All politicians take the path of least resistance! They are leading us through the wrong paths, for the most part, during this recent severe economic time, across the entire world. Their paths only follow down economic or material trails. They proudly sound the horn of economic stimulus, tax code changes, fed lending rate gyrations, and other noble economic incremental adjustments covering the entire landscape of our current troubled human landscape. But what are our leaders, politicians and TV "talking heads" pontificating incessantly about, the real key to economic recovery? I say an absolute no! These measures well-meaning people advocate are mere adjustments. None are truly transformational.
In this essay I implore readers to consider an alternative recovery path. And if you think this path is more appealing lets all start talking about this alternate path. Let all of us consider whether this less travelled path can be the route to total recovery. This elevated path is the rejuvenation of the human spirit in our working lives.
My contention is, as soon as we see the human spirit recovering in our "work a day" world, then we will truly see economic recovery. Economic recovery is a lagging variable to the leading variables such as, spirit, attitude, commitment, passion and care. These are behavioral dimensions. A lot of research has shown that the heart and soul has to recover before the mind can.
So, you may now ask, how will the recovery of the human spirit lead to economic recovery. Consider my stance in the next few paragraphs. All of these paths are imbued with the excellence of the human spirit. I discuss a few of these paths. Others will come up with many more creative paths all within this directional ethos. So here are my suggestions:
a) Throughout the economic history of the USA, the inventor, the person who loves (human spirit) to tinker with new innovations, gizmos, contraptions, have created products and things that have generated new businesses and even new industries. They have added significantly to the GDP. Need I say more! Apple -Jobs/Wozniak, Gates - Microsoft, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, my friends at Xerox Park who came up with optical recording technology, defying physics, Earl Bakken of Medtronics, my friends in South San Francisco bio-tech world. These noble souls were all drenched to the hilt with the showers of the human spirit, which motivated them to discover, make and innovate. They all put in the 10000 hours (Galdwell). Igniting this human creative spirit is the fastest way to economic recovery.
There is a unique opportunity before us now and that is in alternative fuels and reduction of our dependence on fossil fuels. If we put in all of the creative innovative spirit that lie within the American soul, certainly we are going to create a whole bunch of new things that will accelerate economic recovery at speeds that will impress a whole bunch of us, and leave us all aghast.
Let us all celebrate the scientists, engineers, technicians, workers, researchers and of course the inventors. These people all are not afraid to get their hands dirty. Let us all give these noble friends an energy boost. Lets buy them all energy drinks. These folks all add to the GDP. Lawyers, politicians, TV "talking heads, economists, bankers, investment "gurus" governmental desk occupiers are all a drain on the GDP.
b) Another hot bed opportunity for economic recovery, in the realm of the human spirit lies in our classrooms and research universities. Motivated, soulful teachers can lead students to achieve their personal excellence through shear hard work. No pain, no gain. Teachers can impart to their students not only lesson plans but also all the virtues of the successful behavioral dimensions that can enhance attitudinal recovery. A spirit and attitude based student revolution will certainly lead to economic recovery at both the individual micro level and additively also at the macro level. Thus here my contention is, that when teachers and professors impart to their students, values and positive work habits and behaviors then when these job seekers and job entrants go into their respective work lives they will immediately climb the hilltop of personal excellence, which in turn will create the work energy required for economic recovery one person at a time. Please note here I do not mean working hard, I mean working smart with a whole bunch of spirit.
c) We need to continue to encourage total entrepreneurial effort. The entrepreneur is by nature spirited. Countless entrepreneurs I have met are covered with enthusiasm, optimism, dedication, and resilience. All of these traits are deep characteristics of the human spirit. So when our governmental and financial institutions realize economic recovery can squarely be dependent of the spirit of entrepreneurship then they will do whatever they have in their powers to encourage these entrepreneurial folks to take the risks and put in the long hours to start adding to the GDP. Lets encourage these folks in a very big way. Entrepreneurs are small business people. When small business recovers, the entire economy will rapidly follow. The government should encourage all of us to be entrepreneurs. Forget about the impersonal Big Banks, the action happens when small neighborhood banks help the small business people in their communities. Let us pass a fiscal stimulus package for small entrepreneurial businesses. These small banks just do cut off their lines of credit, because they are not necessarily under the dictates of Wall Street big wigs.
I have provided three examples to support my spirit based recovery thesis. I would like to hear other spirit based recovery suggestions from readers. Maybe we can start a spirit based recovery movement!
Jai Ho!
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