At the start of the 1980s, Jim Rohn, a motivational speaker and financial advisor, was called to give advice to a group of worried CEOs. The wealthy gentlemen asked him what the 1980s would be like — in essence, asking for him to make a financial prediction for the market.
Rohn looked around the room and gave a response along the lines of “Well, it will be like the 70s and the 60s and the 50s before it. The sun still rises in the morning after all this time, right?”
Although this answer might not satisfy a stressed-out CEO, it speaks to a timeless truth. The remnants from the supposed worst year of the century, so far, have everyone on edge. A global pandemic, impending recession, shootings, riots, and to top it all off, a nasty election on the horizon that does not seem to have any cure for society’s current condition. It’s really easy to get anxious. Even with all of this though, it still does not seem as bad as the last century, which was filled with wars, Imperialism, dictatorships and that time the planet almost got nuked.
So, are we doomed to another 100 years of instability? Either way you will be ok.
There will always be times when things could be better, you could be paid more, have more friends and meaningful relationships, things could go your way more. Yet, even then, there is always something good about life. You still have your family, a roof over your head, food to eat, or if it really gets bad, at least you’re still alive. It works both ways too, and even when we are cruising along peacefully, we manage to find something that irks us. A post on Facebook, a headline, someone looking at us the wrong way causes our worlds to come spiraling down.
Have any of us stopped and realized that at least NSU has survived a pandemic? There have been loved ones lost and many people are still suffering but as time moves on more of us will stand tall again. So honor the lost and protect the living. Do what you have to, wear a mask, social distance. Be decent, but don’t despair.
So really, Rohn had a deeper meaning to his quick-witted response: Things will get better and things will get worse, but, as sure as the sun keeps on rising, you will be okay.
