I refuse to participate in the recession

Not too long ago I walked into Bidvest offices and noticed a sign up on the wall. It stated “We refuse to participate in the recession”.

These are strong words at a time where repossessions and job losses are at their highest, rising fuel and energy prices are contributing to a higher cost of living and companies as well as individuals are forced to reduce costs and find efficiencies.

I have studied the market place in recent times. I have spoken to many business owners, entrepreneurs and company executives. During these times there are people that are spending money and there are others that are not.
Some companies have grown in spite of a recession and others have stagnated and even fallen apart. Many companies have opted to react to the words ‘recession’ others have chosen to take advantage of the economic climate and look into what is really important.

So what is important I ask you?

Well, if we each have a set of priorities in life and we feed those priorities then we are kind of satisfied. The fact is that we endure to have more needs that can be satisfied. The problem lies when people don’t feed what is most important to them and they focus on what is important to everyone else. Thus trying not only to feed their own needs but also the needs they think are theirs.

Just as for individuals so too do companies have a set of priorities. Company priorities represent what a company contributes to society, its customers and its employees. It is the company’s purpose for existence. When companies are swayed away from their core and look into how to compete then they end up losing focus and meeting the priorities which they think is theirs. So when the recession hits they forget how to act and they react. They don’t know who they are and what they stand for any longer.

I attended a business forum and the speaker said exactly the same thing: “I refuse to participate in the recession”. That got my attention. Especially when he proved that his schedule was fully booked and nothing changed for him.
What is the difference between him and those that are participating in the recession? Well, most people choose to participate in the recession others don’t!

Is it really a choice?
Choices are made consciously and unconsciously. When our lives are run by our emotions and our ever nagging thoughts then unconsciously we choose to participate in the recession. When our minds and emotions are run by our conscious direction then you can choose whether or not to participate in the recession or anything else for that matter.

In my courses I show people how we are conditioned to follow the unconscious patterns without knowing. Reality cannot be faulted. If the majority of the populace is chasing money and has more month at the end of their money then you better believe it that we are not independent and we are not free. You are free when you are free to choose your results and when your reality displays that sense of freedom as a matter of fact.

When you are reacting to the recession you are participating in it. When you are guided by the recession times to step it up, enhance, innovate and break through your comforts and barriers to find even greater potential for reward then you are free to choose the result.

I attended a talk by renowned coach and trainer Mark Fraser-Grant and he said that “things exist in society by permission”.
What he means by this is that we give permission for events to happen to us. Those who react to the economy have given themselves permission to be powerless. Those who are guided and respond to changing conditions have given themselves permission to run the market and be in control.
Mark also said that “clarity in consciousness equals clarity in reality”. What I got from this is that when we are 100% clear and certain as to what we are looking for as a result then our reality becomes clear. Without clarity we hesitate, frustrate are doubtful and fearful.

I say it takes both a rock solid strategy and an incorruptible mindset to stand out and manage the ebbs and flows of the market. Look at great examples like Warren Buffet and Donald Trump. They have problems, sure! They stick to their strategy, focus on what is most important (their purpose, goal or vision) and retain an incorruptible mindset.