Tweet

What are the Upsides of This Major Downturn?

Written by: Brad Swift

Article Overview: Well, we've all heard plenty about the major down turn that we're in the midst of. The news media is having a real hay day with it all. Unemployment continues to rise, home foreclosures are everywhere, and no one seems to know quite what to do about it all. But let's take a step back and look at this from a different perspective. Let's say for the moment that we live in a universe where there are no accidents. I know that can be a bit of a challenge in its own right, especially when it looks like there's been a major accident on the universal freeway, but I don't think so. I think it's more likely that we've been paid a visit from the Universal UPS Truck.

What are the Upsides of This Major Downturn?

Well, we've all heard plenty about the major down turn that we're in the midst of. The news media is having a real hay day with it all. Unemployment continues to rise, home foreclosures are everywhere, and no one seems to know quite what to do about it all.

But let's take a step back and look at this from a different perspective.

Let's say for the moment that we live in a universe where there are no accidents.  I know that can be a bit of a challenge in its own right, especially when it looks like there's been a major accident on the universal freeway, but I don't think so.

I think it's more likely that we've been paid a visit from the Universal UPS Truck.

The Universal UPS Truck

I still remember when my coach at that time, Michelle Lisenbury Christensen, shared with me about the Universal UPS Truck.  It went something like this:

The Universal UPS truck drives up to your home. Inside it, there's a package with your name on it, and inside the package is a present just for you.  Now, if you don't come to the door when the driver tries to deliver the package, it's not a problem.  The Universal UPS truck will simply return again, and again until the package is delivered, just like a regular UPS truck....with one important exception.

Each time the Universal UPS truck attempts to deliver the package with the gift inside, it gets a bit more intentional, even forceful with its attempts, until finally, if you continue to refuse the package, the Universal UPS truck drives through your living room.

Quite a wake up call, right?  Well, perhaps we're being given the opportunity to wake ourselves up...but to what?

3 Upsides to this Down Turn

I think the package we're being delivered has at least 3 gifts inside.  They are:

• The opportunity to re-evaluate our lives
• The opportunity to simplify our lives
• The opportunity to know our true Self

I remember hearing from one of my clients a few years ago that he realized that he was one of the many people so busy climbing the corporate ladder,  scrambling all over each other he'd failed to notice the ladder was propped against the wrong wall, and wasn't going to result in a fulfilling or satisfying life.

What wall is your ladder propped against? Isn't this the perfect time to spend a little time reflecting upon such a question?

This is an ideal time to get in touch with what matters most in our lives.  Is it really having the latest model, gas guzzling car?  Or to be able to rent a private jet to fly to the Super Bowl?  Or to work 50, 60 or more hours at a job your hate so you can afford the 'good life' while ignoring the loving family that's starved for your attention?

I don't think so....even though perhaps we've thought so up to now. 

My daughter was given an assignment recently by one of her teachers to bring in the one thing she'd be sure to take with her if there was a fire in our home, and an person or pet didn't count.

We both realized from the assignment that there wasn't anything more important than our loved ones.  (And we also both agreed we'd grab our lap tops if we had the chance. )

So, this is the time to embrace what matters most to you, and to spend a bit more time appreciating them.

Related Articles
  Career Change in an Economic Downturn
  Why Starting A Business Is Recession-Proof
  Banks Continue To Hold Back on Lending
  Viral Marketing vs PR
  'Why it pays to reward your customers'

Article Tags: accidents, downturn, home foreclosures, major accident, news media, unemployment, universe



Related Forum Posts
Re: Fashion - Nana, At you choice you may choose to research the fashion industry a bit more. There is obviously a Business side to it as well as a creative side to it. Find out all the types of roles that exist in the industry. Some that come to mind merchandiser, Window dresser, floor plan organizer (someone needs to determine the layout of a retail store to best sell the goods), fashion consultant (Yorkdale mall has fashion consultants that take you around and tell you what looks great on you - you also get a cut from the sales). This is what I've observed from the business side, you may know more. All these roles I've written about will help you grow as a business person and make the contacts in the industry...possible stepping stones. But further more you'll also notice that you need to develop some business acumen possibly tailored to the fashion industry. When I was at Ryerson I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur someday too. I knew I needed some basic business courses to get a foundation to build from. I was in a Tech/Business Major (I'm sure Fashion has something similar - Fashion/Business Major) and then started to create my own minor. Here are some of the courses I took: Marketing, Law, Entrepreneurial, Management, consulting.. and a few more . Also, I'm sure that within the Fashion Major there are also courses you have to take where you can use your creative side and create designs. Typically within a Major there are focuses you can choose - ask the program coordinator. Your next step is to do some research. 1. Visit Commercial retail outlets like H&M, Banana Republic, or jacob. Tell the Manager your doing some research for University and would like to know what types of Corporate roles exist aside from the roles on the retail floor (like sales associates). If she asks you to elaborate then you can use some of the roles I mentioned above. 2. With this information in hand you can visit the Ryerson Fashion department and inquire with the Program Coordinator on what focus within the Fashion Degree would help you the most. In my program there were 5 different focuses within the Tech/Business program. Just a quick aside. A good friend of mine too has a dream of fashion. he want to create a niche fashion line tailored to skinny men (I can't mention the style). He's in Business school but not in the Fashion program... He's in International Business but all his Minor courses are tailored to running a successful business ... similar to the ones I mentioned above for myself. I have no doubt in my mind he'll make it 'cos his vision is that strong.
laptop vs. Desktop - I'm not a heavy gamer or graphics person so a Laptop is ideal for me for all the obvious reasons (portability, wireless, work on the go, etc etc) Major downside is the battery power and the cost to replace it - half as much as the cost of the laptop on my current IBM.
Nana excercise - Nana > answer the following: 1. If you had no chance of failure what would you dream to be your ideal Job or Business? 2. What about this dream excites you? 3. What Field of Study (Major) will get you closer to this dream? 4. What other Field of Study would "compliment" (Minor) your dream to get you closer to it. REMEMBER: there is no wrong answer. I'm hoping this exercise will help place you in a program that makes you excited at a "most probable likely" future. Your answers will help open a dialogue on the forum.
Re: Sports - [quote="BuzzAroundBooks":1mgnf3s9] I agree with ChrisH since sport stars' names are heavily searched on Google. .[/quote:1mgnf3s9] Yes, for example my latest sports site is dedicated to Jacoby Elllsbury, a rookie for the Boston Red Sox. I created a website for him just a couple of weeks ago, featuring his biography, and its taken off like a rocket. This is probably because he is the first Navajo in the Major Leagues, and he's garnering a lot of interest from Native Americans looking for role models, all the way to plain ol' baseball fans. His style of play is very electric. THe blog idea is a good one, and I'm working on setting one up in that mode...
Get the right people first, then build your business - Having worked for companies that follow the "Good TO Great" (by Jim Collins) principles. The most important thing to do when you start is get the right people/mentors to work with you. When I first started developing companies, it took me at least three months of planning before we even sold one product. Those companies went from Zero to 3Million in sales. After doing it for 5 years, it can take me 2 weeks to fully vet a new business. If you want to be successful 1. Buy the books "Good to Great" and "Built to last" (there is a video on PBS that you can watch if you get US Public television) 2. Read them more than once 3. Find key people in your industry as mentors 4. Attend a trade show or get an internship (for an insiders view into your market) 5. Create your business plan 6.Start checking off milestones from your business plan ========== How I used the some steps above a) I attend the Magic tradeshow in las vegas each year where i meet with fashion insiders and authors of the textbooks used in fashion schools. The goal is to get data straight from the source. Why read about a trend on WGSN.com with a few thousand dollar registration fee when I can sit back and have WGSN employees tell me what the trends are in person..for free b) I got an internship at a Major record label in october 2005. I produced an album in April 2006 for a VH1 event with my own record company. My time as an intern showed me not only what it takes to make records for artists but, WHAT NOT TO DO by observing the industry practices from the inside.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Five Daily Marketing Habits to Increase Sales

What is the bottom line to you?

Executive Blind Spots

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.