Tough economy? You are over 50? What are you going to do?

Tough economy? You are over 50? What are you going to do?
I have many friends that have lost a fortune with the recent economic crises. One of them owned a million dollars in General Electric stock and it has lost almost 70% of his money. I have a lady friend who has her 401 k money in only one stock, a very well known company in Puerto Rico, that is why I won’t mention names, but she has lost a considerable amount of her “retirement nest egg”.
I love what Sparky Anderson, former manager of the Detroit Tigers said: I have got my faults, but living in the past isn’t one of them. There is no future in it”.
Important lesson: never place all your eggs in one basket and look ahead.
Let’s face it, people are living much longer than they used to. It is estimated that science has added 40 years to a person’s life expectancy in the last century, unless you live in Ethiopia, Somalia or fourth world countries. In some of these countries, life expectancy is under 40 years of age. We are very fortunate to live where we live.
Things the economic situation has changed in the last five years, you may want or need to return to the workforce.
I know that just to think that you are jumping back into the labor market may be a very distressing thought, but it really doesn’t have to be.
The challenge of finding a job, again, has nothing to do with a well written resume or trying to convince a recruiter that your experience will beat that very young college graduate she interviewed fifteen minutes before you arrived for your interview.
It all starts with your mind set, what you really believe you can contribute and how do you demonstrate the value that you could bring to the company that is considering you for a job.
Rapid change captures people’s attention and how we react usually reveal more about us as individuals than any type of situation we may face.
For example, faced with the very same changing circumstances, one person will get nervous and start sweating about the perceived problem, while another person is thinking about the possible benefits the change might bring. It is as simple as optimism versus pessimism: Concentrating on the opportunity as opposed to concentrating on the problem. Yes, it might seem like a simple difference in outlook, but believe me, is makes a profound difference in how it affects your performance and your outlook in life.
How about you? When change hits, which way does your mind or your attitude go?
Towards worry, anxiety, apprehension, distress, fear or misery with the situation? Or into hope, ambition, confidence and a belief that there will be a positive outcome?
You know, if we look at your behavior, we will probably find a pattern. Most people tend to lean one way or another and what is very interesting is that if you are not sure, you just have to ask your wife, husband, your loved ones or your co workers. Go ahead, ask them and they will certainly tell you. That is called “reputation” and whether you like it or not, you certainly have one.
You will go along reacting to change with either an optimistic, positive spirit or with bleak, frightful, gloomy thoughts.
And what is really a shame, over time; this way of thinking will become a habit.
This gets to be a problem or let’s say an issue, in a world where change is faster than ever in history and accelerating.
Our mind set can become a huge, but really huge asset or a serious, a very serious liability.
A negative mind set bleeds your energy, as well as the energy of others, especially people you have to interact with on a daily basis.
It weakens your determination, your self confidence and it affects your problem solving skills.
You limit yourself by focusing on problems and doing so will have an awful effect on your ability to spot opportunities.
What is worse, this pessimistic attitude will suck the joy and happiness out of your life, will leave you emotionally dissipated, less amiable to be around, and more vulnerable to stress and to getting physically sick.
Ah, on the other hand, a positive outlook, motivates, empowers, and actually fortifies you. Psychological studies conducted in many countries by psychologists, psychiatrists have repeatedly and reliably proven its therapeutic impact.
According to research, this is the way winners think, this is why they get paid more, they get sick less often, win more races, live longer and are much better at adapting to change.
Optimism points a powerful laser beam into the dark corners of a sick economy, hopeless situations, and perceived lack of solutions, revealing possibilities that are right there in front of your face, but you simply are not able to see or recognize.
The positive minded individual decodes events from the angle of confidence and finds opportunities, (some people call it luck) in places that the pessimist doesn’t even think of looking into.
I went to a conference today in a university and at the entrance of the conference room there was a machine that allowed you to clean your hands. The inventor of that machine has made millions while many others were only thinking not to shake hands with anyone because they could get sick. Some saw the problem, others saw the opportunity.
My clear message to all is that thoughts have power. The way you think will have a definite effect in your feelings and those will shape your behavior and consequently, it will determine your results.