In this maiden edition of this column, I will share with you about the current economic recession because it affects everybody in different ways. As expected, we react differently to issues and this is precisely what determines the outcome that we get.
Irish playwright, George Benard Shaw said, “It is not what happens to a man that really hurts but his opinion of it.” For some, this recession is a death sentence, unable to cope with the hardship it has wrought on them, they commit suicide. Too bad! Self-immolation solves no problem; rather it portends great sorrow for the survivors of those who kill themselves.
Besides, not only is suicide illegal and a sin against God; it is defeatist and a clear evidence of a weak spirit. The Bible says; “if you faint in the days of adversity, your strength is small” (Prov. 24:10). Those you see on the stretcher reclined to failure and occlusion have neither faith in themselves nor in God. Everyone is born with the spirit of an overcomer; a dominion mandate to subdue their environment and circumstances.
The recession is an economic phenomenon; it shall pass away. The world revolves in a continuous cycle of boom and burst. We have had oil boom, now we have a burst. With the right attitude of productivity, innovation, self-reliance and patriotism, we can create an economic boom once again. It is a matter of attitude.
It comes down to how we respond to this recession. There’s a saying that “when the going gets tough, the tough gets going”. Taken a step further, someone has said, your attitude determines your altitude. You should try and internalise this maxim because it will make you soar like the eagle against the storms of life, including this recession.
You must resolve to survive these unfavourable economic circumstances by being creative, pro-active and realistic. Surmount every challenge you face in this season and task your faculties to create solutions to overcome your adversities. If you have lost your job; create a new one for yourself. The widespread blame game we hear everyday won’t help you. Who put us in this ditch is not the point. Just find your way out. No one should try to be a specialist in a distressed economy. You multi-task and retrain yourself to acquire a new skill set that are relevant to the current labour market. If you were laid off from a big, blue chip company, this is not a time to whine. You use your gratuity to start, perhaps, a new business like say in the food and drug sector, where there’s always demand for products.
You must change your mentality; from a job seeker to job-creator. No one was born an employee. It is a question of mindset. Your attitude, which is a function of your mentality, determines how far you can go in life. Your level of success depends largely on how you respond to challenges.
There’s no royal road to success. Every successful endeavour is born of adversity. Shakespeare wrote; “Sweet are the uses of adversity, which like a toad, ugly and venomous, but yet wears a precious jewel on its head”.
Can we slay the dragon of this recession and come out stronger? Yes, we can. It’s a matter of attitude.
Let’s do it again next week. Good-bye for now. Stay motivated!
•Ladi Ayodedeji is an Author, Conference Speaker/Pastor and life coach.