SELF IMPROVEMENT AND MOTIVATION

1. Great companies transform external threats into opportunities. The Japanese are masters at crisis management and look at situations like recessions as polarities. ie., neither all good nor all bad, but a mixture of both. The Japanese symbol for crises is a representation of two separate symbols: danger and opportunity. Such a perspective encourages responsiveness - not re activeness. As a result, the Japanese focus not on the problem, but on new solutions ... not on survivability, but on growth ... not on short-term losses, but long-term prospects. How are you perceiving the current downturn - as a threat or an opportunity? How have you reacted to past recessions? How might the recession actually be an opportunity for your business? 2. Great companies take advantage of and profit from changing dynamics in the marketplace. A business can grow and profit during a recession if it understands the underlying dynamics of the marketplace. Crises tend to stimulate change

Nearly every business has felt an impact from the recession. There has been no escaping. The root causes were universal and had a domino effect. Some small-business owners believe they've seen the bottom and they are surviving -- they are OK and they expect to persevere with modest adjustments. These small-business owners are kidding themselves. The bottom has not been reached, and it will be a long slide until it does. We are in for a five- to 10-year disaster. Defeat the Downturn  During such times, it's easy to panic. Panic, which is fear-driven and not based on fact but on emotion, has tremendous power, the power to change the direction of business. But do you want to give in to panic, throw your hands in the air and accept self-destruction, actually accelerating it, becoming a part of the panic, stimulating more? There's an alternative to panicking. We are confronting change, and change is an opportunity for advances. Now you have the choice to take advantage

In every situation, savor the moment. Whatever you must do, savor the task. Don’t rush ahead in your mind to whatever is next. Give all of yourself to whatever is here and now. Resist the urge to make a judgment as to whether it is good or bad, helpful or a waste of time. Just savor it, and fully experience it. After all, you’re there, you’re in the moment you’re in, you’re doing whatever you’re doing, so do it with all you have. Fighting against it will not serve any positive purpose. Yes, there are some situations, some people, some activities that it is good to get away from as quickly as possible.  Yet while you are there, while you are with them, enjoy, appreciate and savor the moment. Develop within yourself an unshakable positive presence. Savor the task, savor the moment, savor the experience, whatever it may be, and feel the immense power of your own acceptance.