Happy New Year 2009

Happy New Year to all reading this blog!

Here is a quick thought on the year ahead:

This will be a year of inversion of the traditional dictum: "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger". Instead, the 2009 motto will be "What doesn't make you stronger will kill you".

This implies that in 2009 every one of us will need:

(1) a healthy dose of reality - may the battles you chose be only the ones that, if unwaged, have a potential of bringing disaster to your employment, business, investment, wealth. 2009 is going to be a year of fighting;

(2) a massive dose of brave thinking - 2009 is going to be a year when our weaknesses are going to be costlier than our usual mistakes. 2009 will be year to invest in your employment, business, investment portfolio, wealth - it is a year to take (calculated) risks;

(3) a potent dose of independent criticism - in 2009 you should seek anyone willing to tell you an uncomfortable truth. The opportunity cost of being complacent today is finding yourself in a Bear Stern's-like predicament tomorrow.

The new dictum, therefore, is about seeking new risks, new ways to make you stronger, for at the times like these, weaknesses multiply like fractal patterns - ad infinitum!

May you avoid all things that can't make you stronger!