♪ [1940's music] ♪

[NARRATOR] Let's look in on America's perfect family: the Joneses.

Why, just look at their amazing life!

Safe, secure jobs.

Social respect and admiration.

A growing family.

Home ownership!

New model cars.

And a gourmet kitchen.

Yes, the Joneses are living proof that if we're willing to follow the same trusted path...

[RECORD SCRATCH]

What! How did we ever buy into that...myth?

Since we have been young, we have been indoctrinated to follow a prescribed formula.

You have to get a degree.

And get the best job that you can.

The white picket fence...

The big-screen TV...

2.5 kids...

The babe, the boat, the bucks. The job, the six figures.

Work for forty, fifty years...and then retire.

I did all of the things that were expected of me

at the expense of my dreams.

Every Monday I would walk on the beach, and put my iPod in, and...

wonder what was wrong with me.

I was like: I live by the beach. I have a great job, all this money.

I'm so lucky right now.

And yet, I'm freaking miserable.

And I was on the road 3 to 4 days a week.

And I just remember thinking: I did not sign up to be a single parent.

Every single day, I would come home and I would

tell Betsy, I'm like, I cannot do this anymore. I cannot do this. I can't do this anymore.

When you're climbing the ladder and you get to the top

and you realize you have it leaned up against the wrong wall.

I didn't even know what the right wall was.

[CRYING] And I'm 32 and it, it feels like I should have that...figured out.

These people DO live these lives of quiet desperation. They WISH things were different.

They need Life to shake them and say,
"Wake the f**k up!"

"This is not the way you've got to live!"

"There's something better out there."

♪ ♪

♪ [5 FILMMAKERS] ♪

[10,000+MILES] It's only when you start making choices for yourself

[42 days] that you can live your OWN dreams
instead of 'The American Dream'.

♪ [ON A JOURNEY] ♪

♪ ♪

♪ [TO FIND A NEW PATH] ♪

[TO FIND A NEW PATH] I'd be happy,

but I would not know

[TO HAPPINESS] what it was going to be like to keep this happening.

♪ [TO HAPPINESS] ♪

[CHUCKLES]

♪ ♪

♪ [JULY 2012] ♪

[JULY 2012] I don't know what's around the corner for me.

♪ [JULY 2012] ♪

[JULY 2012] I have never been so fulfilled not knowing.

♪ ♪

let's look in on America's perfect family, the Johnses. I just look at their amazing lifves - safe, secured jobs, social respect and .... - a growing family. ... new model cars and a good maid kitchen. yes, the germans are living proof that if we are willing to follow the same trusted path.

what? how did we ever buy into that myth.

since we have been young, we have been indoctrinated to follow a prescribed formula.

have a good degree

and get the best job that you can

a big screen TV

2.5 kids

work for forty, fifty years and then retire