Joe Caruso Wisdom for Tough Times

One of the many challenges of the current economic and financial environment is that so many of the "rules" are being rewritten. Many an executive has been surprised by very different business responses -- to actions -- from consumers, business customers and even the Federal government.

To me the current environment reminds me of running a river in whitewater. So much is so unpredictable.

Must human beings prefer predictability. Predictability provides us with comfort...or put another way, we are very uncomfortable when things are not predictable. When things are not in our control.

I am a huge fan of Joe Caruso, an author and life philosopher who introduced me to the benefits of finding strength, meaning and happiness in an out-of-control world. Joe explains these benefits in his terrific book, The Power of Losing Control.

In this book, Joe tells the story of his being diagnosed with cancer and entering a period of his life where he lost much of the control we enjoy in our daily lives. From this position, he taught himself the benfits of letting go of the things one cannot control.

Whitewater rafting can be terrifying...or thrilling. It is likely to be the latter only when one lets go of the notion of trying to control the situation, and instead to "go with the flow."

None of us can control the economy. What we can control is how we choose to respond to this economic meltdown.

I have chosen to embrace the recession, instead of fearing it.

What is your choice?

Coming Tomorrow: The exceptional wisdom of Marshall Goldsmith. You can read the entire series of Lessons from the Masters by starting here.