Today is Martin Luther King, Jr., day. Many people today will review his infamous “I Have A Dream Speech.” My favorite quote from Martin Luther King, Jr., is “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.”
I sit in my office and watch the internet for news on Haiti. So much pain and suffering in a place that already has the odds stacked against it. My issues are not nearly as life-threatening, yet they are still there. After interviewing EcoTrends Alan Bealiau about the US Economy and the state of Michigan, the issues seem to so weighty. We have wealth and yet we have a stalled economic system with an engine that continues to chug at best. Our houses are worth less. Many companies are going bankrupt or just barely surviving. People are being laid off. We feel the weight of the debt upon us and that weight continue to affect each and every one of us.
With all of this “heft” we also have a spirit about us that continues to flourish. The US is sending millions of dollars and thousands of volunteers to rescue and reconstruct Haiti. There are new plans and ideas for Michigan business to grow and prosper, with new technologies and innovations.
Alan Bealiau told me that the three things we can do to help us succeed as we face adversity in tough economic times are:
1) Learn - learn as much as you can about your own budgets, your personal stake in the game and how you can add positive economic value to your place of work.
2) Engage - ask experts and mentors for help and advice. Don’t wait until it is too late to do something about a poor situation. People will help if they know the issues - they can give expert advice and step by step plans for success.
3) Positively reinforce your strengths - begin today to get out of the “Eyore” mentality and think like “Tigger”!
I’d like to add the fourth from Martin Luther King, Jr.,
4) Plant your apple tree - put your stake in the game and continue to dig down deep to plant the seeds for success.
Dr. Martin Luther King’s dreams are alive. Let’s plant apple trees today and enjoy the fruits of our labor!
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