| Experts say that there are societal trends in play | | | | outsourcing skilled jobs to India. DON'T SLEEP As |
| that are precipitating a return to pre-industrial era | | | | a potential entrepreneur, indeed as a nation, the |
| ways of survival. In the face of changing | | | | opportunity exists to predict, anticipate, prepare |
| economic realities and disillusionment, many people | | | | for and position oneself for the effects of these |
| are questioning the ways they currently make | | | | trends. Don't wait for mainstream news |
| money and are seeking alternate means of | | | | broadcasts to confirm this. Don't expect politicians |
| income. But, instead of simply getting another job, | | | | to make it part of their agendas in time. They are |
| or opening a fast-food franchise, many are | | | | operating from a different agenda. Those who |
| instead asking, "What am I good at?" "What's my | | | | seek to rule the world are by nature unlike those |
| passion?" Today's trends are all pointing to a | | | | of the world they seek to rule. THE CHALLENGE |
| move back to the way things were. At the very | | | | As I said, there is always either a lesson or a |
| least, as the economic landscape becomes more | | | | challenge. Within the context of these trends, the |
| uncertain, people need to look at options for | | | | economic condition, and by extension, your unique |
| increasing their streams of income. It may be only | | | | situation is a catalyst that provides an opportunity |
| way to survive. However, there is also a new | | | | for you to respond in search of a lesson or a |
| awareness developing among those who are | | | | challenge. As potential entrepreneurs, if we choose |
| seeking to flex their entrepreneurial muscles. The | | | | to rise to the challenge, using what we know |
| question this time is: What sort of business does | | | | about predicting the future, the question becomes |
| it make sense to start in these times of global | | | | first: What's going to happen as these trends and |
| change? To lay the foundation for my response, | | | | catalysts continue? And then more importantly, |
| I'd like to introduce you to a term with which | | | | what shall I do in response to these happenings? |
| you're probably already familiar. The term is | | | | Where should I look for the opportunity? What |
| "catalyst." As you may remember from high | | | | sort of business would I start? And finally which |
| school chemistry class, a catalyst is a substance | | | | business path offers the most opportunity for |
| that ignites, sets in motion, or speeds up a | | | | service to others? Now there are those who |
| reaction without itself being affected. In life as | | | | would ask, 'which path offers the most profit?', |
| well, every experience is a potential catalyst. Your | | | | but that's a service-to-self orientation. We need a |
| flat tire, the argument with your spouse, your | | | | new paradigm. I suggest, as motivational speaker |
| unhappiness at your job--all are potential catalysts. | | | | Zig Ziglar is credited with saying: that if you help |
| Because of the free will inherent in our experience | | | | enough people get what they want, you |
| here on the planet (we have the freedom to | | | | automatically get what you want. MY THOUGHTS |
| choose our responses), the reaction that a | | | | ON A COMING SHIFT There's another important |
| catalyst can spark is entirely under your control. | | | | trend that I believe is important to factor into this |
| THE PURPOSE OF CATALYSTS All catalysts are | | | | equation, and it is this: The continued growth upon |
| designed to offer a challenge or lesson. There are | | | | which the current economic model is based |
| only two possible paths one can choose from in | | | | cannot be sustained indefinitely. Infinite growth |
| response to a catalyst: It can be accepted or it | | | | based on finite resources is unsustainable. Growth |
| can be controlled. The path you choose will be | | | | based on the exploitation of others is unethical |
| determined by your orientation. If you are | | | | and untenable. Yes, China and India are both ideal |
| oriented towards service to self (your own | | | | sources of labor as well as the next great frontier |
| comfort), you will make one set of choices. If | | | | for consumerism. The rest of the world's |
| you are oriented towards service to others, you | | | | industrialized, market-driven, capitalist, |
| will see and choose from a different set of | | | | consumer-oriented companies and entrepreneurs |
| choices. When faced with a catalyst it is important | | | | know this as well, and are rushing to position |
| to understand that we are here to evolve in the | | | | themselves. However, the gold watch-sporting, |
| direction of our orientation, and without life's | | | | cola-drinking, junk food-eating, luxury car-driving, |
| catalysts, the desire to evolve and the faith in the | | | | soap opera-watching, video game-playing lifestyle |
| process do not normally manifest and thus | | | | upon which these companies rely to support their |
| evolution does not occur. So don't rail against the | | | | spiritually vapid, environmentally-depleting and |
| changes and situations. Accept them as a natural | | | | mindless products, while exploiting the poor as the |
| part of the experience designed to help you grow. | | | | labor source, is on an inevitable decline. Global |
| Life is really that simple. Things happen. You | | | | consciousness of a more serious nature is actually |
| choose your response based on your orientation. | | | | on the rise (it's just not being reported). So if as a |
| You evolve in the direction of your choice. When | | | | result, you see, as I do, the potential crash of the |
| neither path is chosen, the catalyst fails in its | | | | entire economic system upon which this model |
| design and you proceed through life until some | | | | hinges, then you might agree that basing a new |
| other catalyst appears which causes you to | | | | industry or business idea on such shifting sand, |
| choose again towards acceptance and love or | | | | while perpetuating a soon-to-be outdated business |
| toward separation and control. HOW TO PREDICT | | | | model that separates and destroys the family |
| THE FUTURE It's a basic law of this dynamic, | | | | structure, enslaves communities, while |
| ever-changing universe that there's no such thing | | | | perpetuating indentured servitude is not a |
| as something "staying the same." Things are | | | | desirable course. So, here is the challenge in a |
| either expanding or contracting, increasing or | | | | nutshell. The current model is unsustainable. We |
| decreasing, getting better or getting worse. Even | | | | need to survive. However, our survival is based |
| the metal or hard plastic computer or sheet of | | | | on buying into a definition of success which |
| paper on which you are reading these words, as | | | | perpetuates the very model which is threatening |
| solid and as stable as they seem are all slowly | | | | our survival. What then, should be our best course |
| decaying and deteriorating. Come back in a few | | | | of action? THE ETHICAL PARADOX OF SELLING |
| dozen years, and you'll see the effects of decay | | | | SURVIVAL How do you survive in an economic |
| over time. If you know this, then you can look at | | | | system that is threatening your and its own |
| everything from business phenomena to romantic | | | | survival. Answer: You sell survival. That's right, the |
| relationships a little bit differently, and can perform | | | | game is changing to one of selling survival. Right |
| what some might consider fortune-telling simply | | | | now others in the know are mobilizing to prepare |
| by asking, "where is this heading?" Every business, | | | | to offer you their solutions. But what they offer |
| every situation, every relationship is either getting | | | | won't be real solutions. They will offer products, |
| better or getting worse, growing or shrinking, | | | | services and a paradigm which perpetuates their |
| going up or heading downhill. Therefore, as long as | | | | control and their individual survival. In some parts |
| you can honestly assess what you observe or | | | | of the world, companies are already charging the |
| experience over a given time frame, you can | | | | population for access to clean water, and some |
| "predict" where something is heading and take | | | | are selling seeds which have been genetically |
| any evasive or remedial actions as necessary. | | | | altered to produce single-generation crops forcing |
| Now having said that, let's examine some | | | | farmers into a cycle of having to purchase new |
| observable facts and trends that are catalysts | | | | seeds every season just to survive. But how do |
| occurring right now and that will affect the future, | | | | you survive in good conscience by profiting from |
| and to which we have a choice of response. 1. | | | | what others need to survive. Therein lies the |
| The earth is going through changes. Global | | | | paradox of selling survival. But that sort of |
| warming is a reality. Temperature fluctuations are | | | | response is not the best option. Selling altered |
| affecting access to water, arable land and other | | | | seeds or clean water is not the survival I wish to |
| resources for a growing segment of the world's | | | | sell. If I were starting a business, I would follow |
| population. These and other physical, climatic, and | | | | the experts who predict that the stated trends |
| cataclysmic changes are observable. 2. "Peak Oil" | | | | will favor business models that: 1. anticipate |
| is a reality. The term "peak oil" refers to the peak | | | | coming global shifts in social interaction and |
| in the world's oil production. The amount of oil | | | | lifestyles (i.e. tribal living in larger social families that |
| available on the planet is finite. There is a point in | | | | are self-supporting; ones that engage in more |
| oil production whether within a single oil field or the | | | | efficient means of creating energy, obtaining food, |
| entire planet, when a maximum is reached. Once | | | | and supporting the common welfare) 2. offer |
| that maximum rate of production is reached, the | | | | people the means of survival given the "peak oil" |
| rate of oil production (as well as the profitability of | | | | phenomenon (i.e. alternative fuel sources, power |
| extracting it) on Earth will enter a terminal decline. | | | | generation capacities, solar, wind, insulating |
| The challenge this presents is that while the | | | | technologies) 3. utilize technology in ways that |
| SUPPLY is declining, the DEMAND for oil (and the | | | | empower and free the exploited from the manual |
| plastics, electricity, etc, which are oil-dependent) | | | | labor which keeps them at the lower rungs of the |
| continue to increase as population and | | | | totem pole Why not start your own brainstorm |
| industrialization continue to grow. It' said that US oil | | | | session to come up with some unique business |
| production peaked in 1970. World oil production, it | | | | ideas based on the suggestions above? Wouldn't it |
| is said by some, peaked in 2005. After a peak, | | | | be nice to jump ahead of the entrepreneurial |
| production slows, profits decrease, and prices rise. | | | | curve and start or join an industry, or launch a |
| You can already see the effects of this as gas | | | | new business idea that helps the most people, |
| prices start creeping upwards. 3. Corporate | | | | prepares for coming earth changes, empowers |
| downsizing persists More and more companies are | | | | rather than exploits the labor pool, reduces |
| outsourcing, downsizing and offshoring in an effort | | | | dependence on diminishing energy resources, |
| to cut costs. Companies, particularly public | | | | offers the consumer real alternatives, while at the |
| corporations, are bound by their charters and by | | | | same time offers the world a new paradigm and |
| law to seek first the profitability of their | | | | consciousness as it relates to survivability, |
| shareholders. That's why the decisions these | | | | sustainability, adding our voice and actions to the |
| companies make often seem less humanitarian | | | | very change in consciousness and alternate |
| and more profit-inspired. That's because they | | | | paradigm that our very survival necessitates? |
| have to be. 4. Global power and focus is shifting | | | | Yep, that would be pretty cool. And that's what I |
| China and India are growing economic forces. | | | | would do if I were starting a business. |
| They represent sources of labor, consumers, as | | | | Walt F.J. Goodridge is known as the Passion |
| well as increased oil and energy demand. | | | | Prophet. He is author of 15 books including Turn |
| Companies the world over in Europe, (Romania | | | | Your Passion Into Profit, and helps people |
| and Poland most recently made news) and the | | | | discover, develop and profit from the pursuit of |
| US, are importing laborers from China, or | | | | their passions. |