Today's Million Mission is a special edition.

With the markets closed ahead of Independence Day, I wanted to do something a little different.

Earlier this week, James Altucher asked readers one simple question:

"What makes you MOST proud to be an American?"

More than 5,000 of you responded.

I've spent the last day reading your answers, and they reminded me that while the headlines focus on what divides us, they rarely talk about what brings us together.

So today, I wanted to share a few of my favorite responses.

What makes you most proud to be an American?

• Our Founding Fathers desired to no longer be ruled by England, but to fight for our freedom and to establish freedom of speech, the press and religious freedoms to name a few. Their desire to be an independent nation, under God with liberty and justice for all. I love our flag, our wonderful country, and its diversity of peoples. I am and shall ALWAYS BE....A PROUD AMERICAN! – A subscriber from California

• I am proud that in our country, anyone can become anything they choose. All it takes is hard work and determination. We are the country that still believes in the individual and is willing to challenge other rogue countries in the support of their people to bring them hope and freedom over fear of death and tyranny. It makes me proud that within our country, while we still have problems, we still are always out there looking to help other countries that need more help than us. – A native Ohioan living in Texas

• I'm proud that 250 years ago our forefathers took a bold stand and declared independence from Great Britain. At great cost, we won our independence. Our forefathers then created the Constitution and Bill of Rights - an experiment in freedom and liberty that the world had never seen. For 250 years, the United States of America has repeatedly sought to live up to our founding documents through wars, economic upheavals, and societal challenges and in doing so, has created the greatest, most prosperous civilization the world has ever known. It appears that we are now confronted with a growing citizenry that seeks to deny and change America into something so much less than what it is and can be. We will not let this happen. I believe that America's future, cloaked by its history and founding precepts, will prevail and be brighter than any of us can imagine. – A subscriber from South Pasadena, California

• My direct ancestor is a signer of the Declaration of Independence, William Floyd. Here from the beginning. I love the USA!! There is no better place on this Earth. 🥂– A subscriber from the Deep South

• Freedom to pursue anything I wish in a country that gives me the opportunity. I was raised in Philly and we were poor but as a child I didn't know it. We moved to Jersey when I was 13 years old. I wanted to be a commercial artist but I wound up an electrical designer and very well off. If you work hard and go get additional schooling you can accomplish great things. – A subscriber from New Jersey

• Peace, freedom, opportunity, and smart people with great hearts like James and your team. Thank you all for your support and services. – A subscriber living abroad

• It’s a land of opportunity and only you control your destiny. I live by the philosophy that there are 3 kinds of people 1) Those who make things happen 2) Those who wait for things to happen 3) Those who look around and say what happened. We all have a choice and that makes me proud to be an American where you can apply your choice. – A subscriber from Texas

• Freedom, liberty, and prosperity opportunities. I am honored to fly my American flag! – A subscriber from Cary, NC

• The people of America are what makes it great! I was the 5th child born into a very poor family. I was blessed to be surrounded by people who loved me throughout my childhood. I had great Christian parents who were pillars in our small community. As soon as I was old enough I helped my dad with farm chores and my mom with household chores. America is an amazing place to live. I have friends from other counties and they tell me how happy they are to now be Americans. No place in the world is better than America. May our country remain free forever. – A subscriber from Central USA

• The fact that our family came here legally from Korea, learned the language, works, pays taxes... contributes to our economy/society in positive ways. – A subscriber from California

• America has freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to work hard and build your own fortune. We can enjoy all the good bounties that America offers that nowhere else in the world can offer. I was an immigrant and now a proud U.S. citizen. I am very thankful to live in the United States and very proud to be an American! – A subscriber from Fresno, California

• Freedom to create or be and do. The sky is the limit. It’s just up to me to make it happen. Freedom to go where I want, travel, experience, meet people etc. Freedom to be part of Paradigm Press and no one can take that away. Freedom. Thank you, James. I’ve been following you for at least 15 years. I appreciate you and all that you do for us all, for everyone. You have a huge heart. You want the average Joe to have success. So very cool. Kudos. Thank YOU! You’re awesome and amazing. God bless you and yours, and your whole team at Paradigm. – A subscriber from Buffalo, New York

I'll echo many of the sentiments above and say that I'm most proud of the freedoms we enjoy in America.

I'm especially proud to live in a nation with so many extraordinary veterans who have fought – and, in many cases, sacrificed – to preserve these freedoms.

America is a country where people can speak freely, worship freely, disagree openly, build something from nothing, fail, and then try again.

These freedoms may seem ordinary to us, but they remain extraordinary throughout much of the world.

America has never been perfect. No nation is.

But I still believe we are the greatest force for good the world has ever seen.

Happy Fourth of July.