It is true, each of us stands on the shoulders of previous generations. However, in spite of what some in leadership have said, there comes that time … within our own generation … when each of us must do our own part. And that is exactly what hard working Americans have done.

It is unthinkable that there are those in high levels of government who are dismissive of individual work, production, competition, and profit. In fact, there are some who even say say that “it is obscene to make a fair profit.”

It is time, for us to work to restore the greatness of America…from the past several years of disillusionment … by reawakening the great American giant of individualism and tap into the greatness of individual exceptionalism. Growth and prosperity is truly necessary in our American economy. A way to gear up the powerful engine of growth and prosperity, is through the encouragement of the individual to become all of which he or she is capable of being. Clearly, we should not attack success, we should celebrate it.

Indeed, what is required now is a continuation of initiative in expertness in individual leadership. We cannot let a mentality of “victim identity” rule the day. We are not victims of an unfair system, rather, we are builders of a system with “the right” to entrepreneurship and opportunity. The success of America was built on opportunity for individual initiative, hard work, and progress in growth.

Both my wife Elaine and I learned as youth on the farm, that it takes individual initiative to pick bushels of beans as opposed to letting the bean plants harvest themselves. Whether we own a business, work professionally as an individual for others, start a small business, or champion a cause about which we feel deeply, it is ours to cherish and nurture. We all have an ability to assume responsibility in the free market system and we must maintain our right to tap into our innate entrepreneurial spirit.

We suggest, that each individual help oneself and others to become resourceful. It was Alan Loy McGinnis who said “There is no more noble occupation in the world than to assist another human being to help that person succeed.” We cannot help but agree wholeheartedly.

Along with tapping into our individual entrepreneurial spirit, we must look for ways to make ourselves and others more creative and resourceful. Unfortunately, there are those who wait for someone else to take care of things for them. For those really in need, this is right and proper.

Truly, there are those in our midst who are desperately in need of help and assistance. And, we as individuals have the obligation and opportunity to help wherever and whenever we can; for we are indeed “our brothers’ and sisters’ keeper.” And, then there are others, who receive this outside help, where this assistance may soon become debilitating to the person. Often, unfortunately, this assistance may cause the receiver to undervalue the potential which richly resides within the individual. It was President John F. Kennedy who said so eloquently, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

You know, America initially prospered because Americans had to be resourceful; they had to find a way, no matter what. Ask some of the old time farmers, factory workers, business persons, teachers, construction workers, clerical personnel, and others. They knew that the right of passage came from hard work, even at times of failure, to “pick up one’s tools” and try again. Nowadays, with so many things so easily available with government help, in exchange for a little more of the individual’s freedom, individual initiative has begun to dim.

We must begin again, to celebrate the individual. Americans used to be called “Rugged Individualists.” We need to find a way to restore faith in ourselves and resolve to try again. We must accept responsibility for our actions and results, and teach others to do the same. In fact, if we truly want to be in control of our own destiny, we must take responsibility for it. Celebrate the individual? You bet.

You know, every individual wants deep down, to be successful and to find fulfillment in self actualization … to become all one is capable of becoming. We need to seek out the lessons learned by trying and to learn from our failings. Everyone of us have seen success and failure. But out of the lessons learned from failure, the solid foundation of success is built. For you see, it is in failing that we often grow and learn the most. And that, too, is the right of passage for an individual in a free society.

Individualism regards the person as an independent, sovereign entity. Also, individualism holds that a civilized society can be achieved only on the basis of the recognition of individual dignity and the dignity of others. And with that right, goes the right to hold property and to be of service to others. So true it is, individuals and their right to property and service are the keys to American economic growth.

It was Albert Einstein who said, “The high destiny of the individual is to serve rather than to rule.” And most assuredly, we cannot say it any better than that. And that is how I see it FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE.

Dr. Robert L. Heichberger is a resident of Gowanda and Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at SUNY Fredonia.