Before I celebrate independence day with a hotdog and fireworks, I thought I would delve a little into the famous document that was signed on this fateful day in 1776.

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

And so with one document, 56 men committed treason in pursuit of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

It doesn’t seem so crazy today; after all, we know it worked out. But for the men who wrote and signed the document, they were either going to win big or die at the hands of the British government.

I was recently working on a set of questions to help gain clarity about who I am and what I want to focus my time on. One of the questions was, “Do you know what your willing to be fired for?” It’s a fair question and one that I have a loose concept of an answer to. I think most people could come up with an answer about corruption related issues. But when you step it up and ask, “Do you know what you’re willing to die for?” the answer is a lot harder. I think most people would have an easy time with answers about their family. But beyond that, the freedom fighters of past, are few and far between. Not too many people are willing to put it all on the line, but those who do, those are the ones making a difference in the world.

As you bite into your hotdog or watch the fireworks, take a moment to thank the men who risked it all.