2007 is reaching an end, with much to occupy our minds. Most of this will carry over into 2008.
Never mind the crime, the corruption, the ANC succession battle, the challenges to freedom of the press, the potential for Jacob Zuma to be our president, and the issues of global warming and Aids. Let`s focus rather on the issue of financial indicators and what they mean to you.
They are, quite frankly, not happy:
* Interest rates have climbed and continue to climb. While not quite at pre-1991 levels, they are on the wrong side of 10% - and we have a trigger-happy Reserve Bank governor, who has stated repeatedly that he will do anything to keep inflation within a specified band. Bond repayments and defaults are soaring as a consequence.
* The cost of basic foodstuffs is becoming prohibitive, raising the spectre of a lean Christmas and new year for many.
* The subprime crisis in the US, with the concomitant pressure on financial institutions worldwide, has invoked thoughts of a global recession.
* Property rates and taxes are being hiked ... the National Credit Act has made it tough to borrow ... property rates continue to rise ... petrol is reaching an all-time high ... the list of challenges facing the every-day person is seemingly endless.
So how do you, as a normal citizen, get on with your life, faced as you are with trials and tribulations seemingly on every side?
The answer begins with realising that there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who are victims of circumstance, and those who rise above them, and treat each problem and emergency as an opportunity to learn and even gain a competitive edge. During the Great Depression, which lasted from 1929 to 1936, there were people who continued to prosper (and we`re not referring to Al Capone here!).
So how do you become one of the winners, given the unequivocally tough circumstances that will prevail during 2008?
Bryan Hattingh is CEO of Cycan.
During World War II, which the Great Depression helped create, many people prospered. And so it goes ... wherever you look, there were winners, even in the darkest moments.
There might have been more losers than winners, but that`s why the challenge is to ensure the focus is shifted to the dream of winning, irrespective of temporal circumstances.
You can choose to be a winner, or accept the hand life "deals you" or rise above it. Because, of course, life does not deal you a hand. You create a hand for yourself.
So how do you become one of the winners, given the unequivocally tough circumstances that will prevail during 2008?
The first step is to set a plan for yourself, and, if you have not already crafted a plan, to do so now. Without a plan, how do you know if you are on track, and performing well or badly?
Secondly, live your life with attitude, energy and passion. They differentiate any person, any organisation, and they set the benchmark for attracting, retaining and growing business.
They are also what defines a brand, and people do business with brands, especially when it comes to their expectations regarding these brands. One`s expectations are either fulfilled or disappointed on encountering a brand, so it`s up to you to decide what brand you want to project. This embraces what you stand for, where you want to go in life, what you want from it, and what you want to contribute to the society you live in, the organisation you work for, and the people encountered.
Do this in a coherent and consistent manner, and you will passionately leave a clear and unmistakable footprint. People who do this, rise above all temporary circumstances and are victors, irrespective of what is going on around them. Simply put, people who see things differently chose to walk a different path, and as such, walk differently and in doing so, act differently. It is not only their attitude of difference that changes the result - it is their actions that cause the impact that brings about changed outcomes.
In closing for 2007, I wish you a blessed Christmas, and a success-filled 2008.
* Bryan Hattingh is CEO of Cycan.
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