Wow, have you noticed all the empty retail spaces lately? What happened? We were all doing great then BAM* change happened. Were you prepared? Were you ready? Did it catch you off gaurd?
It did to a lot of people I know. They were not prepared. Now they are trying to figure out what to do with all of their “stuff.” They are also trying to figure out how to pay for all of their “stuff.”
I know five people who have lost their lives over the last 2 years. All of them over what they were experiencing in today’s economy. CHANGE, massive change. These people did not know how to deal with it. One of them, an Executive Vice-President at a medium company committed suicide over the closing of the company where he felt responsible for the failure. He took his life by jumping off a bridge. Two of them shot themselves, another overdosed on drugs and the last one had a massive heart attack. Whoa!

What happened to these people? How did they go down the wrong path? It’s just “stuff.” It was not life-threating. I do not know a lender that had a clause in their contract (at least the legitimate ones) that if you don’t pay you will die.

I was watching the interview of Katie Couric with Captain Sullenberger, the pilot that landed the US Airways flt. 1549 in the Hudson River last February saving all 155 pasengers and crew. It was amazing to watch the interview in the context of what we are experiencing today during these changing times.
His was a life and death experience. Listen to it again in this context and I will bet you that you will hear a different story. One of confidence and extreme equanimity.

Let’s start with what he said when he “saw the birds, felt the birds hitting the plane and then smelled the birds he said “I can’t believe this is happening to me.” Have you said that lately to yourself or do you know someone because of the current economical times has said that? He thought that he would go through his entire carreer without an incident. I think we all want that, expect that, then boom, something happens and it throws us a curve ball. It did not take him long to get his act together and make some defining decisions.

He first wanted to return to LaGuardia, his comfort zone. It’s human nature to want to retreat to the familiar. He soon, within seconds, figured out that he would not make it. He still was confined to his comfort zone and wanted to know where the next closest airport was. Teterboro in New Jersey they told him. He was still locked onto his beliefs as most pilots would, that he needed to find an airport to land in. Within seconds again, he determined that he could not make it to that airport in New Jersey. He only had one choice, the Hudson River! Are you kidding me? How do you come up with something so indifferent to the usual? The Hudson River?

He needed to clear the George Washington bridge first then he needed to land the plane with the nose up, wings level, speed right, and the right pitch as not to slam the tail first. He said all this had to happen simultaneously and “if” he could make that happen he said he had the right crew to get the passengers out of the plane safely. He knew this when he announced “Brace for impact” and he heard the crew prepare the cabin for a crash landing. Katie asked,stated “That’s a big if!” Captain Sullenberger responded confidently “I was sure I could do it!” He did it alright and after landing it he turned to his co-pilot and said “That wasn’t so difficult.”

He added, “it just seems that the 43 years of my training and experience had prepared me for this moment.” That is what I am talking about. Haven’t we all been prepared for this moment. That statement defined him. He dealt with change within seconds and did not feel sorry for himself. He did not worry. In other words he did not dwell on the problem and feel sorry for himself. He was thinking first and foremost what needed to be done. The solution. Had he dwelled on the problem and think “why me”, it would have been disastrous.

These are defining times and we need to think outside of our comfort zones. We need to look at some of the limiting habits, attitude and beliefs that might be holding us back from making change happen. Ok, so this that has happened to you has happened and you are not happy about it. Don’t dwell on it find a solution.

All your training, education and experience has prepared you for this moment. Remember It’s all just “stuff.” It’s not life-threating.

If you think that change is over guess what, “Brace for Impact” becuase more change is still coming.

JIM