Dream Team International: August 2010

Economic Reflections – 2012 and Beyond

The aligning of economic predictions & ancient wisdoms

In this article I am going to talk about economic predictions for 2012 and beyond. I will address what I see as three potential flashpoints occurring at or about the same time, creating potentially economic impact not seen in our life time. These include:

1. Economic cycles
2. Natural cycles
3. Social cycles

Firstly however I wish to address what I imagine is the inevitable question – why am I integrating modern economic information with ancient ‘wisdoms’? Let me address that first. I will then provide insights into what drives my interest in economic predictions. Then I will share my reflections on the economy of 2012 and beyond.

Beyond western world ‘science’

In my opinion citizens of western developed countries have been influenced to believe that ‘science holds all the answers’ – and that there is only one science. From my studies of Eastern philosophy, there is more than one interpretation of science.

The following quote gives insight into a Buddhist influenced perspective about science in modern Western society:

"I think that in modern Western society, there seems to be a powerful cultural conditioning that is based on science. But in some instances, the basic premises and parameters set up by Western science can limit your ability to deal with certain realities. For instance, you have the constraints of the idea that everything can be explained within the framework of a single lifetime, and you combine this with the notion that everything can and must be explained and accounted for. But when you encounter phenomena that you cannot account for, then there's kind of a tension created; it's almost a feeling of agony."
--Howard C. Culter and His Holiness the Dalai Lama, 1998, The Art of Happiness

The following quote gives insight into a Taoism influence perspective about science and nature:

"The Taoist approach to science and technology was not, as Rene Descartes, Francis Bacon, and other early modern scientific philosophers advocated, one of exploring or conquering nature, but of working with nature, as a part of nature. Descartes argued that scientific knowledge should serve to ‘render ourselves the masters and possessors of nature’. On the other hand, the Sung scholar, Lin Ching-His wrote, ‘Scholars of old time said that the mind is originally empty, and only because of this can it respond to natural things without prejudices. Only the empathy mind can respond to the things of nature.’ For the Taoists, the e use of science and technology is not a matter of better imposing man’s will on nature, but of more effectively responding to, or harmonizing with, nature.”
-- Boldt, L.G., 1999, The Tao of Abundance – Eight ancient principles for abundant living, Penguin Books Lt., New York

Eastern philosophies and scientific perspectives recognize and respect nature. To deny the impact of nature on the economy is foolish. How much did Hurricane Katrina cost the US? How much did the bushfires of 2010 cost Russia? How much did the 2010 Christchurch NZ earthquakes cost New Zealand?

It is for these reasons that I take a more holistic view of the information available when reflecting on the economic predictions for 2012 and beyond.

If nothing else, the ‘ancient wisdoms’ insights may broaden your perspective. Either way, your own discerning will determine what you choose to accept or reject. With this explanation in place, I will continue.

My story

There was a distinct point in my career when I realized that I was painfully ignorant about the economy. For my early adult life I had been completely ignorant about this subject. During the early 1980’s residential mortgage interest rates rose to nearly 20% - and I don’t remember much about it! That was when I was unconsciously incompetent. I didn’t know what I didn’t know. It that at that time that I became a student of money, finance, investing and the economy.

I understand that many young people, starting out early in their career, would be in the same position, and could even use my story to that point of time as their excuse to stay ignorant. What I say is you can do better at an earlier age than I did.

I was brought up in the shadows of the Great Depression of the 1930’s. No, I am not that old. However my grandfather was raising a young family during this period, making a living as a farmer. My father was born towards the end of the Great Depression, and was brought up with the values of that period.

Be frugal; avoid debt, repair and recycle.

I was raised in a household where the Great Depressions values and fears dominated. I now value that experience, for whilst I didn’t live during that Depression, the imprint of the experience was never too far away.

At the time I didn’t fully appreciate all the fear and frugality. No wonder, as during some of my earlier memories the world economy was expanding. In the early 1970’s US President Richard Nixon took the US off the gold standard, and in 1974 the US Congress passed the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), two of a number of events that led US financial educator Robert Kiyosaki to write:

“The rules of money were completely changed…..The biggest financial boom in the history of the world began….”
--Kiyosaki, R., 2009, The Conspiracy of the Rich, Cashflow Technologies, p. 7.

My father kept saying the economy and stock market were going to crash, and yet they just kept going up. His bearish sentiment was not being borne out.
So I took two lessons from this formative period –

1. Firstly, what it was like to life as if you were in a Depression; and
2. Secondly, what it was like to miss out on financial growth opportunities when you were living like it was Depression but it wasn’t.

The second lesson made my money when I woke up financially, by ignoring the rules of the Depression. The first lesson will serve me in any upcoming recession or depression.

1. Economic cycles – 80 year cycles

There is a common thread within economic futurism to operate on an 80-year cycle, reflective of the average life span of a person or generation. With 1929 the commencement of the Great Depression, this 80-year cycles ended in 2009. With the wisdom of hindsight, 2009 was certainly a significant year economically speaking. It may not have been the year America lost ground, however 2009 may have marked the start of a significant economic downturn from a global perspective.

About six week before the 11th of September 2001 I flew Boston to Los Angeles. And about six month prior I had flow Boston to New York. Uneventfully. However the ‘coincidence’ was not lost on me. The events in New York now know as 9/11 were in my opinion significant in many ways. In addition to the obvious human tragedy involved, I sensed concerns about the economic impact. As we had a large percentage of our business market in the US, we became acutely aware of these impacts and still are. That day I told our gardener we were cutting back his services. I realized our income was going to be immediately affected, as America experienced a form of temporary paralysis.

I believe the US economy has never really recovered from that event.

I have not heard anyone else say this, or read this anywhere. This is my conclusion, influenced by the reality that we have been exchanging US currency for Australian currency extensively since about 1998. Prior to 9/11 one US dollar could buy two Australia dollars. Since 9/11 that has eroded to near parity.

As changes in the US economy (and in fact the entire world economy) affect our business, I asked the question:

Could I have known in advance of this event?

I went to my personal library and it didn’t take long to find the answer:

“Sometime around the year 2005, perhaps a few years before or after, America will enter the Forth Turning….a crisis catalyst involves scenarios…might seem plausible:

….A global terrorist group blows up an aircraft and announces it possesses portable nuclear weapons. The United States and its allies launch a preemptive strike. The terrorists threaten to retaliate against an American city. Congress declares war and authorizes unlimited house-to-house searches. Opponents charge that the president concocted the emergency for political purposes. A nationwide strike is declared. Foreign capital flees the US.

…It is unlikely that any one of the scenarios will actually happen. What is likely, however, is that the catalyst will unfold according to a basic Crisis dynamic that underlies all these scenarios. An initial spark will trigger a chain reaction of unyielding responses and further emergencies. The core elements of these scenarios (debt, civic decay, global disorder) will matter more than the details. If foreign societies are also entering a Fourth Turing, this could accelerate the chain reaction….”
--Strauss, W., and Howe, N., 1997, The Fourth Turning – An American Prophecy, Broadway Books, NY, p. 272-273.

Yes, I could have known.

Revisiting the book again and learning that I could have been better prepared for the events of 9/11 got me thinking. I realized I needed to be better prepared. I re-read the book with greater focus. The authors painted a situation they described as the ‘Fourth Turning’ that warranted closer attention.

I knew I had to be a better student. If what Strauss and Howes were saying, I needed to prepare and sharpen up my ability to predict. I formed questions to shape my research. Firstly, what caused the Great Depression of the 1930’s? When is it likely to happen again? What shape will it take? How long will it last?

What caused the Great Depression?

There have been many reasons given for the Great Depression, however I tend to disregard most writings, especially those where the writer is in my opinion, concerned by what people will think of what they say, which sums up most publications. I found one author, as controversial as many may few him, that I was confident didn’t care what people thought about his theories. Here is what he said about the mechanisms that caused the Great Depression:

“What is the difference between an economic boom (prosperity) and an economic depression (poverty)? One thing only – the amount of money in circulation. Through this system, the private banks, controlled by the same illuminati families, decide how much money will be in circulation. They can therefore create booms and busts at will….”
--Icke, D., 2002 , Alice in Wonderland and the World Trade Center Disaster, Bridge of Love Publications, MO, USA, p. 21.

I now had a trigger to watch out for – credit contraction. Not the amount of money being printed – the amount of money available for lending. I felt a lot better having a least one clue, but was intent on looking for answers to this and my other questions.

When and why is it likely to happen again?

When Robert Kiyosaki published his book ‘The Prophecy’ I was excited. Here were more answers. On the timing of a possible next depression, Kiyosaki wrote:

“Are you prepared if rich dad’s prophecy comes true?...if the biggest stock market crash in history does occur, sometime between now and the year 2020…”
-- Kiyosaki, R., 2002, Rich Dad’s Prophecy, Warner Brothers, NY, p. 6.

“…You may have up to the year 2010 to become prepared…”
--Kiyosaki, R., 2002, Rich Dad’s Prophecy, Warner Brothers, NY, p. 7.

Kiyosaki main focus was on the stock market, and impact of the large baby boomer generation, and their potential to trigger a collapse in the market.

I found more answers in the writings of US economist and futurist Harry Dent, when he was writing specifically about the Australian economy:

“…Australia had a baby boom before and after World War Two that was nearly as large as the massive American baby boom, but your country did not have anywhere near the baby bust after 1961 that the US and many other countries had. Therefore, your economic growth, like that of the US will continue to be strong into 2008 or 2009 and the decline to follow will be minimal compared to the great bust I am predicting for the States from 2009 to 2022….”
--Dent, H., 1998, The Roaring 2000’s, Bookman Press, Melb., Aust., p. 9.

One of the many sayings I had been brought up with, and one continually reinforced by US financial educator Robert Kiyosaki, is:

The rich get rich and the poor get poorer.

This is very accurate saying and grows more accurate every day. What I didn’t realize was it also applies to nations, as if they were people. And why not? Every time I flew back to Australia from the US between 2001 and now, I was blown away by the discrepancy. The US was struggling and sliding down as a nation economically – Australia was going up. It didn’t make any sense. Historically, a saying used to describe Australia was this:

When American sneezes, Australia gets a cold.

But for the first time it wasn’t working like this. For the first time the US interest rates were rising and the Australian ones were going up. For the first time in my life-time the Australian dollar seemed to be at par.

It seemed too good to be true. I found guidance in an unexpected source – a book by Australian bush outfitter icon R.M. Williams in which he wrote:

“During the 1920’s it was so good we thought it would last forever.”

This is how I summed up the Australian economy and therefore I felt it was nearly time for the repeat of the events of 1929.

2. Natural cycles – 5,125 year cycles

December 21 2012 is a date of great significance for many. It is the end of the 5,125 year cycle that has given birth to the ‘prophecy of 2012’.

Many refer to it as the Mayan prophecy, however author Gregg Braden (Braden, G., 2009, Fractal Time, Hay House) suggests that at least four traditional cultures have identified this period of time for the same reason – the end of an era.

These traditional cultures include the Hopi, Mayans, Aztecs and Ancient India.

The key time period that we are ending is a 5,125 period, which when multiplied by five such periods provides a time frame of 25,625 years (commonly rounded up to 26,000 years). And the year 2012 is the approximate end of these time frames for each of these ancient cultures.

What does this mean? There is strong suggestion in each of these ancient cultures that each 5,125 year time frame ends with a significant change, including natural changes – which, according to the ancient traditions (and supported by western science) for the past three cycles have ended with:

Fire and earthquake
Ice
Floods

To this end, much of the 2012 focus has been on the possibilities of significant natural earth changes. What will the natural phenomenon that marks the end of this era?

What this landmark dates means to me is the potential overlap of the 2012 prophecy with the independent predictions of many western world economic and social futurists.

3. Human cycles – 25,625 year cycles

December 21 2012 is a date with significance beyond prophecies of significant natural phenomenon. This date according to some also marks the end of five of these 5,125 years cycles, bringing to the end a 25,625 year cycle. The significance of this is the end of an astrological age – the end of the Age of Pisces and the beginning of the Age of Aqarius.

To explain the signficiance of this I have turned to a relatively mainstream source, Wikipedia:

"An astrological age is a time period in astrology which is believed by some to parallel major changes in the Earth's inhabitants' development, particularly relating to culture, society and politics. There are twelve astrological ages corresponding to the twelve zodiacal signs in astrology. At the completion of one cycle of twelve astrological ages, the cycle repeats itself. Astrological ages occur because of a phenomenon known as the precession of the equinoxes. One complete period of this precession is called a Great Year or Platonic Year of about 25,920 years."
--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrological_age

The key points here are:

“…is believed by some to parallel major changes in the Earth's inhabitants' development, particularly relating to culture, society and politics.”

It is important to note that note all are in agreement with the timing of the Ages:

"Many astrologers believe that the Age of Aquarius has arrived recently or will arrive in the near future. On the other hand, some believe that the Age of Aquarius arrived up to five centuries ago, or will not start until six centuries from now.[4] Despite all references provided by various sources, astrologers cannot agree upon exact dates for the beginning or ending of the ages."
--http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrological_age

What are the implications of the Age of Aquarius?

Rather than fear the end of these 5,125 or 25,625 year cycles as the end of the world, Braden and others encourage us to view the new beginning they herald in. And what does that new beginning potentially hold? Much talk in the spirituality sub-culture has focused on the raised consciousness of the world, living with greater integrity and higher values. This has been linked to the impact of the Age of Aquarius into which we are moving post-2012, where our physical world is positioned closer to the centre of our galaxy.

“…Aquarian consciousness holds the template of holism (holy) – to draw humanity together. Thus, holism has become the template for medicine, the environment for the beginnings of a global community, and for how we now model ourselves: mind/body/spirit. Holism has become the new soul impulse. We are now living between eras – half in Pisces, an age of separation – and Aquarius, an age of unity and holism.”
--Carolyn Myss, cited in Braden, 2009, Fractal Time, p. 41.

The key I have taken from this is the need to be willing to change the way we think and do. To have the emotional flexibility and humility to let go of the old and become a student of new mind and skill sets.

“In a time of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned will find themselves equipped to live in the world that no longer exists.”
--Eric Hoffer, as cited in Braden 2009, p. 123.

Putting it all together

In tying three potential cycles together – the 80 year economic cycle, the 5,125 year natural cycle, and the 25,625 year (or thereabouts) human (astrological age) cycle, we have been talking about things that have already manifested themselves (the economic cycle) and things that have not yet – the natural and human/astrological cycles.

Let’s talk about what we do know.

The credit squeeze trigger

In 2005 US financial educator Robert Kiyosaki reportedly advised his inner circle of students to do the following exercise – half your income, and sell now the real estate you cannot support on that reduced income. I spoke to some how heard this advice and acted on it, and were very happy with their decision and appreciative of the advice they received.

The year this occurred – 2005 – was a significant year as it was the year those in the US who were in touch with market changes became aware of the risks on the downside. In hindsight, I cross-reference this with the words of Strauss and Howe:

“The next Fourth Turning is due to begin shortly after the new millennium, midway through the Oh-Oh decade. Around the year 2005, a sudden spark will catalyse a Crisis mood….”
--Strauss, W., and Howe, N., 1997, The Fourth Turning – An American Prophecy, Broadway Books, NY, p. 272-273.

The impact of what was termed the ‘sub-prime loan crisis’ became apparent to more people in the US by 2006, and by 2008 it had turned into what was dubbed the ‘Global Finance Crisis’ or GFC.

Here’s a great example of early awareness of the sub-prime loan threat – written in about 2006 and published in 2007, this author also accurately called the subsequent threat to the US banking system before it happened:

“…history suggests we should see a dramatic increase in mortgage defaults starting in 2006….If the default rate on mortgages increases significantly, it could well translate into a major threat to the solvency of many banks….”
--Petersen, J.L., 2007, Getting to 2012 - Big changes ahead, in The Mystery of 2012: Predictions, Prophecies & Possibilities, p. 130.

This author accurately called the sub-loan crisis in advance, not for the sake of doing so, but as one of a number of natural and man-made changes that he believes are and will occur in the lead up to the end of this era as marked by the year 2012.

The GFC revolved around the availability of credit – which I connected to the Icke comments about the trigger to economic boom or doom.

What do the next three years have in store?

What we have now is a phenomenon where date predictions of western economic futurists and those of ancient traditions are over lapping – 2009 and 2012.

What is the significance of this when it is 3 years difference?

The exact dates of the ancient cultures 2012 prediction is around 21 December 2012. However according to Braden:

“As to changes, the change between the Piscean and the Aquarian Age is gradual, not a cataclysmic one…”
----Edgar Cayce, as cited in Braden 2009, p. 63.

Braden suggests that the changes in the lead up to 2012 began in 2008, and I believe he says that with no connection to what I connect 2008 to – the Global Financial Crisis.

Dent links these years up with the following prediction:

“…our economy will worsen and that we will see the worst downturn since the 1930s between mid-to late 2009 and 2012….”
--Dent, H., 2009, The Great Depression Ahead, Simon and Schuster, p. 15.

How rough may it get?

Dent has some sobering thoughts on question:

“This next ‘season’ in our economy will impact your life, family, business and investments more than any other economic era in your lifetime has done. If you thought 2008 was scary, 2010 to 2012 will bring on the greatest economic and banking crisis since the early 1930’s…”
--Dent, H., 2009, The Great Depression Ahead, Simon and Schuster, p. 19.

Does that mean the situation is hopeless?

Not at all. Most spiritualist writers, including Braden, stress that the world is not going to end – it just may go through some significant changes. They may be natural as in changes in the behaviour of the earth, it may be social, it may be political, and it may be economic. It may be all or a combination of some of these.

What is suggested is that these changes will herald the end of one era and the beginning of another.

To quote Napoleon Hill:

“Adversity? It’s a tonic not a stumbling block. Every adversity carries the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”
--Hill, N., Grow Rich with Peace of Mind, Fawcett Books, NY, p. 4.

It will only be hopeless for those who chose not to learn new ways, adapt and embrace whatever the era presents.

Every time a job is lost a new one appears in a different industry. Every time an industry disappears, a new one is borne. The only variable will be whether the individual is willing to learn new ways of thinking and doing, to adapt to these changes.

In fact rather than feel fear or hopelessness, one author suggested we should appreciate our blessing by being alive in the period of time:

“…We are blessed to live at this time of extraordinary transformation. Each in his or her own way has a special role in contributing to the ultimate shape and function of this new world. That’s probably why we are here at this time. We should not hesitate to play our part vigorously, Time is short.”
--Petersen, J.L., 2007, Getting to 2012 - Big changes ahead, in The Mystery of 2012: Predictions, Prophecies & Possibilities, p. 135.

In fact, the post 2012 era can be described as an exciting period:

“There will be many great breakthroughs in science and technology, medicine and art, culture, and religious understanding….”
--Maret, K., 2007, The Mystery of 2012, in The Mystery of 2012: Predictions, Prophecies & Possibilities, p. 153.

Is the economy going to recover?

Those waiting for the ‘recovery’ may be waiting a long time. And growing more anxious by the day as the broader economy slips south, in the opposite direction to ‘recovery’.

In fact, the economy may not return in the way we have become accustomed to in our lifetime. One of the best quotes I have read recently regarding this was by Robert Kiyosaki and went like this”

“Some people are waiting for the economy to come back. I say the economy is not coming back. The economy has moved on.”
--Robert Kiyosaki

So yes, the economy will recover – but what shape and when that recovery occurs are not clear.

What is clear, at least to some, is that we have more downside risk than upside possibilities at the moment.

One of the most respected and influential finance commentators in the world. George

Soros, has voiced his concerns since at least 2008:

“The current crisis is not only the bust that follows the housing boom…. It’s basically the end of a 60-year period of continuing credit expansion. Credit expansion must now be followed by a period of contraction….A recession in the developed world is now more or less inevitable.”

In a speech to the Institute of International Finance in Vienna in June 2010 Soros warned that the global economy was in a position "eerily reminiscent" of what happened after the Great Depression:

"The collapse of the financial system as we know it is real, and the crisis is far from over. Indeed, we have just entered Act II of the drama …”
--Soros, G., 2010, Institute of International Finance in Vienna

What are the keys to success post 2012?

The main key to success, and for some economic survival, will be the willingness to become a student, to learn new ways of thinking and doing, to give up the beliefs and values that may have worked in a prior time.

Is it that simple? As a starting point, yes.

A point worth considering is to anticipate what your world may be like in the future, and prepare for it. One pointer may be the interpretation of the Age of Aquarius, and the qualities and values associated with the zodiac sign Aquarius.

As a point of reference, I found this summary of our current Age a great starting point to reflect on potential changes:

“….The fundamental blue-print of Pisces (two fish swimming in opposite directions) expressed itself in a continual need to divide and conquer, separate and study, split East and West, body and soul, male and female, yin and yang, the left-brained from the right-brained, the intuitive from the intellectual…”
--Myss, C.., as cited in Braden, G.,2009, Fractal Time, p. 40.

In my search for key words associated with the Age of Aquarius, I have collated the following, which you may find value in also:

Key Words:

* Unity and holism (Author/Reference: Caroline Myss Braden, 2009, Fractal Time)
* Wisdom, harmony, peace, love, consciousness and return of natural order (Author/Reference: Janosh The Mystery of 2012: Predictions, Prophecies & Possibilities, 2009)

There are a number of authors who provide specific guidance in preparation for 2012. Here are some examples:

“…to wait around to see what will happen in the year 2012 is to miss the point totally….with a dualist mind, it will be impossible to be in resonance with the new unitary divine reality under one power, the Creator. It would thus seem wise for all of us to prepare ourselves, beginning today, by immersing ourselves in the cosmic flow of time and, in all possible ways, seeking to transcend the influence of dualist Underworlds on our thinking, acting and being….”
--Calleman, C.J., 2007, The Nine Underworlds – Expanding levels of consciousness, in The Mystery of 2012: Predictions, Prophecies & Possibilities, p. 85.

With more focus on finance and the economy, Carl Maret suggests the following:

“One of the greatest hindrances to human advancement at this time is the lack of willingness to change the centralized economic power structures and financial controls that are now vested with relatively few, and disproportionately powerful, organizations and corporations. New models of economics of sharing and mutual empowerment will need to arise. This has already begun with certain forward-looking, globally oriented business practices….”
--Maret, K., 2007, The Mystery of 2012, in The Mystery of 2012: Predictions, Prophecies & Possibilities, p. 153.

Conclusion

The immediate reality taking the sparkle off this is the economic upheavals that are now apparent to most since the American sub-prime mortgage crisis broke in 2006, which then lead to the global financial crisis in 2008, which lead to the European financial crisis of 2010.

There is no evidence to suggest that economically speaking things are going to get better in the near future.

Robert Kiyosaki sums it up with the following list:

1. Old industries are dying.
2. Taxes will rise.
3. The United States in the biggest debtor nation in the world.
4. China is threatening the reserve status of the US dollar.
5. The US consumer is loaded with debt and strapped for cash.
6. Unemployment is rising.
--Kiyosaki, R., 2009, The Conspiracy of the Rich – The 8 new rules of money, Business Plus, NY, p. 117-118

I believe therefore that the income of all will potentially be affected, despite the long term growth potential certain global economies and sectors. Here’s a comment again by Kiyosaki, in the event than any Americans need more evidence of the direction of their country:

"From my point of view, we're witnessing the end of the American Empire. We're the biggest debtor nation in the world. We have a baby-boom population about to retire and depend more upon the government —one that has no money for life support. We have either corrupt or ineffective leadership—or both—and we have an expanding divide between the rich and everyone else."
-– Excerpt from Robert’s Conspiracy of the Rich bulletin, 2010

In searching for solutions, one key point I believe is that the innate economic model associated with the recent economy are part of the old-world model, not optimally suited to the needs of the new-age consciousness. To reinforce this point I repeat parts of the Carl Maret quote, with my own emphasis added:

“One of the greatest hindrances to human advancement at this time is the lack of willingness to change the centralized economic power structures and financial controls that are now vested with relatively few, and disproportionately powerful, organizations and corporations. New models of economics of sharing and mutual empowerment will need to arise. This has already begun with certain forward-looking, globally oriented business practices….”
--Maret, K., 2007, The Mystery of 2012, in The Mystery of 2012: Predictions, Prophecies & Possibilities, p. 153

Here are some key characteristics of business activity I encourage all consier, be it for economic survival or for the purposes of creating their wealth through business:

1. Have more than one income stream.

2. Get leverage. If you don’t have leveraged income, develop it by ensure that at least one of your income stream has potential for leveraged income.

3. Focus on your weakness. Once you have mastered the art of selling your time, shift the focus to developing more entrepreneurial skills such as leverage. Spent as much if not more of your focus on developing your entrepreneurial skills. It may not be easy, it may not be quick to develop, but it will be worth it. Very few of us in physical preparation have a background in entrepreneurship, so our skills in this area lag so far behind our sets and reps skills, many get disillusioned.

4. Sell products also. Selling services is time based. Selling products is not. Overcome that fear of selling or belief that selling is evil. You have the opportunity to add value to people’s life if you are selling an excellent product that has long term benefit to your clients.

5. Use the internet. Make sure you use the internet effectively to run and expand your business.

6. Go global. Engage in business activity in countries/currencies in addition to that of your resident country. There is always a country/currency doing better than yours at any point in time – are you benefiting from that.

7. Ensure you are adding true, long lasting, life-impacting, value to the lives of others. This is as opposed to promoting, marketing and selling the latest piece of information or equipment because you need cash flow. I recommend you only promote/sell things that believe strongly in, have used for a long period of time, and have achieved success through mastery of it.

8. Operate your business with excellence, using excellent products/services. There is no substitute for excellence. You will attract clients, partners and colleagues who share your value in excellence. Do not compromise for short term benefits.

9. Operate your business with integrity and honesty. This includes placing the needs of your clients and business partners equal to if not ahead of your own.

10. Work with and learn from a mentor / mastermind group. Select your mentor/mastermind group from those who has/have achieved what you want (based on accurate research as opposed to believing the marketing pieces), and who is/are willing to work with you and consider your interests – and do the same for others.

So we are motion now for whatever 2012 presents. Are you ready and willing? Ready may include changes in physical financial money management. Willing includes a willingness to take on new mind and skill sets for success in a significantly different economic and cultural world.

What is going to happen cannot be predicted with 100% accuracy. What I believe can be predicted with this level of accuracy is that there will be change, and that to be a victor in these times of change, you are going to need to be able to adapt, to be a person who embraces change, and is willing to learn new ways.

“There is good news for those wanting to move on into a brave new world. This is the best of times for those willing to study, learn quickly, work hard, and not join the chorus of negative people. Learn from the past to succeed in the future. This is your time to become rich – if you want to be.”
--Kiyosaki, R., 2009, The Conspiracy of the Rich – The 8 new rules of money, Business Plus, NY, p. 119

Ian King

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Economic reflections – 2012 and Beyond

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