This isn’t a top 10 list, but it may help you survive the corona recession

“Hesitation delays action, until you’re confident, then it’s too late” -Seth Godin

Our natural inclination during uncertainty is to retract. To become more conservative. And rightfully so, because all signs point to things getting worse before they get better.

You may be jobless, on furlough, or filled with anxiety that your name may be called next. If you are in a leadership role, your revenue stream has dried up. If you have money in the market, it’s most likely plummeted 30% or more.

Despite our circumstances, we have to respond. We have to take action. We have to make change happen before change happens to us.

Let’s take the corporate world for example:

• In almost every industry, market activity has dwindled to unprecedented levels but the market is still there even if the activity isn’t.
• For example, if you are Southwest Airlines or let's say a local restaurant, you are faced with a substantial reduction in revenue.
• Your natural inclination may be to retract in order to survive but paradoxically it may cause your death.

The better approach is to increase learning, seek out opportunities, and find your new product/market fit. Your market has changed overnight, so your business has to change overnight.

Now, let’s take mother nature for example:

• I love the story of the sea turtle and have told it before, but only 1 out of 1,000 sea turtles reach adulthood.
• Gulls, crabs, sharks, whales, weather, and pollution all stand in the hatchlings way.
• The hatchlings could seek comfort in the sand next to their mother but their survival depends on their action, not their hesitation.

Yes, hesitation will temporarily allow them to survive, but it will also be their death.

Now, let’s take ourselves for example:

• My brother is a leader of a team and shared this philosophy from Robert Greene:

“There are two types of time: Dead time — where they are passive and biding and Alive time — where they are learning and acting and leveraging every second towards their intended future.”

Are you going to watch your 401k earnings plummet while consuming Netflix, or are you going to pick up that investing book and seek opportunity?

Are you going to allow anxiety and despair to set in while scrolling your media of choice, or are you going to start a mindfulness practice and seek equanimity?

Are you going to play the victim or are you going to start making pizza?

What action am I taking?

I’m currently on a 1-week furlough and I chose to write this article. It helped articulate my thoughts and practice what I preach.