If there was ever a time to get past fears, phobias and confidence issues, this is the time. As jobs are being lost, the economy is shaky and the future is most uncertain, opportunities for personal growth and focus seem rare. Is there ever a convenient time to push yourself to the next level? Probably not. It is always a motivated decision to improve. Right now may be the best time for actually doing it, though. Like the old saying goes, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” there will likely soon be a major shift with regard to who wins and survives the turmoil, and who loses. What will be your role in the upcoming years of evident difficulty?
Today, the U.S. Postal service announced a pending layoff of 40,000 workers, and the government is debating a bail-out of the General Motors Corporation. Circuit City is going bankrupt, DHL is gone and Starbucks is hanging by a thread. We would not have believed any of this a year or two ago. What is going on? Every generation has its turn for hardship; today, it looks like it’s about that time again.
So if hard times are upon us, again, what might be the best way to deal with them? But first, what is the wrong way? The wrong way is to let someone else make your decisions for you. Why? Because during these difficult times, others might not have your best interest in the forefront of their priorities. This is a good time to grab your own destiny and make it work, whatever that may mean for you at this time. It might require a stretch of abilities, harder work or even a more aggressive search for a decent job. It could mean working harder at what you do or even helping others more compassionately.
Everyone needs to evaluate their situation periodically and plan accordingly. Again, now might be a good time to do that. Consider quitting smoking or drinking, or both. It’s nearly impossible to quit smoking if you drink alcohol. Think about finally losing that weight and becoming a lean, mean machine for the tough times that could very well be upon us. Still experiencing confidence or self-esteem issues? Putting that off could be a critical mistake. No it’s never too late, but why wait? Because of comfort? Bad idea; dealing with dysfunctional habits and/or neuroses typically gets harder with time.
No one can ever take away your knowledge, confidence or positive attitude. They might be able to mess with your assets, buying power or even your job, but you will still have all of your tools intact for the next round. Making up your mind to move to the next [higher] level (always) is a good defense against difficult times. When Donald Trump was broke, he didn’t worry (confidence). And sure enough, his knowledge and attitude ultimately proved that he had been right. We can all take a lesson from this: Never, ever give up or settle for less than your dream!
You don’t have to be Donald Trump to command the use of confidence and positive attitude principles for your own use. Additionally, whatever knowledge you need for your plan is out there for you to gain. If motivation is your barrier, there are ways to get (and stay) motivated. Starting is key to success, whether success means conquering a fear, addiction or other barrier. So, let’s get started this week and evaluate ourselves, and then get moving toward that next, critical level in our personal success. This is not a good time to put it off!