Back in the day there was a song that was very popular and at the time I thought it was a bit annoying.  Bobby Mc Ferrin created a tune called “Dont worry, Be Happy.”  It was a simple tune to carry you thru life’s troubles. A dimissal of all of one’s problems, worries, and challenges and a dopey call to just be happy. Oh my god, I thought it was grossly irritating at the time.  Ok I confess, it still is, but here is the point.  There is something immensely profound about tending to one’s happiness.

Does not it seem plausible that one of the most important, if not the most important reason for being is to make yourself happy?  To achieve and not be happy. To work and not be happy. To learn and not find contentment or enjoyment in our living is in many ways to miss the point of it all.  Many of us our so consummed with living that we have lost sight of what even brings us happiness.

I challenge you now to stop and write ten things that make you happy.  You may find that not all of them require spending much money.  For some, it’s a walk with someone they care about.  For others, it may be a glass of wine with friends.  Still others may enjoy reading or a movie or time with their family.  The lesson is this.  Learn what makes you happy.  List those things out.  Now, what exactly is that list? 

It is your personal happiness formula. 

And while everyone is fretting over the market and the economy, you make sure you keep applying your formula consistently. This is the beauty of it all.  That inspite of all the current challenges, you can still control your own happiness. It doesn’t require wisdom to know when things are bad. 

The wisdom is in knowing you can identify what makes you happy and see to it that you get that…know matter what.

So although I am not a flighty optimist, I know some of what makes me happy.  And whether the chips are down or not, I am going to make sure to keep my happiness formula near and regularly take an ample dose. I kindly suggest you do the same.

As I watch hundreds of thousands of people lose work in this most troubling economy my heart goes out to them and their families.  It is a crushing reality that is gripping the nation and it has no forseeable end.  So what are the options?  What should we do?  What should we think?  Well here is some initial understanding and advice.  But I will offer more extensive advice later.

1. Realize that in many cases America, its businesses, institutions, and citizens have been living on credit, which is another way of saying living on debt.  Whether that debt was mortgages, loans, or The Federal Government selling US Governement debt and printing US treasury notes against it, there is very little difference.  The fundamentals of economics were violated.  There was no production and no real exchange.  Just loads of Phony money. Now the party is over and people are left to clean up the mess.

2.  Ask yourself, “Whats the worst that can happen?”  Take a good hard look at it and get good with it.  Accept it.  Embrace that reality.

3.  Committ to making yourself productive again.  Not dependant, but productive.  It will take time. Maybe alot of time. Years.  So accept that.

4.  Figure out what is truly valuable to you and what your real values are.  And live those out. 

5. Learn to find happiness in things that aren’t material.  A smile. A sunset. A walk. An uplifting conversation.  Time with loved ones. A book. In learning.  In doing something.

I could go on and on. Hopefully I will prepare a seminar and book for people to use as a resource during these times.  But in the meantime maybe these words will help.  We have to learn to live again.  Learn to live an authentic life, a truthful life.  One in which our actual capabilities are mirrored in our lives and we are accepting of that reality.  It is time for all of us to get real.

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It is January 23, 2009.  Well not exactly. The new reality is that it is Day 3, Year 1 A.A.C, (At the Arrival of Change). This is my new epiphany after experiencing the tidal wave of hope, enthusiasm and support for President Barack Obama over the past year, culminating in his inauguration for President of The United States here in Washington, DC three days ago.  I am aware that my epiphany appears grossly overstated. I have a slightly mixed viewpoint about it myself.  However, I can’t help but accept that for a great many years there has been a dark cloud of cynicism, despair, and hopelessness for millions of Americans and for millions of people around the world.  And now for reasons I don’t quite understand yet, that cloud has been removed for many millions of people and there is an illuminous possibility of hope and change that has swept the planet.

This is a real occurence and it has to be respected.  Why?  Because from the vantage of being President of The United States, the recognized “leader of the free world” President Barack Obama can create global change.  Government is a special institutiion.     

To be selected, as in the case of a true democracy, to respresent and administrate the collective and common good and resources of your citizens is a sacred trust.  It is one that has been upheld faithfully by many and violated by a great many.  And it has appeared that the violations of that trust have exceeded the faithful administration of that trust.  With the election of a man for President of The United States who demonstrates character, brilliance, integrity, a genuine concern for others, and courage, a new era has begun.  Of course, most people know that one man can’t save or change the world by himself.  That is a theory that is yet to be proven, but one person can inspire millions to change the world.  And through implementation of good policy both foreign and domestic, The President of The United States can create an an environment for peace, prosperity, and stability to grow.

There is no doubt that America’s economy and the global economy teeter on the verge of collapse ( I will cover this in coming blog posts) but the collapse is buffered by a renewed sense of hope and confidence that is the hallmark of President Barack Obama and his administration.  We are witnesses to the greatest David and Golaith story of all time.  The most perilous problems ever faced by humanity vs the budding optimism and brilliance led by the new President of The United States.  It is a contest with no historical equal.  No Super Bowl or World Cup game is as significant or compelling as this one. Only time will determine the winner.  I guess all of us can only decide which side we are on.

And for me that decision appears to have been made.  My epiphany on the morning of Day 1 Year 1 AAC (January 21, 2009) has lead me to re-accept the responsibity to do all I can to set the planet aright.  With an ally of good in the White House I re-believe all good things are possible.

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I just finished having a conversation with a couple that I admire greatly for their many years of marriage.  We were talking about the importance of always seeing the big picture.  Whenever you are involved in an endeavor; business, marriage, work, school, a project, personal goals etc., you always have to see the big picture.  What is the big picture?  It is the purpose for which you are doing what you are doing.  It is the reason why you are doing what you are doing!  Here is some wisdom.  No endeavor that is worth anything will come without challenges and difficulties.  Resistance, difficulty, and opposition are built into the natural world. It is for the most part unavoidable.  It is unfortunate we are not taught that fact.   Still we have to accept it.  It is.. the way it is.  

We get started on a project, business, relationship or some endeavor and part way thru we find ourselves mired down in problems, conflicts, and the like and feeling not up to the task at hand.  We begin to wonder why did I even get involved with this in the first place? 

Great question!  In the face of seemingly endless challenges your best chance at succees in your endeavor begins by remembering why you set out to do what you are doing in the first place.  You have to bring the purpose back into your mind, back into focus, and put it out front.  If your why is BIG ENOUGH it will CRUSH all the seemingly big challenges before you.  If it is not big enough, then you should reconsider the endeavor because it is likely to fail when the pressure hits anyhow. Oh, and in case you haven’t gotten it yet - the pressure will hit.

The BIG WHY is the key to overcoming difficulty in all our endeavors.  Therefore, it pays to always be clear about why you are doing everything that you are doing so that you can succeed.  Never match a little why up against a big challenge becuase it will probably lose.  Your reason for doing something has to move you on an emotional level and get you feeling strong enough to handle what ever comes your way.  This is the big why.  This is your fuel to find a way, to persevere, to change, to succeed. 

And when you hold that BIG WHY close and go thru the challenges, then in the end, when you achieve what it is you set out to do, it will feel… and actually be.... worth it. 

And the couple I was talking to was my mom & dad. Thank you mom and dad for your example and wisdom.

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Going into this New Year I am developing a greater appreciation for my most precious resource…TIME.  This life we have appears to come with a time limit on it.  Whether it is 25, 50, or one hundred years everyone who lives has to check out at some point.  This is a sobering reality. 

Consider this. There are:    

• 60 seconds in 1 minute
• 60 minutes in 1 hour
• 24 hours in 1 day
• 365.2564 Days in 1 year

Now if the average person lives 75 years, then a 50 year old would have 25 years of life left.  25 years is only 219,153.8 hours of life left to live. Imagine that. Having only 219, 153 hours left to live.

Under the same assumption of 75 years of life, a 25 year old would have only 438,307.7 hours left to live.  Also, if we consider roughly 8 hours of sleep per day, then the number of hours left to live that are spent awake would be only 292,202.21 hours left for a 25 year old and 146,102.38 hours left for a 50 year old.  None of these calculations include an early termination due to accident or illness or the like.  Sounds morbid? Sorry, thats not my intention. 

My intention is for all of us to look at how we spend our time.  Who are we with?  What are we doing?   This planet is enormous with billions of people, and roughly 196,940,000 square miles to travel. There are millions of books to read and places to visit, and trillions of things to do. The range of experience and positive emotions are nearly inexhaustable.  The possibilities of how we can spend are time are virtually endless.  So if the possibilites are endless and the time is very short, then shouldn’t we wake up and make better use of our most precious resource? 

Right now, there are people running around stressing over losing some money or not making enough money and these same people will waste endless hours and not even realize it.  Time is more valuable than money.  Think about it. If you were faced with death, would you be willing to give all your money away if it could get you another year of life? Probably so. So get creative.  Get serious.  And use your time wisely.  There is so much to do and experience and so little time.

My advice to you: Be more careful with your time than your money. 

While you may guard your spending of cash, guard closer your spending of time.

It is by far, your most precious resource, and it is very limited.

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One of my goals in my character development is to develop more compassion.  On December 24, of this year, I was leaving my office when a stranger wished me a Merry Christmas.  I returned the same to him and added “Happy Holidays”. He replied, “There is nothing happy about these holidays for me”.  I was walking behind him to get to my car when I said, “Is it that bad, that there is nothing to be happy about? What’s so bad?”  He then explained how he had no family at all, had an infection or cancer in his leg and that he was homeless.  I couldn’t deny the gravity of his circumstances so I didn’t try to persuade him otherwise.  All I could think of was to reach in my pocket and give him a $20 bill.  He accepted the $20, but said that what he really wanted was for he and I to pray together.

I obliged and he began to pray.  Strangely though, he began to pray for me and my family not for himself.  When he finished the prayer, he seemed diffferent.  He turned and made comments on how a dodge magnum actually loooked like the old camino.  He was really excited about it. He pulled other passers by into his observations.  His attitude had changed radically.  He then said he felt better and he realized that he had alot to be happy about.

I was surprised.   We exchanged goodbye’s.  As I walked away, I wondered what had just happened.  I soon realized that the compassison I wanted to develop was being granted.  I realized that in order for someone to develop a characteristic, an opportunity for the trait to be displayed has to be presented.   The circumstances reveal the personal characteristic.  

I was grateful for that moment. I was grateful for that man.  That exchange helped me develop more compassion. Oddly though, I realy didnt get it until he prayed for me. Had I paid for a prayer?

Nah. I showed concern and compassion for a man who turned and showed concern and compassion for me.  It was an authentic moment that is the best of this holiday tradition.  It was reciprocal.

In this case compassion was both contagious and transformative.  As a social entrepreneur I appreciated what the needs of that man gave to me.  He helped to make my day as I am sure I helped to make his.  Who knew that my desire for greater compassion would result in such an unusual encounter.   Consider what you ask for, and watch how circumstances arise to give it to you in unexpected ways.  

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As I listen to all of the talk about the current unemployment levels and the U.S. recession, I am challenged to decide how I view the current situation?  You know, “Is the glass half empty or half full?”  Are we in a downward spiral and our hope is to ride it out or is there a silver lining in this dark cloud.  Well, the answer is that things have changed where money and income are concerned, but unfortunately most of us didn’t get the notification.

We continued to think our general understanding of things, and our basic education, both college and high school, prepared us for the real world and the “new economy”.  Well it didn’t.  Many of us are largely unprepared.  The primary reason is because of our inability to see things the way they are and to recognize where they are headed.   The assumptions in this new world are different.  And stubbornness will only result in frustration or failure.

 Here is a fundamental truth for us to consider.  “If you really want it you, have to create it.”

 This doesn’t mean that everything you want, you have to physically create it.  But it does mean you may have to create the opportunity to get it.  Or you may have to create within yourself the ability to do it. Or maybe you create the relationship or entity to get something done. This is the new reality.

The idea of being a Jr. creator is that you take 100% responsibility for what is at all times and you use your creative mind to make it what you desire it to be, at all times. No excuses. This applies to every aspect of one’s life, which includes income and employment. There are no exceptions.    

Good luck!

Hopefully you have read the post just before this one, entitled that 1 thing; if not, read it before this one if you don’t mind.  Done? Okay now for the response to the question, “How do you get yourself to perform at higher and higher levels when nothing in your environment compels you to do so?”

The answer is simple, self discipline.  You simply have to take the first step in the desired direction and then do it again and again and again. Eventually, the more you build upon  the right behaviors or thoughts or actions then the easier they become.  Each act of self discipline in each moment is a little victory.  These little vistories start to become habits and eventually lead to an overall direction.  

Sometimes we make things to overwhelming because we look at the long journey ahead.  We get intimidated by the difficulty of the tasks ahead.  But all that is necessary is to just take the first step.  Do something right. Then do something right again.  And just keep that up. Don’t worry about the big picture or the big goal.  Just take the correct next step or have the correct thought and keep that up.  Soon you will see the progress you wanted. 

I’m doing it now.  Disciplining myself to write this blog is an act of self discipline that I exercise on a regular basis.  Nothing in my environment compels me to write.  Nor was I ever a “writer”.  And certainly never a literature buff, but when writing became an important part of my evolution and growth then I had to step it up. I had to exercise self discipline, despite my own laziness and the ordinary expectations of others. This is what it takes to achieve your goals.

Self discipline is the path.  Whatever your goal is, take some time right now to do something that is a step in the right direction.  It is a powerful act.  One that will transform your life in small but compelling ways.

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This is a brief hint to the wise with much more to come.  As winter draws near, what should we be doing with our money?  My quick advice to most of us, conserving, saving, and increasing our income.  And if we are really good at it, investing wisely. But the reality is that on the other side of the holiday season are some really difficult economic times for the country.  Yes, worse than it is now.  It cannot be overstated.  I will be writing on this subject extensively in the coming months and years, as the country’s bleak economic reality will be the driving force in society for years to come.  So get ready. And get smarter. Because in the coming years fortunes will be lost and made. 

Those who are actively engaged in controlling their financial future through good decision making, hard work, and study will be fine.  Those who live beyond their means, refuse to improve their incomes and their financial literacy, and who leave their financial matters to those who are unworthy, will be big time losers. It’s a personal decision, but the challenge lies before us all.  We will not be able to sit this one out. 

If there is one thing that we have all learned from the past 6 years or so, it is that what goes on in politics and in the economy will eventually affect us all.  

So prepare yourself mentally and financially because its game time!   

Has this ever happened to you when you were a child?  You are out playing with some friends and you find yourself really hungry for a snack and you are keeping the hunger to yourself.  Then someone shows up with some food and immediately one of your friends says “I want some” and they get it.  So does the next person, and the next, and the next, then you come up and say “me too.” Well maybe there was some left, but maybe not. You may have waited too late.

Right now Congress is mulling over the option of bailing out the U.S automotive giants, Ford, Chrysler, and GM.  This comes in the aftermath of the bailout of many Wall Street firms and investment banks, and the mortgage behemoths Fannie Mae, & Freddie Mac.  The line is growing for free money for ailing companies and industries that have always held the philosophy of “free market.”  “The market is intelligent & requires virtually no regulation and very little oversight,” they claimed. Now with globalization, imprudent management & and a multitude of unlikely occurrences it seems that the big boys now want what the unemployed and the poor have always wanted, a little government assistance. 

Should they get it?  Maybe as a loan, with another smaller amount as a grant.  No more checks without stipulations.  See, even so called welfare queens have to qualify for a check. There are conditions that must be meet to demonstrate a path toward self-sufficiency.  This is crude language but these are the necessary terms for bailing out the automotive industry.  A bailout that consists of a combination of government loans and grants, 80% and 20% respectively, that is accompanied with a sound repayment plan and an iron clad contract with reasonable contingencies.  In essence the three car companies need to produce a sound business plan, which demonstrates they can repay the loan.   This is rather generous given the circumstances.  “Why offer the help?”one may ask.  Consider these facts provided for me by a friend who works in the automotive industry.

The automotive industry is responsible for driving America to economic strength thru most of the 20^th century so there is some loyalty due to the industry.  But also consider these facts…

U.S. Auto Industry Facts

EMPLOYEES – DEALERS – RETIREES

•          732,800 Employees in the U.S. auto industry

•          740,000 Employees in U.S. brand dealerships

•          775,000 Retirees and surviving spouses

•          2,000,000 Recipients of health care benefits

FACILITIES – INVESTMENT – PURCHASING

The domestic auto industry is the largest U.S. purchaser of: steel, aluminum, iron, copper, plastic, electronics and computer chips

•          105 Assembly and component plants in 20 states (including CA, KS, TX, MD, and LA)

•          $156 Billion in purchase of parts, materials, and services in all 50 states

•          $12 Billion in R&D spending in 2007 (2nd to semiconductor industry)

CUSTOMERS – RETAIL SALES – TAXES

•          40 MILLION Americans purchased a GM, Ford, or Chrysler vehicle in the last 5 years

•          $10 BILLION in taxes annually generated by auto vehicle retail sales

•          20% ($690 BILLION) of U.S. retail sales are auto related

•          $21.1 BILLION in annual Social Security contributions by auto employees

•          $24.7  BILLION in personal income taxes paid by industry employees

See www.gmfactsandfiction.com for more details.

With these facts in mind, and since the federal government appears to have no shame in the accumulation of debt, then let’s not forget the automotive industry.  Offer them some financial aid with 80% being loans and 20% being grant funds. This is the plan to be offered.  So get it done. After all I do drive a Chrysler.            

Otherwise just let the Chineese buy the three companies since they are buying up the government debt anyhow.