Global Economic Cooling

Lego my Eggo
Originally uploaded by jwlphotography

“While the rest of your world huddles and holds back, here's a golden chance to use cheap media, available attention and great talent to make something that matters.” ~ Seth Godin

The news would appear bleak...

• Economic crisis first priority.
• Manufacturing falls to 28 year low.
• Band-Aid or Bailout?
  
• Time is not on the side of the U.S. auto makers.
• Who saw the housing bubble coming?
• Mad Madoff.
• 2008 worst year since the Great Depression.
• Depression Bound?
• Economic recession? Depression?
  

The world is is huddling up. It is beginning to hold back. The uncertainty is breeding retreat. The barrage of negative reports is breeding fear, even paranoia.

The world is starting to freeze up. Financially speaking, we’re experiencing our fair share of global cooling. When we freeze up, we become inactive. We have a tendency to revert to what we believe is safe. Phrases like “I’m just happy to have a steady job”, “I’m just trying to get by”, and “I can’t afford to take any risks right now” are becoming part of the everyday conversation. They shouldn't be.

This is the time to be discovering what it is you can create. Make something that matters. We all have some fear (hopefully a healthy fear), because the layoffs are real. There is an economic downturn. The foreclosures are real. The soup line is not as distant a memory as we would like. I am not suggesting we wear rose colored glasses.

Instead of allowing your natural fears and concerns to freeze you, approach 2009 and your future decisions with a well reasoned objective. A plan or vision for the future that includes a little bit of risk and not so much retreating. The opportunities are out there. You just have to decide if you will make something of them or hold back.