The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People Tools to change perspectives, principles and reality. A change in perspective changes everything. Habit #1: Be proactive (not reactive) in other words: Farm or Forage?
Farm or forage? Forage: react to what is there find it, gather it in. Farm: control the environment to produce greater yields.
'What I'm looking for,' said the boss to the job applicant, 'is somebody to do all my worrying for me. Ill pay you $80,000 a year. Think you can handle the job?'
'I think so, sir,' said the applicant. 'But, if you don't mind my asking, in these times of recession, how can you afford to pay $80,000 for a job of this kind?'
'That,' said the boss, 'is your first worry!'
Increase your influence by shifting energy from the circle of concern to the circle of what you control. Be reactive. Take all my worries Perceive & Accept Reality Be proactive. Do something effective.
AP 2/27 The economy contracted at a staggering 6.2 percent pace at the end of 2008, the worst showing in a quarter-century, as consumers and businesses ratcheted back spending, plunging the country deeper into recession. The Commerce Department report released Friday showed the economy sinking much faster than the 3.8 percent annualized drop for the October-December quarter first estimated last month. It also was considerably weaker than the 5.4 percent annualized decline economists expected... That was the economy's worst showing in a quarter-century and raised the prospect that the nation could suffer its worst year since 1946. "Consumers are just hunkering down and saying 'game over,' and businesses in response are cutting back on investment and employment," said Brian Bethune, economist at IHS Global Insight. "It's a negative feedback loop."
AP 2/27 The biggest culprit behind the record-breaking revision: Businesses actually cut inventories instead of building them as the government originally thought. That reduced -- rather than added to -- economic activity. In addition, consumers pulled back even more on their spending -- which accounts for about 70 percent of national economic activity. U.S. exports suffered a bigger drop and businesses retrenched further.
GDP: $14.33 trillion (2008 est.) GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.2% industry: 19.6% services: 79.2% 2% = $286,600,000,000 AP 2/27 - Many economists lowered their forecast for this year's gross domestic product to show a deeper contraction of at least 2 percent. GDP, the value of all goods and services produced in the United States, is the best barometer of the country's economic health.
What can I do? Aren't I helpless? A change in perspective changes everything. The biggest culprit behind the record-breaking revision: Businesses actually cut inventories instead of building them as the government originally thought. That reduced -- rather than added to -- economic activity. In addition, consumers pulled back even more on their spending -- which accounts for about 70 percent of national economic activity. U.S. exports suffered a bigger drop and businesses retrenched further. (70% = 200,620,000,000?)
What can I do? Aren't I helpless? A change in perspective changes everything. "Consumers are just hunkering down and saying 'game over,' and businesses in response are cutting back on investment and employment," said Brian Bethune, economist at IHS Global Insight. "It's a negative feedback loop." Now in its second year, the recession is expected to stretch at least through the first six months of 2009, as shoppers slash spending in the shadow of hard times at home and aboard.
What can I do? Am I helpless? Our reaction to our anxiety is causing our problems. Don't worry... Be proactive. Be reactive: spend less (influence decreases) Be proactive: spend more (spend wisely)
Wisdom happens here Be proactive Rather than react to anxiety, we can choose a response which will more productively shape the future for all concerned.
A dollar spent turns over seven times before leaving the community. Be proactive: spend more (spend wisely)
This is what it means to be proactive: decide to counter anxiety by acting in the most productive way for the benefit of all concerned. Proactive decisions leave you feeling empowered and reduce anxiety.
Mat 6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Mat 6:26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Mat 6:27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?
Matthew 6:28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith?
Give us this day our daily bread Mat 6:11 What's in your pantry? Mat 6:31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
Wisdom happens Here Be Proactive Mat 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Mat 6:34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference
One Minute for God: How can I shift my energy from my concerns to what I can do to help? Be proactive.