Go For It!

This is a motto that is becoming more appropriate with each passing day. With the economic situation the way it is, people are going to have to take some chances if they hope to succeed. Playing it safe is rapidly becoming a recipe for failure. Just ask all those people who lost their jobs in the last few months due to the economic conditions. Safety is an illusion.

I started thinking about this when talking with a friend of mine. He make a fair amount of money investing in the stock market. Following the prescribed methods for success, he did what "he was suppose to do". Yet, he finds himself in a situation where he is suffering greatly.

His strategy was to invest in good quality financial institutions which paid a healthy dividend. Over the years, he realized a tremendous gain due to the appreciation of the stock. Nevertheless, with the recent collapse, he lost well over $1 million. Again, I need to stress that he did not invest in high risk programs. His system was one that was conservative designed for the long-term.

So, what does this all mean? To me, this says that you might as well take the chance because nothing is guaranteed to work out anyway. My friend sacrificed rewards for safety. However, in the end, there was no safety. And that is true for all of us.

People hold onto their jobs for fear of losing. Sadly, many find they lose it anyway. Was it worth the sacrifice of what they would have had otherwise? For most, probably not.

It takes courage to "go for it". Living one's dreams requires strength and inner resolve. Yet, it is the only way to go if you are to be truly free. "To thine own self be true". There are many who are slaves to the paycheck, exchanging their life for a few measly dollars. This is the common practice and is sad to witness.

Playing life conservative never results in success. Present circumstances are teaching us that everyday. We only need to look at the news to see the latest world catastrophe to understand how fragile everything is. It is time for you to decide to go for it in your life. What is it that you always wanted to do? Start the process of moving in that direction. There is no better time to consider your dreams then right now. For many, it might be the only way to survive.

Remember, safety is an illusion.
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Self Reliance

Who can you count on? This is an important question in this generation. The world that we live in is rapidly changing. Unfortunately, many are ill prepared to deal with the circumstances that are arising. What is one to do with things moving at such a fast pace? Where do we turn to seek the solutions?

We are in the midst of the greatest "responsibility absolution" program ever seen. The overriding tone is that "it is not your fault" regardless of what occurs. Governments all over the world are stepping in to save institutions from failure. Why? Because we simply cannot let them fail. At the same time, individuals are receiving assistance due to mortgage circumstances where they are not at fault. Again, today, nothing is your fault.

Sadly, the ones who are telling us they provide the rescue are the same ones who let us down in the first place. Our leadership failed to offer any insulation against corporate and governmental greed, institutional manipulation, and corruption. Now, they are saying "trust us, we will help". Sorry to burst everyone's bubble, but this is a lie. If you are looking for someone else to save you butt, you are holding a losing hand.

Self reliance is where you need to focus your attention. The economy is in rough shape. Many good employees will be let go due to circumstances. Companies do not have the loyalty to protect you. Even small business owners will decide on their paycheck over yours. This is a fact of life. Even union employees, those who supposedly are protected, will find how little the union does for them when there are massive layoffs. Imagine the position union negotiators are in when dealing with GM. "Take the layoffs or we will be out of business in 24 months when we run out of money". Notice how limited their choices are. Take something now or get nothing in the long run.

Here is a memo: there is nobody looking out for you. The politicians do not care. These people only care about getting re-elected and gaining power. Some will say this is a cynical view of the political process yet I challenge anyone to debate the opposing point.If they cared so much about our situation, how come none of them have mentioned cutting their salaries by 50% from $130K-$150K until this crisis passes.

Of late, I have written a great deal about personal responsibility. It is something that vaporized over the last 20 years. We are a generation that excels at the blame game. Watch the politicians. It is interesting to note how nothing is ever their fault. There is someone else who can always be blamed. They mention how we can look to them to protect us while failing at every turn. How many times are we going to fall for that?

The bottom line is there is nobody to care for you but you. People, by their nature, have a degree of selfishness. They are going to tend to their own interests first. Understand this and get on board. Tend to your own interests (and that of your family). Become a person who is self reliant. Take those actions which will improve the circumstances for your family. Personal responsibility is the attribute we all need more of today. If we can do that, there will come a time when we can tell those who are promising to take care of us "thanks but no thanks".

Begin this process today.
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