Tojan Horse

A friend narrated to me how he dropped five business cards at a car show for sales guys to contact him with a quote. He genuinely wants to purchase a car. It has been a week and one would expect sales people to be hounding him and following him everywhere he went. So how many phone calls did he receive? None. The only explanation is that sales people are so numb and believe that nobody is buying cars to the point that they are missing on the real opportunities. How can you not blame the media? “Ashton Kutcher squeals as chest is waxed”, “American Idol judges distracted by Iraheta's funky outfit” and “Ohio man charged with drunken driving on bar stool”; these were news headlines on the front page this morning. These are the “bright spots” that the news media is squeezing in between doom and gloom stories. Really!!! That’s all you can do? How about telling bright stories about the 92% who are employed? Or the people who are still purchasing cars?

We are becoming our own worst enemies. What have we learned from history? Apparently nothing. We are like a fortress surrounded by barbarians (the economic downturn). Usually, to win in such a situation, people get ready for harsher days but ensure that they are not sacrificing resources crucial to their survival during and after the siege. What are we doing instead? We are being fed and feeding on the bad news. Can you imaging people inside a surrounded fortress going on spreading rumors and stories about how strong the enemy is compared to how ill-equipped the surrounded guys are? Or can you imagine them wasting time and energy on non-value added activities (such as Ashton getting his chest waxed)?

History of surrounded cities teaches us three major lessons:
- Do not let fear take over: When surrounded people can almost perform miracles, as long as fear does not reach their hearts. Your own fear becomes your worst enemy.
- Prepare for bad times and set yourself up for better times: This is what war is about. Once you are desperate and start reacting, you lose. During bad times, strategy and planning are not luxuries but necessities. They ensure that whatever you are doing now is in line with your recovery.
- Watch out for Trojan Horses: Businesses are fooled into believing that simple and easy patches today will resolve the problem. Do not accept any gift you are handed for a discounted rate. Make sure your decisions are based on facts and are supported by a long-term strategy plan.