Uncertainty drives markets crazy, along with their participants. When there is little sense of continuity in any area of business, personal, political, or professional life, the temptation is there to hold off on investing in a new venture. For some, the idea of plunging head-first into uncharted territory when the world is in turmoil may sound counterintuitive at the very least, and fraught with danger at worst. Baron Rothschild is credited with saying that “the time to buy is when there’s blood in the streets,” and while we are not talking about financial investing here in this blog, the sentiment remains valid.
Is it time to circle the wagons?
Face it. 2020 has been a verifiable mess, Murphy’s law on steroids. Just when you think nothing else could possibly go wrong, you flip on the news and are greeted with the next mind-blowing revelation. I for one am going to attempt take this year in stride and use this moment to advance and transcend. At my rep firm Reflex Marketing, we are quite fortunate to be positioned with outstanding vendors and equally resilient dealers. While not taking this for granted, the moment has come to expand when others may be hesitant, pushing forward into new journeys that beckon with excitement. As the expression goes, “ships were meant to sail,” and headwinds are nothing new to salespeople used to a challenge.
Others are opening the door for you…
Two years ago, I made the decision at age 58 to acquire and learn how to run my own business. A few of my peers in the musical instrument and pro audio industry questioned my sanity, citing the imminent demise of music stores. I took this as a positive sign; if others were running away, I wanted to rush in and fill the void. If anything, COVID has demonstrated that when sequestered, human beings will find something creative to do, whether picking up the guitar or exploring home recording. The temptation now is to be cautious, thinking that the nice lift we have seen recently will fall off. Here again, I cannot explain it, but I do not buy into this mindset for a minute.
Above all else…
Believe in yourself and stop listening to the naysayers, and that little voice in your head holding you back. Life is for the living, and quite frankly we are all on borrowed time here. Whatever happens next, refuse to let it be controlled by someone else, as only you can decide what kind of world you want to live in. At this moment in time, I choose to step into the breach, take calculated risks and make my own “upward spiral” a reality. Along the way, the opportunity to help someone find success, mentoring others and giving back just a little of yourself is a great way to deal with the whirling dervish that this year has become.
I say it is a fine time to invest in yourself and take a stand. Are you with me?