The winning formula for 2010

The winning formula for 2010
Ok, now that I caught your attention and you started reading the article because of this clever title, I can tell you that there is no winning formula. Wait, wait, don’t stop reading. It is all not bad news.
Well, let’s get the bad news out first and then I will give you the good news, ok?
It was a very difficult year for most people. For me, frankly, was a very good year, in fact, one of the best ones in my career. But even so, I have suffered the pain, agony and despair of many, many dear friends and colleagues.
A few weeks ago I had a call from a very accomplished colleague asking me for work, telling me that she could travel with me to some of my lectures and conferences and that we would not have to spend money in two rooms. She is very attractive and she knows that I have had my eye on her for quite some time, but I had to politely decline because I can’t take advantage of her. I instead helped her in a different way and I think that she is now on her way to doing better.
I have had a neighbor lose his job, his car and the last thing he lost was his house. In fact, it was such a desperate situation that I had a 1987 Cadillac that I kept as a relic and I gave it to him so that he could drive away with something. This was 6 months ago, and I haven’t heard from him again. I certainly hope he is doing better.
This brings up another point I would like to mention. Sometimes in life, you will help someone and the person will either not be grateful for what you have done or on some occasions he or she will turn into an enemy. That is life and there is nothing you or I can do about it. In fact, it will happen very often.
To start with, anytime you help anyone, do it without expecting anything in return. Do it because it helps you and your mental stability to help others in times of need and not because it will be appreciated or the favor returned.
So, continuing with the bad news, lots of businesses have gone under, many restaurants are now out of business and thousands of people have lost their jobs.
Even my favorite club in the whole world, one which I have been proud to be a member, the Bankers Club, has closed, hopefully temporarily. Anything that can be done must be done to save that club. It is a landmark in our island and to let it disappear I think would be a tragedy.
As many of your remember, 2009 started in the United States with tremendous change, as the country inaugurated President Barack Obama to fulfill his mandate of new ideas and change from the past. Remember he ran on one idea: CHANGE
To ensure the ideas were new and different, he put together a cabinet of people with new ideas never seen in Washington D.C. before. These included Attorney General Eric Holder (from the Clinton Administration), Secretaries Shaun Donovan (from the Clinton administration), Hilda Solis (who has served in congress for the last nine years), former Congressman Ray LaHood, Robert Gates (from the Bush and Reagan administrations) and Timothy Geithner (who worked in three previous administrations). Also helping in the orgy of new ideas were fresh Washington faces Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton. I give credit to my good friend Randy Gage for bringing this revolutionary change in the Obama administration to my attention.
In February this group of original thinkers immediately went to work on brand new concepts that no one had ever thought of before, such as taxing productive workers more, socialized health care, and printing billions of extra dollars to devaluate the currency in an effort to stimulate the economy. This revolutionary new stimulus plan was best described by some economists as “nine wolves and a sheep, voting on what to have for dinner”.
Let’s hope that in 2010 this group of creative thinkers gets more creative and think about some urgent things that must be done to revive our economy.
Regarding the political situation in Puerto Rico, that must be done in another article. The good the bad and the ugly.
In discussing 2010, there two very important trends on this new decade just starting as per my friend, Seth Godin.
1. Change: The infrastructure of massive connection is now a reality. People around the world have cell phones. ( I even saw it in very poor neighborhoods in India) The first internet generation is now old enough to spend money, go to work and build new and creative companies. Industries are being built very day, all over the world and old ones are fading or simply disappearing. My friends, the revolution is in full swing and an entire generation is eager to change everything because of it. So look out, change will accelerate and you better be ready for it.
2. Frustration: Let’s face it, baby boomers are getting old. And even though 60 is 40 in this age of increased lifespan and better health, it is still getting older. Dreams are fading and so is health, no matter how well they take care of themselves. Boomers love to whine and love to imagine that we will live forever and accomplish everything which is not a bad thing in itself. As long as we believe it, “palante”. But, this is the decade that reality kicks in. And to top it off, savings are thin, property values have come down and resource availability isn’t what it used to be. A lot of people ate their marshmallows during the last decade. And as I already mentioned, many have lost jobs and houses and some are even homeless. Be ready to see this frustration expressed more often in the US and here in Puerto Rico.
One positive aspect is that just about everyone gets to pick which one of these two alternatives they want to spend their time and energy on. In the final analysis, it is all about attitude, isn’t it?
I end with a quote by one of my heroes, Lance Armstrong, American cyclist, 7 time winner of the Tour de France and a Cancer survivor:
“Time is limited, so I better wake up every morning fresh and know that I have just one chance to live this particular day right, and to string my days together into a life of action and purpose”.
My dear readers thank you for having read my columns in the PR Daily Sun and for all your emails during 2009. The new economy presents many challenges, but also has equivalent opportunities. There has never been a more exciting time to be alive and kicking and 2010 has the promise of being a great year for all.

Go out and do the best you can with what you have.