Introduction

I tend to think quite a bit. My mind is always working – coming up with new ideas, solving problems, considering and merging information that I have taken in from all sorts of places such as conversations, books, movies, events – you name it. I had mentioned in an earlier entry that in recent times I tend to stay away from the news. This is not to say I completely shut myself off, I gain most of my current event awareness through friends and acquaintances – it’s a great way to start a conversation, and I do receive some subscription e-mails which I scan. The point is that I control what I consume and how it impacts me. If what you focus on expands then I want limit my exposure to negative events and find positive outlets  – which brings me to today’s discussion. Yesterday I was considering the current state of the economy. Regardless of my ability to filter information this is impossible to ignore at least to some extent. It is on the television, newspapers, Internet discussion forums, and people are talking about it out in public – virtually all forms of media and all individuals I come into contact with are discussing this topic. Mainly I would hear comments such as “When is the government going to do something?” and “It will be nice when President Barack Obama’s financial stimulus bill will kick in.” These comment begged the following question.

What Are You Waiting For?

The majority complain. Regardless of circumstance. Regardless of how good or bad things are, it is all relative – the situation can always be better, and it is always someone else’s fault. But consider this – what if you were responsible for your own well being – emotional, financial, – all of it? What would you do with it? Many are complaining that it is the government’s fault, or the fault of big business for letting this happen. Maybe it is your boss’s fault, or someone else who may be in an authoritative role. If this is the case why are you waiting for the supposed originators of the problem to offer a solution? My guess is that most believe that the blame should fall on the previous administration. It is always easiest to assign blame to a person or group who held a position just prior to – however I am not sure that I buy this rationale. It just seems too convenient. So you may be asking if the current situation is not the government’s fault, not the fault of big business, then who’s to blame? I believe it is counterproductive to assign blame, however if there is blame to be assigned I would say that…

You’re To Blame

Not in the sense that you directly stole money from corporations or created policies that led to the current situation, but in the sense that you allowed yourself to be a victim of your environment. There was a saying that served me well in the Marine Corps – “Complacency is the kiss of death of a professional” meaning that in battle if you let your guard down, even for an instant, it can mean your death or the death of those around you. I believe that we were complacent and literally fell asleep at the wheel – therefore we are being dealt the economic and financial “kiss of death”. Prior to proceeding I will state for the record that I believe there are individuals that need help. Even the most intelligent, able-bodied, and hard working of individuals fall upon hard times – the longer you live, the increased likelihood that this could happen. For this reason some safety net must be in place, presently it is in the form of government programs, whereas in the past it was generally in the form of community – one neighbor helping another. My point is that over time those receiving assistance must be weaned off it and the best method of doing that is to teach as many people as possible in society how to create value – and in the end we will all benefit from this. I personally believe that each person should be the master of their own environment – and my past year as an entrepreneur has reinforced this concept. I would imagine that many of my readers have taken the entrepreneurial plunge into the unknown and left behind a stable position, at least at some point in their journey. Both the liberating and scary part is the freedom. No longer can you blame a boss, co-workers, an inefficient company – the buck literally stops here. Ultimately as an entrepreneur you are in charge of your success or failures. Granted some situations are more difficult than others, however in the end it always comes back to the entrepreneur, the individual, and in this case, me – for better or worse. I believe that the general population could use this wake up call, and may in fact be receiving it. But instead of seizing the bull by the horns and creating something of value most are watching and waiting for something to happen. Maybe something will happen, any day now the government will solve this problem with another bucket of cash, any minute now the large corporations will hire again and everyone can go back to he comfy “secure” job and thus the cycle continues or…

You Can Build Something

Better yet, you can create something of value. I know you can. Just start writing something on your computer, or even a piece of paper. Think about what skills you have and how they can make the world a better place. If you offer value, the market will bite. People and businesses thrive on value – regardless of the economic conditions – just ask Airfoil. Strong individuals and businesses are recession and depression proof. Some of the best companies emerged from the Great Depression – my guess is the same will happen here. You may be asking – if you can create something, why do you feel like you can’t? My guess is it’s based on social conditioning. Early in life we are trained to be good employees – Robert Kiyosaki discusses this concept in the classic Rich Dad, Poor Dad – if you haven’t read this I highly recommend it. We are taught to not question authority, show up to work on time, and to have a conservative appearance and generally not rock the boat; coloring outside the lines is a bad thing. In the traditional sense this is akin to behaving as a professional – if you follow rules x, y, and z; you have no choice but to succeed. The only problem is that you are placing your fate in someone else’s hands and not learning to think for yourself. What happens when the structure is taken away? Will you be able to create your own luck, or will your luck be tied to someone else – perhaps in the form of hoping for a bailout package? Perhaps a new employer? Personally I believe that a large part of the problem is tied to the current education system. Tom Peters in his book “Re-Imagine” quotes Jimmy Breslin a Newsday columnist as stating the following: “Every time I pass a jail-house or a school, I feel sorry for the people inside.” Peters makes other statements at the front of Chapter 22: Getting It Right at the Start: Education for a Creative & Self-Reliant Age: 1. Our school system is a thinly disguised conspiracy to squash creativity 2. We are at an inflection point, We seem to be reinventing everything – except the school system, which should (in theory) underpin, even lead, the rest 3. “The main crises in schools today is irrelevance.” 4. “Our education system is a second-rate, factory-style organization pumping out obsolete information in obsolete ways.” 5. “Our education thinking is concerned with: ‘what is’” It is not at good at designing: ‘What can be.’” Tom Peters references these statements due to the lack of personal interest by the individuals attending such institutions. Think back to your earliest childhood days, were you actively engaged with personal interest, or really just biding your time to move on to bigger and better things? Personally I was the latter until just recently when I found a way to tailor my education to meet my personal needs. Consider the statements outlined above – they are indeed pretty powerful. They are not to assign blame to teachers, employers, or even students, I am placing them here to get you thinking. After all, people will only do what they know, the key is to develop and cultivate a different way of thinking – this is one of my missions in life.

A Call To Action

This is what I would like you to do. Regardless of your situation, whether you are employed, unemployed, or just bored with your present situation I would like you to create something. It should be new and singular – but above all else it should be personal and generate excitement in your inner being. Admittedly this is tough, especially if you are not used to the creation of things. If you need to (I really recommend this), bring on a partner who has a similar vision and is as excited about the project as you – this is tough, but if you can find the right person it is worthwhile. In a future article I will discuss the right qualities for an effective partner – but for now I would like you to just start thinking about building something that creates value. In the beginning it is tough to create something, especially if you are not used to it. Trust me, as a former engineer, for years my creative side was underutilized, however like anything else it improved with practice. So start with anything, the key is that you get something down, and then improve upon it. It also does not need to, and should not occur in one sitting. Create something, step away, and then revisit later – over time you will be surprised at the results. In a later article on will expand upon the concept of creation and how to go about this process.

Embrace a different way of thinking – make the transition from an employee to an entrepreneurial mindset!

-John R. Sedivy of Cape Cod Branding

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