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I don’t know
about you, but I’ve decided not to take part in the recession.
Not that I haven’t had plenty of encouragement to participate.
The news is full of gloom. Former Chief Justice Earl Warren
said, “I always turn to the sports page first…it
records people’s accomplishments; the front page, nothing
but man’s failure.” It’s true, the front
page chronicles everything from Beavis and butthead to the rising
national debt. The nightly news covers violent crime,
terrorism, fires and floods, unemployment, and hopelessness.
Give me a break. |
In the early days of
the computer revolution, a phrase was coined: “garbage in,
garbage out.” In the 1960s, we assumed that incorrect
information was somehow caused by a computer miscalculation.
Soon after, we had to admit that faulty data was caused by bad input.
Bad assumptions in, bad data out. It’s the same with
our lives. If we don’t like the results we’ve
got, we can take a look at the assumptions that produced them.
Recent research indicated the average adult in the country watches
6.5 hours of television a day. The average 18 year old has
watched over 19,000 hours of TV, more time than spent in class.
And isn’t it edifying? Just watching two or three talk
shows is enough to make you feel like a victim, powerless over your
circumstances.
But we do have a choice; a choice to believe the possible or the
impossible. And we can choose to surround ourselves with either.
Our perception of Memphis is an example of that choice. How
often do you hear Memphis is just a second-rate city? Or that
it needs a self-esteem implant? That everything here is racially
divisive? That we’ll never get it together? I’ve
been listening to this for the 20 years I’ve lived here and
I’m sick of it. Let’s look at some facts.
USA TODAY…
Ranked Memphis among the best cities for job growth. In ranking
the top 25 metro areas identified as “Hot Spots for Growth,”
Memphis ranked 17th…above Seattle, Cincinnati, Louisville,
Houston, Minneapolis, and others. Over the last 8 years, jobs
increased here almost 20 percent from 402,800 to 480,900.
Retail sales in Shelby County grew from just over $6 billion to
over $9 billion. Per capita income has grown steadily from
about $13,000 in 1989 to over $24,000 last year.
The July/August issue of Airports International ranks Memphis international
Airport as the world’s busiest cargo airport. Our airport
moves 1,413,042 metric tons of cargo, an increase of 15.2 percent
over the previous year. Memphis International Airport ranks
number one above Frankfurt, Tokyo, New York’s JFK, and Los
Angeles in cargo volume. The Memphis Chamber of Commerce has
been relentless in its efforts to enhance the image of our city
worldwide and to attract new businesses in our area. A recent
independent survey by Development Counselors International for national
business editors defined Memphis’ image as “growing,”
“dynamic,” and “diverse.”
Does all this sound different from your perception? Maybe
it’s time to change your input. This city is full of
positive examples and successful role models. The Chamber
is a good resource to use to find them. I got involved with
the Chamber four years ago. Was it because I’m a swell
person and wanted to donate more time back to the community?
Get real. We’re a small business and we have to choose
community activities with extreme care. I got involved because
the Chamber produces results. They’re not a charity
– they’re a marketing partner. So while the prophets
of doom whine about the recession and how America has peaked and
our hopes lie in the redistribution of resources, I choose to focus
on growth and opportunity. Sometimes it’s not easy---it
takes an ongoing, relentless choice to fill my mind and heart and,
yes, my spirit with good news. And to surround myself with
others who do.
But it works. This year is the best year ever for my business.
And next year will be booming.
Reprinted from MEMPHIS BUSINESS A Quarterly Review
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