I expect the events of 2008 will be at the center of discussions for decades to come. The year was full of surprises; the world economy entered one of the worst fights with recession in almost 100 years, companies battled a global liquidity crisis, and U.S. citizens elected the first Black American to occupy the White House. These unexpected and uncomfortable experiences “offer” us an opportunity to learn the lessons of life that will unlock the doors that lead to successful outcomes in 2009.
Key 1: Embrace Change
All of us went through major changes in 2008. For some those changes were dramatic, such as losing a home or job, and change for others might have been less intense and more routine, perhaps a child left for college for the first time or you entered a new relationship. The idea of “change” is not only a political slogan, but instead it represents the growth that we experience when we take a risk and venture outside of our comfort zones. Change is inevitable, unavoidable, and a constant force within nature. Change gives us a choice – embrace it, cooperate, and adapt, which often leads to unforeseen benefits. However, many choose to resist the law of changing circumstances and are left feeling discouraged, frustrated, and out of control. Change will come in 2009, but I encourage you to stop trying to control change and embrace it – instead learn to control responses.
Key 2: Change Your Response
In 2008, as people lost their accumulated wealth, homes, and jobs, the game of blaming, making excuses, and quitting intensified. We search out someone or something to blame when the circumstances of life are not what we expected. Social, economic, and political events have and will always occur at random. Often, we allow these “outside” circumstances to control our reality, but what we fail to understand is that our responses to these events create our current outcomes.
Let me give you a simple formula that I use to remember this fundamental concept – E+R=O. For example, you work as a computer engineer for a global company, the company decides to move your department to India (Event), you blame the company for “off-shoring” jobs (Response), you continue to be unemployed (Outcome). Changing our circumstances only require us to change how we respond to events. Another example, you lose your job as a computer engineer (Event), you start a small business that consults global companies on their computer technology needs (Response), you retire wealthy and travel the world (Outcome).
Key 3: Take Control
As we enter 2009, life is offering us a choice on how to allow events in 2008 to impact our future. Success does not happen coincidentally, but instead success is deliberately “created” through positive thinking, powerful visualization, and taking consistent actions that will help you to fulfill your purpose. In fact, the only things in life that is under our control are the ideas that we think, images that we visualize, and the behavior that we demonstrate – everything else in life is completely random.
Undoubtedly, many of us feel less wealthy, more pressure, and fearful about the future. Our friends in the media do a superb job at helping us to sustain these inadequate thoughts and feelings. However, do not forget it is your responsibility to create a life that fills you with joy, happiness, and opportunity. The great myth is that we are “entitled” to a great life, but no one (including the government) will create these experiences for you. You will live a great life when you choose to embrace change, control your responses to random events, and maintain the necessary thoughts, images, and behavior that are in line with your purpose.
