As I listen to the news at night, read blogs and articles on the Internet about the U.S. and world economy it is hard to feel good about anything. There are so many people and organizations struggling. It is hard to be optimistic about the future. It feels like the present is shrouded in a foggy mist and we can't see the path ahead. It seems like the entire world is in an economic winter that won't end and the spring thaw is nowhere in sight.
With that stated I do see a silver-lining in this recession which I would like to share with you. Please be assured I am not trivializing the pain many families and organizations are going through right now. I know personally what it is like to loose a job in a tough economy.
It has been said that "necessity is the mother of invention". I believe that to be true and the United States is living proof of it. It seems that when our backs are against the wall we as Americans do our best work. Well our backs are indeed against the wall right now. We are fighting off the ropes. Some are down on one knee gasping for breath trying hard not to be counted out. This recession has made Americans "dig deep". People and organizations are reevaluating their spending habits as well as where they are investing their time, talents and resources.
I believe that is the silver-lining for us as Americans. We still possess the ability to assess where we have gone astray. I believe long-periods of success force individuals, organizations and, as result countries, to become sloppy, out-of-shape and undisciplined. This undermines our moral, spiritual and financial well-being which results in the mess we are now in as a people and nation. Difficult times force people to make difficult decisions that would never get addressed during periods of prosperity.
In summary I believe we will climb out of this hole we have put ourselves in. The government will not get us out of this mess, individuals will. The difficult times we are now in will force a paradigm shift. New concepts and ideas will be spawned thus creating new industries and jobs. The American spirit will prevail and entrepreneurs will lead the way on this transitional, economic journey. We will also remember "lessons learned" on the ethics front as well. Lastly I believe we will become more humble and wiser. At least that is my hope - - - and prayer. If that sounds too good to be true consider the alternative. Failure or mediocrity is not an option. It won't be an easy journey. Nothing worthwhile ever is.
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Happy February!
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