So, you want me to be upset. There are more than a few people out there hammering my inbox and social media accounts with worry about the world. Apparently, I need to plant a garden, learn ham radio, have a hidden arsenal, turn all my money into gold, find a place off the grid, own livestock, homeschool my kids out of school, attend meetings of the manic, recruit my family and friends in spreading the word about the world ending.
I remember when each of the last four or five presidents were elected and it was always the beginning of the end. I remember every war for the last 40 years being “THE World War III” we have all been fearing. Remember Y2K? Yeah, that was going to end us. Remember all those Nostradamus predictions about the end of the world? Yeah, those were close calls. Remember the pandemic? And yet we are still here.
Some people get so prepared for the end that it almost seems like they find themselves hoping for it. But what happens if the world does not end? Are you prepared to live? Are you prepared to make the most out of what has been given to you?
Each of us has to decide the battles we will choose in our lives and the level of preparation we want to take for our friends and families – but at what cost? I’m seeing people give up on their lives and the magical moments of today, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of the end of life for themselves. Where is the balance or the counterbalance?
We cannot all move to Costa Rica. Some of us need to stay and contribute. We can’t all own cows and have gardens. Some of us will need a grocery store. Some of us choose to plan for the future, including some worst-case scenarios, while still living in the present. Do not be offended if I don’t think things are as bad as you think they are. Don’t be surprised if I won’t spread the doom and gloom of the world, because I see the good, too. I see the potential and possibilities for prosperity as well.
What percentage of the month, week, day, or even hour should someone spend preparing for the worst world that is “on its way”? At what point can we enjoy the beauty around us and the relationships we value? I am seeing people lose themselves in a new addiction to conspiracy theories, what ifs, and negative thought loops that don’t lead to anywhere but stress and misery.
I don’t want to be one of them. Do you?
David Fagan is the former CEO of Guerrilla Marketing, Host to the California Cable TV Show, The Hollywood Entrepreneur. He is a Bestselling, Award-Winning, and Media Celebrated Expert in the World of Talent Management.