The Depression that Made Us Great -- Part 1 in the Wisdom from Commercials series

When I was growing up, the “Great Depression” was something that my parents and their friends frequently discussed. We learned about the Great Depression in school.

Now, as we are experiencing a huge economic downturn, many are making comparisons to the Great Depression, wondering whether our experience is as bad as – or worse than – the Great Depression. Some are even cautious about using the word “depression”, for fear we will plummet even further.

Then, I heard a commercial. I cannot tell you what the commercial was trying to sell me. But I do remember very clearly one comment they made: this could be another “Great Depression” OR this could be “The Depression that Made Us Great”!

Now, why didn’t I think of that? That motto describes perfectly what Janet and I are trying to do through this blog and the coaching work that we are doing!

This economic downturn has the potential to be a huge depression, a terrible legacy to leave our children. Or, it can be the wake-up call that causes us to look very candidly at how we got here – and, more importantly, what we need to do to turn things around … and never return!

I, for one, want to make this the “Depression that made us Great”. And to do this, each of us must become a leader in our own worlds. We must take responsibility for doing the right things and for doing them right. We must focus on more than money and things and profit and consumerism. We must look deep inside ourselves and find the true gifts that God gave us – and then use them to make the world a better place.

When I look back thirty years from now and tell my grandchildren about this era in our history, I can hardly wait to tell them about this “Depression that made us Great”!

Question to Ponder: What can you do, right now – today – to start making this the depression that made us great?