Is It A Downturn or Opportunity?

"All our dreams come true - if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney

The cyclical nature of things always seems to take us by surprise. Everything we learn from history to geology have cyclical natures. The rise of a civilization or empire is met by the fall to a worthier or better prepared new comer. We witness the rise of a business and its fall; the growth of an industry and its downturn. Farmers have harnessed the Tao of leveraging cycles. They are fully aware that reaping and sowing are cyclical, and any attempt to challenge this natural cycle is futile.

Our current state of financial affairs as a whole can be seen as a movement towards a downturn. We should perhaps borrow a word from agriculture and use the term "sowing" as opposed to downturn or recession. Sowing conveys a time of preparation, cultivation, of harnessing our capabilities and planting seeds that will later come to fruition.

Lao Tsu, who wrote the Tao Te Ching, promoted a philosophical method of embracing the flow of things, as opposed to battling the natural forces of life. We speak of embracing the flow, not becoming submissive, or complacent. The difference is in using what is given and maximizing the opportunity.

In our own private lives for example, many of us detest "loneliness." Those who embrace there situations however, call this "solitude," and maximize the moment by becoming more intimate with themselves, god, or refining their mental capacities.

Simply by re-naming, or re-framing our situations, we can transform lack into abundance, and failure into opportunity. Leaders must cultivate this. By doing so,
we work with the flow of nature so to speak. At the same time we become responsive, adaptable, and versatile. The moment is perfect to differentiate ourselves by asking questions of opportunity and their by sow the seeds of innovation.

Angel Armendariz

The Bear Opportunity

The Bear Opportunity
Category: Life

Circa 1519 Hernan Cortez conquered the Aztecs. He is said to have established the town of Veracruz and to have marched on the Aztec empire of half a million with an initial army of 500. The begining of the campaign was solely to lay the groundwork for a town on the coast of Mexico. His ambition however had been from the very begining to seize Tenochtitlan and the many supposed riches of the Aztecs.

He lives in infamy for the amazing conquest and for the means employed to rally his 500 men to victory. Cortez employed a method of war known as the ’no-return’ tactic. To eliminate any second guessing of his men of the the possiblity for victory, Cortez had his ships destroyed! Thus, not giving himself or his men a means for retreat. Such conviction of action rallied his men and gave them a win or die mentality that led to the amazing demise of the Aztecs.

The goal of most endeavors revolves around victory in some form. Victory at times requires eliminating easy escape options that force us to win no matter what. Cortez new this and employed the tactic to win. Having had an escape route would have created an option to retreat. Being forced into only one option sparked primal energy, conviction, and creativity to employ a means of victory.

The current turmoil in the financial markets can be compared to a ’no return’ circumstance. There is no option but to succeed. Although Bear Stearns recently lost billions within a weeks time, life goes on. The option to overcome the debackle exists. Famous investor Jesse Livermore became wealthy during the Great Depression by shorting the Dow Jones.

Examples of success during turmoil are as old as written record. The way to victory through turmoil is to envision a win or die scenario, and summon all of ones faculties to execute. By not giving yourself an easy out you force your mind to figure it out and navigate your route to greener pastures.

- Angel Armendariz