Life Is Difficult

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 by Dave Ferguson.

Someone noticed Scott Peck’s book, The Road Less Traveled, on my bookshelf the other day. It’s probably been nearly 30 years since I read the book, but I can still remember the first line: ”Life is difficult”. Well, if life is difficult, then business is moreso. I tell my clients (and myself) that life interferes with business and business interferes with life. That’s what we have to accept. Most of what happens in the world is not under our control. Sure, we can influence others and sometimes we can even control our own behavior, but we can’t control the weather or the economy or the price of gas.

So, now we’re in a recession. I can see you nodding your head. Fact is, though, that no one knows yet if we are. It’s a call that can’t be made until the data has been collected and analyzed by a panel of economists over the next six months. Think about it: if we’re actually in a recession now, six months from now when they label it as a recession it will probably be over! That’s irony beating you over the head.

I’ve adopted a different philosophy. Despite the fact that very important people have said we’re in a recession, I refuse to participate. I refuse to assume that people will stop spending money, that people can’t afford my services, that I can’t afford to market my business. What would our economy look like if everyone made the same commitment? As the little kid in “Angels In The Outfield” said: “It could happen!”

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