Even a Turkey Can Fly High in a Tornado

With respect to this economy finally the fog is lifting – not completely but in a way that provides a shadowy shape to some of the key elements.

The illusion of prosperity is coming to an end.

I'm grateful we are still standing after a tornado of excessive, inexpensive, and plentiful debt passed through. It left in its wake, a trail of destruction on a massive scale.

It was literally yesterday that an era ended where it was easy for even turkeys to fly. In retrospect it was an era of unimaginable greed and incompetence - not just by Wall Street big wigs that prospered under an era of inflated and illusory earnings by leveraging sub-standard debt instruments and complex financial transactions up to 30 times. Large numbers of CEO's and their staffs bought into marginal schemes that enriched them personally while leaving their companies bankrupt or crippled. The families on Main Street also exhibited their share of greed and incompetence. Their houses inflated so rapidly in this era that a trip to the mortgage broker to rake in the bounty became almost as common as a trip to the supermarket. For both groups and for everyone in between this process became part of providing a lifestyle well beyond what their ordinary income flow permitted.

With the economic velocity from the “debt tornado” abating, housing values, financial markets, markets in all business sectors, and job markets are plummeting. As asset values disappear like an outgoing tide, huge amounts of debt are left stranded. The amount of debt is out of whack with its significantly diminished asset base. Everyone's left just scratching their heads and wondering out loud, “WHAT was I thinking?”

Oh yes, I remember, “everyone was doing it.” Now we are all still standing with our “I‘m with Stupid” t-shirts. Thankfully we all posses the personal qualities that will help us become successful again.

The cavalry is NOT coming over the hill.

There is no “Economic Relief Package” just as there never was such as thing as a “free lunch.” Nobody, including the federal government, is coming to our rescue. The problem defies easy solutions. $50 trillion in assets, supported by $25 trillion in private debt, is now approaching $25 trillion in assets and $25 trillion in debt. More bad news flows through the media on a daily basis from talking heads and politicians that are grounded in sensationalism and self-aggrandizement.

The main reason the cavalry won't rescue us is that no one can return us to a level of economic prosperity which was not real in the first place. An authentic solution is to find a “bottom” that is based on today's reality and start rebuilding from there. Painful, is just one of the words to describe this realization. It will take hard work, competence, and a return to providing genuine value – whether you are a wage earner, a manager, or a business owner. This is one of the shapes clearly emerging from the fog.

Where to from here?

1. Stick like glue to your family, friends, and your business relationships. People help people. Your future depends on the quality of your relationships and your skill at networking.
   
2. Adapt quickly to the new environment. Darwin was right – in a changing environment your alternatives are few – adapt, migrate, or die. It hardly seems that migrating or dying is the better choice.
   
3. Return to fundamentals Remember the old advertisement? “We make money the old fashioned way. We earn it.” People need great service. Become a “category of one” in whatever you do. Charging a fair price and maintaining relationships over a long period of time is a time tested, proven concept of how to get rich. It's not get rich quick, flipping deals, or even particularly glamorous. It just works. Slow and steady.
   
4. Find what people want and give it to them better than anyone else. Zig Ziglar said it best, “ You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”
   
5. Stuck with more debt than you want? If at all possible, don't walk away from your obligations. Negotiate terms you can live with. It may take a lot of time to pay off your debts, but it's the right thing to do. In the long run your assets will inflate again and you'll be way ahead if you can hang onto them.
   
6. Initiate Positive Action. This is a time to re-build while most people are still confused and hoping for some type of bailout. By getting many positive programs underway you can make good things happen again. It's a great time to go the extra mile. People are so accustomed to picking up $10,000 checks that they're ignoring the little guy. That little guy might just be someone who is going to do great things or maybe someone with a network of associates that can really help
   
7. Develop a plan and new goals. Start at the end – focus on your ultimate goal. Next, work backward to where you are. Then define the detailed goals you must achieve to get to your destination. It's proven to be the most efficient way to build.

When you stray from your route either for good or bad reasons, re-calibrate your GPS and select the new route to your ultimate goal, Then never, never, quit. You'll get there.

If you are ready to turn the tide and start growing your business again then give Sales Star Networks a call. They will show you how intercept marketing can help you grow while reducing marketing costs.