If the rising tide of prosperity isn’t lifting your ship, what can you do about it?
In 1963, the New England Council had a thoughtful slogan: ‘A rising tide lifts all the boats.'” JFK borrowed it and used it often. Regardless of who said these words, they simply aren’t true.
Consider the current economy. The US stock markets have hit record highs on more than one occasion, the unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in over 50 years, and interest rates are low. But when I go to my local Walmart, I can’t help but notice that not everyone is prosperous in spite of our fantastic economy.
At the self-checkout, there is an employee named Jan. She has a foot problem. Yes, she can work as many hours as she wants and has health insurance. But her health insurance deductible is $2,000 and she has many other bills. Therefore she can’t afford to see a specialist about her painful health issue that grows worse by the day. Nan isn’t alone; there are many Americans in her boat.
These Americans are anchored by too many bills. Since their anchor keeps their boat from moving, the rising tide of prosperity just washes over them.
If the rising tide isn’t lifting your boat, what can you do about it?
Encouraging Washington to implement policies that result in a socialist government (everything free for everyone) won’t lift your boat. Goading our politicians to increase our debt can only have one result: higher taxes. If and when “free for everyone” policies become reality, people anchored by debt will sink. Their income would be cut in half, their debts would remain the same, and the rising tide will wash over their anchored boats and drown them.
Complaining about your lot in life won’t help you, either. That never helps anyone solve anything.
What can you do?
You can take responsibility and control of your own life!
First, you could vote for politicians who are most likely to raise your income and least likely to implement socialist policies.
Second, creating your own American dream will cut your anchor away from your boat and allow you to rise with the tide of prosperity.
“How do I create my own American Dream?” you ask.
Motivate yourself!
Encourage yourself to keep trying, to never give up– regardless of what obstructions appear in your path– by believing you can do it! Believe you can do it, and you are halfway done!
Ask questions
On a piece of paper, write the questions “What do I truly love doing? What are my passions?” Then close your eyes and imagine yourself doing what you love doing. Open your eyes and write down what you just visualized. Repeat this until your brain can no longer conjure answers.
Then, on a second piece of paper, write the questions, “Which of my passions could I turn into a career?” Next, close your eyes and imagine yourself working at your own business and enjoying your passion at the same time. Open your eyes and write a description of your business. Repeat this step until you have described all of your imagined all the possibilities.
It may take hours or even days to accomplish this step, but it is the most important one.
Make a choice
Look at your second piece of paper, and think about which possibility is the most doable for you. Write this possibility on a third sheet of paper.
Make plans
On the same sheet, write the steps you must take to make your new career successful. If you don’t know, do research. Google your chosen path, ask someone else who is doing the same thing or something similar, go to your local chamber of commerce for ideas.
Finally, take action!
Creating your dream job and enjoying financial success may intimidate you, but know that you can do it! Visualize your success and read your plans when you feel doubtful. And, whatever you do, don’t give up!
Enabling your boat to rise with the tide will probably take time, so have patience and keep working toward your goal.
***
Remember that everyone is good at something and can create his or her dream career, if (s)he has the patience, diligence, and determination to make it happen.
You can enable your boat to rise with the tide!
Let the encouraging words in these bobbiejrae posts help you
soar like an eagle above life’s storms.
As you work to cut your anchor, don’t expect perfection!
Don’t ruin it for the rest of us or future generations!
Are you sure want to encourage this?
Too much is like having cancer…
