Two days after 9/11, nearly fourteen years ago, I wrote an editorial in which I stated that “Sept. 11, 2001 will stand in history as . . . a day that changed the world . . . that shattered the confidence of its proudest people.”
That prediction has proven true. We live in a significantly altered reality, evidenced not only by airport security screenings but also by government interventions into our private lives and a general climate characterized by Michael Crichton as a “state of fear.”
Those who lived through the Great Depression and its aftermath had their lives shaped by that reality. My mother and others of her era still reveal its wounds in their perspectives on life.
Those who have been through the throes of war come back altered people, and view the world from a vantage point different from those of us who have never faced that reality.
Momentous events like these bend the course of history, shape our world views and change our social and economic environments. Sometimes we are only affected individually; sometimes our whole environment is shifted. Sometimes the whole world is impacted.
We are gradually realizing that the economic meltdown of 2008 has also become one of those momentous historic events, not just for the housing and investment industries where it was focussed, but for our whole society. It was less dramatic than 9/11. But it radically changed our world. And many of us don’t even realize it.
We now witness much more caution in our economic outlook, though we’re still not always sure what that means for our own personal well-being, and how that shapes our prospects for the future. And we witness a much greater distrust of both institutions and individuals.
Now add the accelerating effect that the internet, especially social media, brings to any economic and social trends, perspectives and worldviews. On the internet, anyone can comment. So how do you distinguish between fact, comment, innuendo and mere impression? It’s hard to sort out fact from fantasy.
So, with a changed world whose implications we are just starting to figure out, and instantaneous communication that leaves us baffled about what’s real and what’s only perceived, I see continual education and upgrading as more important than ever. I need it for both my business and my personal well-being. What really has changed? How does it affect me? What adjustments should I make to face this changing world and my personal environment, with confidence? And how do I relate to perceived reality that may or may not be based in fact?
I know I’m not alone in that need, I’m just doubly needy because I own a business. But if I keep informed–learn from the best, read the right books, attend the best seminars–I can stay ahead of the changes, or at least in step with them. And ahead of those who haven’t upgraded since 2008.
At least, that’s how I see it.
Gotta run—off to another seminar.
Rent 2 own tip:
One way to get into home ownership is by pooling resources with family. If you don’t have enough of a deposit to do a rent to own on your own, or if your income isn’t high enough to support the mortgage you need to get into a property, then resources can be pooled. The incomes are simply added together to determine the maximum mortgage amount that you will collectively qualify for. However, everyone who’s included in the pool must then have a high enough credit score, (these aren’t added together) and all parties will be named on title to the property. So, you’ll have to continue to get along with one another.
Quote of the Week:
Logic will get you from A to Z; Imagination will get you everywhere. – Albert Einstein
