •I allow myself to prosper •I trust that I will create abundance •I have more than I need in every area of my life •I open myself to receive abundance of The Universe •I release my need for debt •I am solvent •I am safe and secure •I enjoy a steady flow of positive energy •I am loved, accepted, acknowledged and appreciated Active, creative visualization is focused daydreaming. You create in your mind's eye a vision, a thought, and that thought has energy. As with dreams, your mind seems to work best with pictures. As such, visualizations, coupled with affirmations, are powerful tools of creation. Below is sample visualization (http://www.catanna.com/moneyspl.htm