Salesopedia - The Great Depression

The Great Depression

Written by Billy Cox

The economy is bad. Nobody is buying homes. The recession’s coming. Every time you turn around Economists predict doom and gloom. That’s enough to get you into a great depression, if you let it.

The reality is ‘Negative news sells’ and way too many salespeople, business owners and leaders believe that the “sky is falling” and eventually it becomes a self fulfilling prophesy. If you think about it, one of the worst situations for your peace of mind is to hang around negative, depressed salespeople, business owners, and leaders.

Depression is nothing more than focusing on what’s wrong in your world instead of what’s right. It’s allowing fear to take control of your life. I can assure you that if you think about it long enough, you can find something wrong in any area of your life. On the contrary, if you look hard enough, you can also find the good.

Those who take massive action today with the right attitude and positive expectancy towards the future prepare themselves for greatness tomorrow. On the other hand, those who sit around fearful of the future and feeling sorry for themselves and waiting for the perfect economy or for the stars to line up will never succeed. Why, because there is never a perfect time for any thing and the stars never stay lined up for long. Business is what you make it.

The good news is, as Zig Ziglar, motivational speaker, author, and salesman, once said, “Economists have accurately predicted something like ten of the last two recessions.” Even better news is that top performers understand one simple concept: Business is either good or bad in your own mind. Even in the Great Depression of the 1930s many people became wealthy.

I recently attended a real estate seminar where one of the top real estate agents in the nation talked about the current housing market and how over 400,000 agents nationwide will exit the profession. He thought this situation was great! He was excited because fewer agents translate into more market share for him. One of the reasons he is at the top of his profession is that despite a market downturn he is already positioning himself today to take advantage of the next real estate boom that is already on its way.

Unlike top performers, too many people sit around waiting for someone to call and give them some good news; and then they’ll go to work. They say something like, “When the economy turns around I will really, really get in the game.” These people will never succeed.

I have an old shirt that I sometimes wear when I workout. It has a picture of a Rhino curling his bulging bicep saying, ‘Quit your crying; only the strong survive.’

I’ve been in sales and marketing for over 22 years and the media has always got some type of hype going on. There’s always going to be boom and bust. During the boom, save a little and enjoy it while it lasts. During the rough periods, it is time to bust out of your comfort zone and get creative. Some of the best marketing ideas have come about because of challenges. Leaders always emerge during challenges. While people in general sit around waiting for circumstances to happen to them, leaders create their own circumstances. While some predict doom and gloom, others take massive action because they understand that today’s actions equal tomorrow’s results.

Think about it, smart investors buy when the housing market is down because they know it will come back. It has to, because more people are born today than pass on and the demand for housing will eventually exceed the supply.

Take time today to write down three items that you feel are creating challenges in your world. Then, ask yourself “Is there anything I can do to change this circumstance?” If there is, then take massive action and make the necessary changes immediately. If there is nothing you can do, then ask yourself, “In one year, two years, or five years from now will these challenges even matter or will they be something I’ll sit back and laugh about?”

Chances are you will look back and laugh about your circumstances because they don’t really matter. Either way, forget about it because there is nothing you can do. And, 90 percent of what we worry about never even happens. They are minor issues that will get you all caught up in the moment and they will hold you back if you let them.

Next, write down three good and positive opportunities that are present in your world. If you can’t think of anything positive then write down what could be right in your world if you would only take initiative and make a few positive actions. Now start focusing on how you can make these things better. If you will focus on the good in your life instead of what you can’t change you will see a tremendous difference in your attitude and your performance. People will react to you differently and you will experience positive results.

Another action step you can take is to guard your mind from negativity. We can control what we watch and what we listen to. If you surf the Internet, watch TV, listen to the news or read the newspaper, you have the ability to turn the channel, turn the page and read something uplifting.

We can also control the thoughts we allow to dominate our mind. Successful people learn to recognize when their thinking is negative. When negative thoughts start to come into your mind say the word “Cancel” out loud and replace the negative thought with something positive. Why, because what you focus on the most is the direction you will head. If you drive a car and you focus on the ditch where will you end up? You’re going to into the ditch.

The best part of life is that you have a choice each and every day. You can guard your mind from negativity and consciously shift your focus to what’s right in your world instead of the minor wrongs that may be temporarily. The people that focus on what’s right are guaranteeing their future success.

The choices you make today will determine your ultimate destiny. The reality is there is more opportunity today than there has ever been in the past. There are more options, more ways to learn, and more opportunities to produce positive change in your life than ever.

You see, the greatest depression didn’t happen in the 1930s, it happens every day in people’s minds who allow their outside circumstances control what goes on inside them. Therefore, the mind controls their thoughts, actions, reactions, and ultimately their future.

So, when situations look impossible or you’re tempted to go through the day negative and depressed, that is when you have to step up and change your belief level. Expect good to happen. Expect to rise above your challenges. Expect victory!

When those around you predict doom and gloom for everything from the economy to your goals and dreams, remember that success is mostly a mental game. Your thoughts will drive your results, your success, and even your destiny. So defend your mind against the negative, proactively focus on the positive, and expect to win. You have the power to guard your mind, choose your thoughts and control your attitude. Therefore, you guarantee that the greatest depressions for some will be your greatest success. It’s all up to you.

Believe in yourself...Raise the bar...Move Mountains

Billy Cox
		About the author:
		Internationally recognized business leader, author, and inspirational speaker Billy Cox energizes people to dream big, take action, and achieve results. His message comes from the authenticity and credibility of his own inspiring, all-American success story. Billy Cox now teaches the essentials that led to his own success – he has lived what he speaks. Billy pairs his powerful message with a high-energy, passionate, and down-to-earth style. Visit his website at www.championshipsales.com or email him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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