The Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War on September 3, 1783. More than seven years after declaring our independence, it was finally acknowledged and granted to the United States. More than 50,000 died in the war. Many more were wounded.

If you study the war, you learn King George’s strategy was to wage a war of endurance. He planned to throw more people and guns at us until we were exhausted and quit from fatigue. He underestimated the will of the Americans to have their freedom. His country was ultimately the one that surrendered.

Here’s what I love about this day:

I love that we celebrate the day we declared we would be independent rather than the day we achieved it.

In our lives, the great days are when we decide to change course and then follow that decision with committed effort, energy, and will until that change is decided.

When we grasp the power to decide and then change, we begin to harness our potential.

Happy Independence Day! Despite our issues, our country is the best environment to achieve your dreams.