The economic meltdown has cast a very cold and harsh light on the pursuit of success, power, and money. It was only months ago that I witnessed, both personally and through others, fortunes and careers that were wiped out overnight. It’s no wonder so many of us feel lost, alone, and resentful due to a lack of trust in the “system.” But the truth is that those were things that made people look good on the outside. What’s on the inside is what matters most, both today and in the years to come. That is why I’m on an airplane at this moment, heading to another event to remind people to make better choices so they will have a better life.
To have a better life now, you have to revive the power of your own hope – not hope in a system or hope in what others can do for you. I’m talking about the hope in yourself and what you can do to make America a better place to call home. Always remember that you should first look inward before you look outward; hope comes from what’s inside of you, not what people see on the outside.
Maybe, just maybe, what has happened to our economy is a way of reminding us that previous generations were not as individualistic as ours today. It is without a doubt that we live in a “ME-based” society, rather than a “WE-based” society. Generations before us understood that hopes and dreams were more for the family and society as a whole, rather than for their own personal success. Since everyone was together as a family, and no one lived apart from the family, values such as success were only sought for the entire family. How times have changed! Perhaps, we have been forcefully reminded that we can change for the better by learning from the past and embracing the new norm in our economy. The result is that we are better from the inside out.
The rest of this weeks posts will be about the steps necessary to “move forward”. Until then have a great day!
The Good Life Rules!
Bryan Dodge