Let me tell you a story from around Christmas time, but first a little background you may not know about me.
Anyone who knows me knows very well that I don’t watch the news. I don’t read the newspaper either. If I’m visiting an online news site like CNN, I’ll skim the headlines to make sure the world didn’t end, but that’s about it with regard to “mainstream” news. I couldn’t tell you the first thing about the economic stimulus package they just passed in Congress other than it’s about $780 billion (was I close?).
Why?
Simply because watching that shit will make you want to jump off a bridge.
So back to this story I promised. Over the holidays I went back to my hometown to visit family and we were all at my grandparent’s house for dinner. My grandpa was working on a puzzle so I decided to go help him – puzzles are fun. The evening news was on in the background and they were reporting about how busy the stores were. Yes, there were people out there actually spending money.
Fortunately, they quickly put a negative slant on the story by saying that some stores were going out of business… whew, it was a close one.
It actually got worse. They got to the weather. You’d think you’d be safe with the weather especially when the forecast calls for a very nice day for December in Wisconsin.
But you’d be wrong.
They decided to talk about how the warm temperatures were going to melt the snow and how there was a significant risk of flooding rather than talk about how it was going to be a welcome relief from the sub zero temperatures we’d been having. (There was NO flooding whatsoever, none, btw.)
At that point I decided to go help in the kitchen rather than work on the puzzle.
What’s my point? (I’ll say it again)
My point is that watching the news will make you want to down a bottle of oxycodone and go stand in front of a train.
So with this whole recession it’s pretty easy to believe that it’s the great depression all over again if you listen to the media.
Here are a few recent headlines from Google News- took me all of 60 seconds to compile these:
- GM, Chrysler Push for More US Aid After Mistakes
- Smithfield Foods To Cut 1800 Jobs, Close 6 Plants
- Delphi To Slash 775 Jobs
- California Budget Crisis Jeopardizes 20,000 Jobs
- 600,000 Jobs Lost in January
This is the garbage the media is pushing on you… for ratings!
They’ve done studies on this – happy people don’t watch as much TV so it’s in their best
interest to keep you feeling like you might be better off getting hit by a truck than to report hopeful and happy news.
What’s the reality? Some businesses are in trouble. They got fat and lazy during an unprecedented economic expansion. But that’s certainly not everyone.
Here are some news stories that you probably haven’t seen (took me a lot longer to dig these up):
- Google Earnings Up 28%
- Wal-Mart Profit Beats Estimates
- Coca-Cola Shares Rise As Profit Beats Estimates
- Condoms Sales Stimulated During Soft Economy
Wait, not every company is about to go under?
No, not even close.
Some people are making a fortune right now.
It happens during every recession without fail.
For example, during the Great Depression, Joseph Kennedy saw his personal fortune skyrocket by a factor of 40! And it was a lot worse back then than it is now.
I know plenty of business owners just like you and me claiming that they’d be doing okay if it weren’t for this recession but people just aren’t buying things.
Bull Shit!
Chris Mcneeney sold 3,000 copies of his ebook, Google Shadow in 24 hours. (about $200,000 in one day)
Four weeks ago, Stompernet did over seven figures with their Formula Five Launch.
Two weeks ago Frank Kern took in over 4 million with his Mass Control 2.0 launch selling a $2,000 product!
I could go on… and on. People are still buying stuff. They’re buying it online. They’re buying it from stores. They’re buying services. There is still plenty of money out there, but if you watch keep listening to the media (or your friends who do) you’re going to give up before you even get started.
The solution…
Turn off the damn TV!
Read a book. Spend some quality time with the kids. Go to the gym. Hell, go have a beer down at the bar (Sam Adams White Ale is my recommended seasonal).
Then go out and sell something!
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