With GEARS being a monthly magazine, it’s challenging to write on timely topics. In most cases, with our fast-paced news cycle, it’s only a matter of days before the pressing issues of the day are almost forgotten. It’s my hope that this article will temper the pressing, timely aspects of the Coronavirus crisis with the serenity of some timeless principles.
I want to point out that I’m writing this article on March 18, 2020, because you won’t get to read it until several weeks from this writing. Depending on what happens over the next few weeks, when you read this, March 18th might seem like it was only yesterday. Or, it could already be in the rearview mirror with our lives already resembling normalcy. I pray that it’s the latter.
In either case, I chose to make this a message of encouragement because, as things appear today, even the best-case scenarios are ominous. At the very least, the world will most likely be in recovery mode for quite some time.
On behalf of GEARS and ATRA, I hope that you and your family have avoided the Coronavirus. We offer our thoughts, prayers, and encouragement as our nation and the world deal with the effects of this crisis.
It appears, that nearly everyone will be touched in some fashion. However, last evening, we had some friends over for Irish Dinner in celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day. Of course, our conversation included our latest personal observations and insights about the Coronavirus. We asked if any of us knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who has Covid 19? No one did. We concluded that the news media is more viral than the virus itself.
In a hurricane, all the turbulence occurs around the eye, which itself, is calm. The news media is crisis-focused because bad news sells. They light up at the opportunity to report on the approaching storm and the aftermath. Who hasn’t seen the on-scene reporters clinging for life to light poles or guard rails with the wind and rain blasting them?
The mass media make matters worse as they scramble to one-up their competitors. Unfortunately, because we’re in the instant information age, the days of a reporter getting a timely scoop are in the past. Today, they get their so-called scoops by trying to outdo one another by sensationalizing the news stories. They over-dramatize, make outlandish statements, exaggerate, and use unsubstantiated claims – fake news.
While there’s an essence of truth, this hyperbolic style of news reporting is misleading and produces fear, chaos, and panic. And, just like your customers, who fearfully deal with transmission repairs, when we operate from fear, we tend to make bad choices. When we feel out of control or helpless, we feel compelled to do something – anything. So, what are people doing? They’re mindlessly overreacting, worrying, hoarding, and making other bad choices.
With that in mind, I feel that it’s essential to pause and reflect on some sound, timeless principles that will help us deal with the current crisis as well as be better prepared to deal with future crises. I hope you find them to be calming, reassuring and encouraging now and in the days ahead. Just as with the hurricanes, this, too, shall pass.
THIS, TOO, SHALL PASS.
I recognize that I risk appearing trite and dismissive with this statement. However, history demonstrates that humanity has experienced recurring cycles of chaos, recovery, and harmony. We’re discontent with these cycles because they interfere with our happiness and how we think things should be. The fact is that the world is indifferent to how we want things to be, and it’s certainly not going to serve up happiness just because we want it.
Many times, the crises we face seem surreal. I vividly remember the morning of 9/11/2001. It’s hard to believe it was over 18 years ago that I watched, live, as the second plane hit the World Trade Center. Surreal is the only word I’ve ever found to describe that morning and the days and weeks that followed.
People are resilient and resourceful. We recovered then, and we’ll do it again. However, the world and how we function in it did change in the aftermath of 9/11. We’ve adapted to what’s called the new normal. No doubt, a newer normal is on the horizon. I don’t know about you, but I find comfort in that.
How do we find peace and happiness within the repeating cycles of chaos, recovery, and harmony? I know this sounds fatalistic, but while we must do as much as we can to improve the large-scale external conditions that impact our lives, we’ll be disappointed if we expect immediate results. There’s not much we can do to change the way the world runs. We need to accept that we’re each responsible for how we choose to deal with the circumstances over which we can make a difference.
In his book Flow – The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi states, “How we feel about ourselves, and the joy we get from living, ultimately depend directly on how the mind filters and interprets everyday experiences. Whether we are happy depends on inner harmony, not on the controls we are able to exert over the great forces of the universe.”
When your peace and happiness depend on external factors, you have little control over them. But if you can generate peace and happiness from within, the external forces have less effect. I find comfort in the following – the author is unknown. This, too, shall pass. When things are bad, remember: It will not always be this way. Take one day at a time. When things are good, remember: It will not always be this way. Make the most of every moment.
WHO KNOWS WHAT’S GOOD AND WHAT’S BAD?
As bad as 9/11 was, we’ve developed new policies, procedures, and strategies that have made the world safer. Of course, the point is that many times good things can come from life’s worst challenges. Out of the current crisis, we’ve already discovered some things that will improve things for us going forward. I’m sure many more will follow.
- We urgently need to do something about our over-reliance on China for supply-chain products, medical and pharmaceutical products, cheap labor, and cheap products.
- The importance of enforceable borders should now be more broadly accepted.
- No doubt, we’ll all pay more attention to personal hygiene, and those with underlying health conditions like obesity and diabetes will hopefully exercise better self-care.
- From now on, we’ll do a better job of sanitizing public areas and places of business, in particular, food handling businesses like grocery stores and restaurants.
WHAT ABOUT THE STOCK MARKETS?
This crisis isn’t the first or last time the stock markets have reacted to geopolitical chaos with volatility. Here are some reassuring points that you might not have heard from the media or considered on your own.
- While the media is hyping stories about a sell-off, they ignore that there’s also a buy-up. Guess who’s buying – the smart money is buying, and the not-so-smart are selling. The market is oversold, and there will be bargains galore!
- The media likes to throw around the phrase bear market for dramatic effect. It’s been said that the bears fall out the windows and the bulls climb up the stairs. I’m betting that this quick correction will quickly return to our bull market as the panic diminishes and cooler heads prevail.
- The U.S. economy is the strongest in the world, and I believe we have a President that knows how to keep it so. Historically, pandemics have not affected markets for very long. People who don’t think in terms of years with investments will probably not sleep well at night and will likely make mistakes. Successful investors think long-term, and I encourage you to do the same.
- Although it can be tempting to try to minimize losses by selling, remember, you haven’t lost a dime unless you sell. With Spring and Summer arriving, don’t be surprised by the speed of a comeback. When the virus is in decline, the markets will bounce back.
- We don’t know the ultimate impact of the aggressive monetary and fiscal policies already taken, as well as other steps contemplated by Congress and the President.
WHAT ABOUT GOD?
Many people ask, “If there’s a God, why would He allow things like this to happen?” While nobody knows the answer yet, at some point, we will know. For now, we need to trust that God works all things together for our good. He often demonstrates His power and His love in ways that we don’t understand at the time. God is all-powerful. He makes things happen. He allows things to happen. And, He’s always in control.
While many Bible verses encourage us during times of trial and tribulation, the following verse from Joshua 1:9 says it forcefully and concisely – forcefully because it’s a commandment from God and concisely because there are no wasted words. “I command you – be strong and courageous! For the Lord Your God is with you wherever you go.”
I pray for God’s grace and blessings for you, your family and friends, our country’s leadership, and all the people of the world. Remember, this, too, shall pass.
About the Author
Thom Tschetter has served our industry for nearly four decades as a management and sales educator. He owned a chain of award-winning transmission centers in Washington State for over 25 years.
He calls on over 30 years of experience as a speaker, writer, business consultant, and certified arbitrator for topics for this feature column.
Thom is always eager to help you improve your business and your life. You can contact him by phone at (480) 773-3131 or e-mail to coachthom@gmail.com.
