Tough Times Yield New Opportunity

Warren Buffet says the key to his success is that he is greedy when others are fearful, and fearful when others are greedy. The underlying idea is that at a time of instability and hardship, potential and possibility are at their highest. 

By no means do I intend to give financial advice. But I would like to suggest that in the similarly rough times we are experiencing more broadly in our country, when, like the market, confidence is low and our future uncertain, it is now the time to invest, and invest heavily. 

CNN reports today, “A new national poll suggests that only a quarter of Americans think things are going well in the country today, while the rest of those questioned are angry, scared and stressed out.” Add to this the fact that confidence in our President and in Congress are the lowest they have been in decades and it becomes evident that we are in a very perilous situation as a nation - not only because of the immense issues we face, but also because our capacity to face them is severely inhibited because out lack of faith in our own government. 

The unfortunate thing is that these trends can be self-perpetuating. As soon as Joe the stock trader starts selling off his assets, Jane does too. It is in this downward spiral where the smart investor goes in the opposite direction, as should the social entrepreneur, if you will. We know the market will rebound, much like our country will. So, as the saying goes, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. 

I see young people as being “the tough.” Now is not the time to be discouraged, but to dream. Now is not the time to sit back, but to stand up. We have seen two national leaders attempt to capitalize on the hope and change that every American deep down desires. What is clear to me is that neither hope nor change can be peddled as commodities in America. These are qualities that are innate in all of us, and things that we, ourselves, need to start acting on, through dedicating our time and talent into self-improvement. 

Reiterating the Democracy 2.0 Declaration, we as citizens are called to be the leaders of today. If the Millennial Generation is able to take advantage of these tough times and start investing in our communities and taking action to address societal problems, then we will stand to gain a lot, as both a generation and a as country. 

As those who stand to both lose and gain the most, depending on the direction we take, young people ought to be the catalysts behind a ground-up reawakening of American dream. It is in these tumultuous times that we find the best opportunity to do so.