There are still wonderful opportunities

Chicken Little is having a field day.  Everytime I turn on the news, there is something bad promoted.  One day it is the auto industry.  The next, it is the financial companies.  Stock markets around the world are being battered.  Jobs are being lost.  In short, the world is coming to an end.

Is it really that bad?  I prefer to take a bit of a different view of the entire situation.  Like everyone else, I have retirement money that is half of what it was earlier this year.  My income decreased this year as compared to last.  The prospects for some opportunities next year are going to be delayed.  Realistically, it is a different business environment than it was 6 months ago.

That being said, how can I possibly believe that 2009 is going to be the best year of my life?  The answer is because it will be.  I know it.  My certainty is going to make that manifest as a reality.  I will not accept anything less.  Overall, when I look at my daily life, things did not change all that much.  In fact, in some respects, things inproved.

To begin with, my retirement account is still safe.  My heart goes out to all those who were swindled by Madoff.  However, I was not one of them and my money, even if half, still can grow.  I invest regularly so my money buys more shares than it did 3 months ago.  Over time, this account can recover.  I have another 20+ years before I am even eligible to touch that money without penalty.  Thus, what have I really lost?

And that is the gist of what is occurring.  A recession is nothing more than a collective mindset.  Are things bad for some people?  Definitely.  However, the majority are doing just fine.  Those who are 10+ years away from retirement will see their accounts return.  Also, gas prices plummeted over the last 6 months.  This has a bigger effect on the average budget than any of the other economic news.  Finally, we are seeing a deflationary period where the price of everything is coming down.  This will only help those tightening budgets.

So what perspective are you looking at?  That is what will determine your success next year.  Everyone is worried about what will happen.  Well, stop worrying and start doing.  Success is guaranteed to follow with that approach.

One final example of how the media can skew your perspective: unemployment is usually around 5%.  Now, it is in the neighborhood of 6.5% with estimates putting it as high as 9%.  This leaves an increase of 4%.  How come the media always focuses on this aspect?  If there is a 4% chance of losing your job, that means there is a 96% chance of keeping it.  The odds certainly are in your favor.  Also, always remember that 5% of the population does not want to work anyway.  Therefore, it is a small minority who is going to be out of work.  The majority will still be employed.

Having the right outlook is crucial to your success.  Approaching the new year with this mindset will allow you to see opportunities others miss.  There are still many ways to succeed regardless of what the present circumstances are.  The United States will still have an economy somewhere near $2 trillion.  That is a lot of products and services sold.  A total collapse will not occur regardless of what the Chicken Littles of the media world say.

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