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In a cocktail party the other day, a man complained – “I’m going to change my career – I’ve been a financial advisor for 10 years and they’ve changed the bonuses in the program (he last worked for AIG!) so I refuse to work for less money.” Change of direction can be a good idea, but somehow, I heard him positioning himself as a victim. If you are positioning yourself as a victim, or think you might be, that’s a recipe for disaster. Have a conversation with me or someone you trust – the only success you can have as a victim is to increase the amount of self-pity you accord yourself. Not a winning strategy. And you might have a look at this no-nonsense quote from Robert Kiyosaki: (author of Poor Dad, Rich Dad.)

“Today, people are asking, ‘Is the crisis over? Is the economy coming back?’ My (Kiyosaki’s) reply is, ‘No, the economy is not coming back. The economy has moved on, and the people asking if it’s coming back are being left behind.’” Another quotation (this time from me!) “If you go with the flow right now you’re likely to go down the drain!” A third quote: Jack Kennedy observed: “A rising tide floats all boats.” And when the tide goes out?

What’s Going On?
F.D.R. remarked. some 75 years ago: “The Only Thing We Have To Fear Is Fear Itself!” He was right about the “Great Depression” and he may be on the money with “The Not-So-Great Recession” as well. Right now, it seems that fear rules. There’s an abundance of blaming, and anger. And American families are saving $6.00 for every dollar they saved 3-4 years ago. Banks aren’t lending. Economists wish that the public would spend and the banks would lend. We’re all hunkered down, waiting for things to get better. At times like this, consider:

1. The old ways probably aren’t working.
2. There are opportunities but they’re likely to be dressed in coveralls and look very much like hard work.
3. If you have a 9-5 job, you’re at the mercy of the market forces. Maybe the people you’re working for will be smart and brave, or maybe they won’t. Perhaps the force will be with you.
4. If you’re an entrepreneur, you already know how to start something new and different. You may be reluctant to do it again now, but you know you can. There are opportunities, and I work with some 25 entrepreneurs each month who are finding them.
5. It may be time for re-vision. That’s not “revision” – to modify what we already have, but “re-vision,” to take a fresh look, see what’s changed, create a new plan.
6. And, in times like this, it’s not amiss for the entrepreneur to follow the carpenter’s motto: “Measure twice, cut once!”