"tough Times Don't Last, Tough People Do! (General)

I first heard those words almost 30 years ago on a tape where Robert Schuller was speaking to a crowd of disheartened folks who were dealing with the economic difficulties of the early1980’s. Unemployment was over 10%, inflation was rising, and interest rates were approaching 20%. Times were tough and people were hurting; sound familiar? Almost every small business I speak to today is hurting. Many businesses are barely hanging on, some are already gone, and many folks are out of work just hoping that things will improve soon. With each new day comes news of more troubling issues, more politics that maneuver rather than fix, more blame, and little movement toward achieving economic stability. It seems like some of the fundamental rules of small business are being yanked out by the roots, making it impossible to plan or even react quickly to the rapidly changing rules of the road. Questionable credit markets, changing tax policies, and a steady diet of bad news is never a good mix for business. Even if things are going well for an individual business, there is a tendency to wait and see how things go…and we slow down even further. As an experienced entrepreneur and a small business advocate, I am constantly being asked how for my opinion or my strategy for making progress, or just surviving during such turbulent times. My first thought is “I really don’t know anymore!” This is a time that seems to be unlike any other because the rules of the road seem to change overnight, every night. Rather than leave folks with a pat on the back and a “have a nice day”, when they approach me expressing real needs, and a genuine quest for direction, I read articles, ask others, and search for some advice that I can offer that might truly help, (because, as you all know, I don’t have all the answers!) Lately, in my search for answers, I have begun to rely on the common sense wisdom that my mother offered me all my life in similar situations. When the road ahead looked difficult or impossible, mom would hug me, and then challenge me …” to focus on what I could impact, and then just get through it!” ….When college looked too difficult, mom would tell me to quit worrying about all the external things, let go of the things I could not control and then do everything in my power to “just get through it” My mom’s advice to all of us for raising our teenagers, (and she raised 10) “just get them through it!” Mom’s advice, applied to certain unique life situations, has worked for me over and over again. In it’s simplicity, there are times when you need to just put your head down, tune out the noise, and just do what you need to do to just get through it! So, while I watch the changing business landscape, changing laws, and listen to the opposing views on what is happening, I believe that there will be some opportunities that disappear and there will be new ones emerging for small businesses in our changing economy. As for what to focus on today?... I offer the sound advice of my 91 year old mom who has truly seen some tough times, “Focus on what you can impact, and together we will get through this!” because I’ve also heard, “tough times don’t last, tough people do!”