The Greatest Story Never Told

Isn’t it is a great day to be an American? I am not going to argue that our economy is not in shaky times right now. It is hard to ignore my crashing real estate values, slumping stock portfolio prices, slowing cash flow, skyrocketing costs of fuel tank fill-ups, costly grocery trips and the daily polls and stories that show sagging public confidence. But some perspective is sorely needed. The fact of the matter is that we in the United States,(and to a lesser degree the entire world), have just lived through -- and continue to live in -- the greatest period of prosperity in human history. Over the last three decades, more wealth has been created, more people have been lifted out of poverty, standards of living have been elevated more dramatically, and the quality and length of life have improved, more than ever before in recorded history. Unfortunately, this is the greatest story never told.

What creates sagging public confidence? Is it the result of actual research? Or, does it result from "doom and gloom" media? Have you ever seen blank spaces in newspapers or newscasts? Is there any chance that what you are reading or hearing has been altered or invented to fill empty space? There is as much good news as there is bad. Yet, day after day, week after week, we are being hit with reports of rapes, murders, global warming, the sky is falling, the flu is coming, government should fix it, and of course, the end is near.

How can anyone have confidence when they are being fed a never ending diet of doom, gloom, garbage and misleading myths? What we "the people" suffer from is not a lack of opportunities or a financial recession. It's a lack of honesty and common sense.

None of us like the cycle we are in, but it is just that- a part of a cycle. Let’s deal with it, move on, and start preparing for the next upswing. If you have not seen it yet, I hope you enjoy a short piece I just prepared for discussion at my next TAB meetings on the ten keys I have observed that move entrepreneurs from SURVIVING to THRIVING.

©September 2006- Ray Brun, SPHR(Senior Human Resources Professional). Brun was a director of human resources for Robins & Myers for 20 years and has advised over 100 East Bay small businesses on employment selection over the past ten years. Brun has performed over 3000 behavioral assessments. He also founded and facilitates owners advisory boards for TAB East Bay North