In This Economy...

I hear this phrase more often than anything these days. "In this economy, it's no wonder you can't find a job." "In this economy, how am I supposed to pay off my debts?" In this economy. In this economy. In this economy. Over and over again. We all seem to have our own, "In this economy." For the salesperson, it's, "In this economy, how can I possibly make my quota?" The economy seems to be the easy target for all of our misfortunes.

Is the Economy Really that Bad?

I would like to first make clear that I am not trying to diminish in any way the hardship of someone who has lost her job or is struggling to pay off debt. I am one of those students who spent thousands on school with the expectation that there would be a well-paying job lined up for me. Years after I graduated, I still have not attained the level of income that I was promised as a "starting salary." But I do eat rather nicely, I have a PC, a laptop, and an iPhone. I have a television with cable. I'm a subscriber of Netlfix (yes, I still am). Every week, I fill up my gas tank for my commute. I drink fantastic coffee each morning. All in all, I would say my life is pretty good.

The things I have listed above, I would presume, are not unusual. I don't have an 80k car. I don't even have a mortage. But I'm fine. Every day, I am perfectly capable of getting up and going at it again. Some people may consider me disadvantaged; some may consider me wealthy (though I assure you I am well within the 99%). The point is that poverty and suffering are relative. Contentment is a state of mind, not a state of net worth. Is it just me or is it incredibly ironic to see someone buying a latte at Starbucks while talking to a friend on his $300 smartphone about how horrible the economy is? We have so many luxuries and amenities today that we completely take for granted. I don't think the economy is quite as bad as we're making it out to be.

I've Just Asked the Wrong Question

Okay, so we can argue about whether the economy is in good or bad shape right now. Perhaps I'm delusional and we really are all doomed to poverty. But I don't even think that is the right question. The question isn't, "Is this economy good or bad?" The question is, "Given the state of economy, how can I make a succesful life for myself?" We should not be dwelling on the negative state of things; we should be focusing on how we might overcome. Whether our situations are good or bad, how can we make the best of them? That is the important question.

And this isn't just self-help mumbo-jumbo. This is the raw truth. We cannot control what environment we are born into or are thrust into by others; we can only control how we behave within it. When we preface any given statement with, "In this economy...," we are surrendering ourselves to an aspect of our lives that we cannot control. Whether it is good or bad, it is what it is. The only question that matters is the one that we can do something about: "What now?" Times will always be hard. In any and every economy, people will always find a way to excuse themselves from responsibility by saying, "In this economy..." But that isn't going to change anything. It isn't going to make anything better.

Let's stop making excuses and start making plans. Let's not talk about how hard it is but instead shift our focus to how hard we're going to work to improve it. That's the only way that we can overcome--if we change our thinking.

featured image courtesty of _PaulS_ licensed via Creative Commons