What Will Kill America? Perspective

  I recently read a story of a clever English professor who wanted to teach her students the power of perspective.

 She walked into the class and wrote on the board: 

 

 A WOMAN WITHOUT HER MAN IS NOTHING.

 

 She picked two volunteers from the class, one man and one woman. She brought them to the front of the room, handed each of them a marker, and asked them to provide the appropriate punctuation for the sentence she had written. The young man went first. He didn't pause at all as he walked up and made three quick marks making the sentence read:

 

 A WOMAN, WITHOUT HER MAN, IS NOTHING.

 

 He stepped back smiling, confident he had aced the assignment. Now it was the young woman's turn. She approached the board shaking her head, and without hesitation she erased two of the guys marks and replaced them with the following.

 

 A WOMAN: WITHOUT HER, MAN IS NOTHING.

 

 The lesson, of course, is that two people can look at the same thing, but see two very different interpretations. It' all about our perspective: a simple change of perspective can fundamentally change our whole lives and indeed, our country.

 

So it is, in my opinion, one of the major killers of America which comes from with-in, from those so-called progressive thinkers, those who want us to believe they are the enlightened ones with their different view points. We have lost perspective on what made this country great from its inception.                                          

                                     ( There are two women in this image )

 

·                                   Perspective = Who are we? 

 

No longer are our children taught the true and complete history of our country. Instead, they are told the mistakes of our past. We live in the midst of a "cancel-culture" that's stupid in its intent and dangerous in its approach.

 

 In our personal lives, there is no such thing as "do-overs".  In the area of  finance, health, love, and relationships if you make terrible decisions you learn from those mistakes. Most likely you'll continue to live with some regret and consequences of the pain and hurt associated with your past behavior, but you can't erase it. It's still there. 

 

 Tearing down statues and eliminating words or phrases does nothing but make spoiled harmful anarchists feel like they've achieved something. We have lost perspective on who we are and what it means to be American. “I pledge allegiance……..” is being destroyed in our modern society.

·                          Perspective = Economic and Financial understanding  

Buchanan said many years ago “We will soon become a 3^rd world country if we continue to import poverty and export our good paying jobs overseas.” Witness the thousands of poor people who flood our southern boarder with little to offer to grow America and at the same time skilled jobs moving abroad. Couple that, with technology replacing jobs and what do we have left?

 

 We live in a borrowers world. The TV commercial that asks, "What's in your wallet?" suggests you may not have the right credit card. We now have two generations of financial pygmies going on three. Our legislators perpetuate the old credit card theme "take the waiting out of wanting" while raising our national debt to a point we will soon become Greece.

 There appears no end in sight to the printing of money and spending what we don't have. Proverbs 22:7 says “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is a slave to the lender.” China has no need to kill America with guns; they will do it with our debt to them.

 

 We are a country and an economy built on free-market capitalism. Profit is not a dirty word but rather the engine for raising the standard of living that is still the envy of the world. Government consumes wealth, it does not create it.

 Therefore those who long for greater social programs are nothing more than dreamers and freeloaders. You can't borrow your way to prosperity. There WILL be payback at some point in the future, and it will crush our economy and way of life.

 

                            Perspective = Moral Compass

With all that's already been described it is no small thing to identify how we have come to be confused with gender and sex roles, driven a wedge between races and ethnicity, and departed from all our founders considered to be scared and most important. All other issues pale to this one truth. 

 

God has given us clear instructions on how to live but we have become a nation of humanists, agnostics, and atheists. We have gone from "God Bless America" and "In God, we trust" to as President Obama's pastor who said "God Damn America." 

 

We have become to believe that life is all about us. We have lost perspective. The only perspective that matters is that of the creator of the universe the One that allows kingdoms and nations to rise and fall in accordance to His will, His honor and His glory.

 

We have been warned. 

 

"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." Galatians 6:7

 

This is not a religion or political game. I know many will scoff at this last point, but all else hinges on this one pivotal area in the life of America.

 

"It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31

 

I fervently pray for our country as we strive to……

Finish Well

What Will Kill America? Covid - Technology -Both - Other?

 

On a recent trip to Florida, I encountered two very interesting Uber drivers. Each was a pleasant and conscientious customer-focused guy. I always love to engage people I meet about business and in particular, their work. I like to hear the stories of success, failures, and dreams for the future. Both of these gentlemen gave me a lot of information on those topics during our brief exchange during our transit through Gainesville. I’ll call them Uber 1 and Uber 2 although Uber was not their identity it was their stopgap job during these uncertain times. 

Uber 1 drove a very nice black Lincoln. When I asked him how he became a driver he explained that driving an Uber on the weekend was nothing more than escape from home. Fearing he might launch into describing an unhappy marriage or domestic problem, he quickly explained that his regular job was that of an IT problem solver and troubleshooter for a large company. Because of Covid, he is now required to work from home and the inability and opportunity to interact with people was driving him nuts. He told me “I don’t need the extra money, but I absolutely must connect with other human beings and this was an excellent vehicle for that opportunity." (See what I did there?)

 

Uber #2 was an Engineer whose company experienced a severe cutback in personnel due to loss of business since the pandemic. He described to me that as a father, needing to provide for his family (including 5 kids), “I’ve got to do something to put food on the table”… He went on to describe how technology has all but locked him out of the job market. In frustration, he told me “HR departments won’t give me a chance to show the kind of guy I am or the value I can provide. All they look at is the on-line resumes. If they contact me at all, they tell me I’m overqualified. I know that!          But I’ve got to feed my family. I can’t get a face-to-face interview with anyone! It’s so frustrating!”

 

As a business professional who has delivered speeches and taught classes around the world, I know the power of live feedback from the audiences and robust dialogue with differing opinions. Zoom calls and meetings, virtual sales presentations, or staff reviews can NEVER have the same impact as in-person communication.

 

I read recently that McDonald's is exploring a new drive-through experience by replacing inside dining with robots who will take your order as you pass the drive-through window and a conveyor belt system that will then deliver your meal to your car.

Will it be efficient? Sure. Will it be a cost-saver for the company? Absolutely.

 

Big tech already has a substantial influence on just about every aspect of our lives.  In addition to automation, big tech methods have flooded our computers and social media with advertisement, marketing, and now monitor “speech” determining what is deemed acceptable and what must be censored.

 

My granddaughter is a member of her high school debate team which I fear is a futile exercise.  The increasingly open and free debate has become unacceptable by particular groups in the public square and is becoming a thing of the past. Her debate team will no doubt benefit from exercising her mental capacity by viewing issues from different perspectives, but she best not try expressing those opinions in real life. Having an opposing opinion on the wrong side of a political persuasion will be detrimental and won't be tolerated. The "speech police" are listening.

 

EVERYTHING has become political. Speech control will ultimately lead to thought control. And this control will/is permeating our education, political, and business institutions.

 

As real and tragic as Covid is, it has become sadly, a means of population control and speech control and is accelerating big tech's domination over human interaction. Communication freely expressed differences of opinion, has been part of what has made American enterprise so successful and we may be in danger of losing it.

 

I’ve witnessed firsthand speech and thought control and the effects on people in Eastern Europe and Russia which continues to paralyze every system with-in those countries at some level even today. It’s beginning to look the same in our country. Just observe for yourself as you walk through businesses, your Wal-Mart store, or down the streets of certain cities in the U.S.. It all reminds me of Pink Floyd’s video “Another Brick in the Wall”. I've seen those same faces on the streets of Moscow, and unfortunately, I’ve seen those faces in manufacturing firms and corporate offices throughout the U.S.

 

One of the questions we must ask is will artificial intelligence change what it means to be human? Have we lost the capacity to be curious about people? Have we abandoned the art/skill of listening for understanding? Have we cooped our lives to government restrictions on movement for social or business gatherings? Will there be no end to algorithms determining what to buy, who to love (see on-line dating sites), or who to hire through HR software? Will we continue to stop thinking but rather give our minds over to social media, university professors, cable news, government officials, and artificial intelligence to do it for us?

 

Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death observed.....

“Orwell warns that we will be overcome by externally imposed oppression. But Huxley’s vision, no Big Brother is required to deprive people of their autonomy, maturity, and history. As he saw it, people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think”

 

So is it too late? Probably, but you and I can delay it some.

 

This is for the American business community. Keep in mind one important fact. America IS exceptional. It has always been exceptional from its beginning. It is still described as a great experiment because no other nation can fully duplicate what we’ve done. Nations still want to know how we built the largest economy in the world and are still looking to what we do next. Knowing that and fighting for that will help keep us from becoming  “one more brick in the wall” of groupthink through globalization.

The following are suggestions on how to do that..

 

1.     The overarching requirement for success is building relationships. It’s Relationships First, then success. I’ve been preaching this for 30 years and have shown people and institutions how to do it.

2.     Get back on the road and contact your customers! Search for new ones. Most of your competitors will be stuck behind their Zoom screen. People are starving for human interaction. No advanced technology can replace or have a greater impact than employees with customers.

3.  Maintain a vibrant means of getting opinions and suggestions for improvements from customers and employees. (and please, don’t use computerized survey’s) Go TALK to people!

4.     Voice your opinion in city hall meetings, the PTA, church, and let others do the same.

5.     Before embracing additional technology consider the cost.

For many years I've discussed with my clients COI (The Cost of Improvement) and EC (Error Cost or if you will, the cost of doing the wrong thing). Although most of our calculations dealt with financial considerations, there are some things that do not have an immediate monetary equation. Give consideration to what you will lose by purchasing the next artificial intelligence system i.e. will we lose the soul of our company, will we lose what it is to be human.

In future blog articles, I will expand the challenges and remedies necessary for abating the death of America.  

 

Don’t let yourself or your organization become just "Another Brick In The Wall”….. Rather, do your part to ensure that you and your institution.....

Finish Well

Press On....

 For those who have received an email or letter from me or read an article I've published in the past 25 years, you've seen this salutation appearing at the close of each writing.... "Press On"

 

I confess that this was not original with me. I actually pinched this thought from a friend of mine who ended his email with the same phase. I don't know his motivation for using this salutation or what he was thinking about, but I know mine (I'll share that with you shortly).

 I also don't know how my readers interpreted the phrase as they read it. I would be interested to hear from those who would like to share what they were thinking, if anything, about that closing phrase.

 

There is an idiom used by coaches of American football in which they exhort their players to "strain through the play". The idea is to push through their assignment regardless of the resistance of the opposition, how exhausted they might be or the difficulty of the circumstances they face.

 

The encouragement to "strain through" or to "Press On" could not be more appropriate for 2020.

 

It has been said, “How frail is humanity! How short is life, how full of trouble!" We've certainly seen that in 2020!

Covid-19, the election results, the prospects of more governmental intrusion, higher taxes, health concern for your-self or someone you care about, finical difficulties affecting you personally or your business, broken or lost relationships, being shut in or shut out of normal life experiences, total change in what you considered "normal"...... All are depressing and daunting battles we all might face.

 

So, how do you "Press On" in times like this? Just hearing from some guy on the other side of a blog post admonishing you to "pull up your bootstraps" or  "stay positive" is not much help. However, there are some key principles and practices, which I believe, are helpful to consider and is the bases for my initial exhortation to Press On, which I used to end my writings.

 

This is not an exhaustive list for sure rather it is selective. These suggested principles have aided me personally during the most challenging and difficult season of my life these past 2 years.

 

Ø Know who you are i.e. what is your identity? At the core, who are you?

 

Here are some questions to answer in that process. 

 Who is really in charge?

What's your conviction about life and death?

What determines your happiness?

Where does your hope for the future rest?

What is wealth and prosperity to you and how do you acquire it?

What is your responsibility to others?

 How do you cope with troubles in life?

What is so important to you that if you lost it, would be a devastating blow to you and your life?

 

Ø Understand and Practice proper techniques consistently....

 

Practice does not make perfect. Perfect Practice makes Perfect.

 

Therefore devote your self to study, discovery and discipline regardless of the subject. Leadership, Financial acumen, physical fitness, spiritual renewal etc.

 Growth does not just happen because you wish it. It takes concentrated effort.

 

Ø Don’t beat yourself about past failures or get a big head about your success yesterday... There are no "re-do's" in life or actions of the past and there is no promise of tomorrow. But, there is hope for today.

 

This bit of history of the past has relevance for today.

 

The Apostle Paul used the phase " Press On" while teaching others in the city of Philippi. Before he was the famous Paul he was very influential in his time under the name of Saul.

 

Saul committed many terrible acts toward those who claimed to be Christians. He, like other mortal men made some horrendous mistakes in his life. Then he encountered God first hand and as a result of his conversion answered the question I posed above. Additionally he began to practice a new way of thinking and living.

 

After many years of these applied disciplines he made this profound declaration showing humility and resolve as he helped others learn how to live...."Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect...but one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

 

Like Paul, I've fallen and failed in almost every aspect of my life. Being honest, I'm embarrassed and grieved about my shortcomings because of the pain, shame and disappointment my actions have caused.

 

But failure does not need to be fatal. There is nothing I can do about my past failures or even my success's. Today, like Paul, I'm resolved (with God's help) to forget what's behind me and "Press On" to the life that's been promised to me.

 

You can too, but it will require a change of thinking and behaving. Parenthetically, that has been the sub-title of my "Change Management" strategy for organizations over the past 30 years.

 

The Thanksgiving holiday in the US is completed, Christmas is ahead of us and then...2021. No doubt we all will face new challenges and new opportunities in the days to come. How will you handle it?

 

For me, at this stage of life, not only will I Press On, I will strain through this thing called life by revisiting the principles and practices described.... because I truly desire to....

Finish Well

Are You "And" or "But" ?

Recently I was engaged in conversation with a friend concerning a particular individual (I'll call him Carl) who I was considering doing business with. When I inquired about Carl to my friend he said, "He's really a talented guy, smart, well-spoken, has been very successful while operating his business. "And besides that," he went on to say, "he's just a nice guy. Honest, trustworthy, a person of integrity, fair, community-oriented, family guy someone you'd want to be associated with".

In contrast to Carl, I was reading about a Syrian military warrior who lived during 800's BC. His name was Naaman. This is how he was described.....

"Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.

I was taken back by the description of Naaman because of the ending or if you like, the "but". All the wonderful things that were mentioned of him were almost entirely erased because of the negative

 "... but he had leprosy."

In ancient times, leprosy was a terrible skin disease that was not curable and thought to be punishment from God for the person's past sins. They were so cursed that when they died they were buried outside city walls and were remembered as "unclean".

As I reflected on these two different add-on descriptions of a person between "and" or "but" I considered the number of people who have told me of the negative "but's" over the years. Here are some examples and I bet in your own life you can see the faces when you hear..

"He's a good mechanic and heavy equipment operator, but he's also a liar and a thief"

"She knew her stuff and very competent, but she was a gossip and kept things stirred up in the office."

"He was really fun to be with most of the time, but he was drunk and didn't know how to handle his booze."

" Yeah you can make some good money working for that company, but the managers you have to work with are tyrants"

How sad that some people will end their life or career or relationship with a negative "but" attached to their knowen existence.

People don't often get a chance to see inside our hearts and understand the motive or circumstances that shaped our life..All they see is our actions or behavior.

Without realizing it, we all are leaving a daily impression with our relationships on the job, in the office, on the farm, in the store at our family gatherings. We are unconsciously building a "but" or "and" as an addition to who people say we are.

Since I read of Naaman, I am more aware of the "and" that I want to leave behind as positive.
 "Bill Lewis was a valuable part of our organization, and..............."

Let those attributes, those "and's" describe me as I strive to
Finished Well.

How about you? Are you "and" or "but"

FIRST, Tell The Truth....Then Give Your Opinion

Business Leaders globally and society, in general, would benefit greatly by heeding this advice. As the old saying goes, "opinions are like certain parts of your body, everyone has one."

Along with the headline quote by Dennis Prager, the underlying suggestions is that truth doesn't appear to matter much anymore and has been replaced with loud opinion which has overtaken rational thinking. Just because you've heard it on Foxnews, Skynews, CNN, or read it on Facebook, does not constitute truth. For the most part, hacks on cable outlets and social media, are speaking opinions perpetrated by political agendas. This is evident in a variety of subjects e.g. COVID-19, BLM, police reform, re-opening the economy, returning to school etc.

It has become routine to utter partial truths or be disingenuous with partial truth while spouting opinions and trying to disguise it as truth. As a reminder, "partial truths", still constitute a lie. In the court of law in America as a witness is preparing to testify he/she raises their right hand and proclaims  "I Solemnly swear, to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth, so help me God." Should it be found that the testifying witness did not tell the truth, they could be convicted of perjury and go to jail.

Gossip was once considered an ugly and distasteful form of communication, both in and out of the work environment. Today, it's been replaced with uninformed babble with a touch of outrage and threatening or accusatory language. For example, if you happen to believe that all lives matter, you're a racist. If you believe we should protect the environment, you're a wacko leftist. Both subjects have substantial room for conversation, fact-finding, dialogue, and healthy debate but we never seem to get to that level of communication. People would rather scream at each other or worse, remain silent in an effort to not offend.

The result is, we have become intellectual pygmies, not willing to find or defend truth or listen to other points of view.

There is a desperate need for truth, facts, and authoritative back up to support emotional claims. We've all heard there are two things you should never talk about,  Politics or Religion. Why? Because most of the time those subjects are littered with emotional opinions which causes arguments, hard feelings, and even broken relationships. I will use one of the two 'never talk about" subjects to make my point.

 The other day a person wanted to express to me his opinion on what happens after a person dies. The subject of religion ensued and this person made a few well-used statements. "I believe there are many different ways to heaven after a person dies. Not just one way" or "The Bible is written by a bunch of men and is full of contradiction". When responding with sincere curiosity and inquiry I asked "what is the source or authority you use for saying that?" This person (like many) replied, 'Well, that's just the way I feel". Those types of answers are based on uninformed opinion and are typical when people are trying to make a case for politics, religion, climate change, or a host of other subjects where "that's the way I feel" is somehow a get out of jail free card that excuses the person from offering intellectual facts. We have become a brain dead society.

The definition of TRUTH: "that which is true or in accordance with fact or reality"

For many years now, I have propounded to business leaders that they "educate" not just train their employees. Primarily because our institutional education systems have failed us, and parents are woefully ignorant on matters most important for living and human flourishing.

We have generations coming up who will be responsible for every aspect of society, and they themselves do not understand

> Different economic systems. The pros and cons of each

> Basic financial management principles

> Moral or ethical standards and where they originate

> History

> Civic law and civic responsibility

> Religion..Their origin and individual claims

> Consequences for actions taken by individuals and/or organizations

So why should business leaders take on this role of educating what people should already know, but don't? Because no one else has the platform you have to educate people about issues affecting the real world. Your employees should be schooled in these subjects to prepare them to make informed decisions to guide your organization in the future.

I'm familiar with organizations that schedule communication meetings at least quarterly with employees to inform them of the status of the organization and give product/ service knowledge. But these organizations need to expand those meeting agendas to discuss some of the above-mentioned topics along with current events and the impact those events might have on your organization.

My counsel to managers over the years on communicating is simple.

1. Tell it all

2. Tell it your self

3. Tell it now

We truly are in danger of losing the foundation of the greatest human experiment in history, the U.S.A. 

Why? Because we have strayed away from Truth.

 Set the ground rules in your information meetings for presenters and attendees which includes a) all opinions are welcome, b) they should be backed up with "fact".

First, tell the Truth, then give your opinion so that as an organization and country we can.....

Finish Well

Success Post Covid-19 - "The Hustle"

"If you don't have a crisis, create one". That was a suggestion by one of the TQM gurus in the 80s to American businesses who had lost market share and lost revenue because they'd become lazy and complacent in how they ran their business. The strategy behind uttering  such a statement, of course, was to create a sense of urgency to cause action, facilitate behavior change among the timid or indecisive.

“Out of Crisis" was written by Dr. Edward Deming in 1982. Deming was considered the father of the quality movement along with other organizational and business thinkers like Juran, Crosby, Feigenbaum who introduced systems, philosophies, and techniques which was the nexus for  "change management". This movement grew in the ’80s and 90s because American business became desperate to regain market share and quality they had forfeited to other countries, primarily Japan.

In 2020, businesses and individuals do not need to create a crisis, we have been living one for the past 2 months. We have been confronted in the past 8 weeks with Illness, death, fear, loss of freedom, loss of relationships loss of income loss of identity, and yes, loss of businesses.

As the world prepares to re-open for business, each of us will be presented with unique opportunities and challenges going forward. While news reports continue to peddle daily gloom and doom, the dynamics created by this crisis will require careful observation and preparation for those organizations and individuals who want to navigate successfully through a new reality. Since I began my career in the Change Management arena I've described to my clients the 3 types of people who make up every organization...i.e. Those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wondered what happened.

Observe going forward those trends that we have/are experiencing which will be the basis for ongoing change that will require you or your business to become increasingly nimble personally and professionally. Leaders, pay close attention to the following as it will impact your business.

Ø  We’ve experienced this fact, governments can totally control a population with “fear”.

Ø   That communication through the internet or cable TV can persuade people to action or inaction based on their political point of view. 

Ø  That dancing with the devil (the Chinese Communist government) will lead to a destructive outcome.

Ø  Lawsuits will run rampant by opportunist

Ø  Buying “cheap” is a false economy

Ø  Living for today is a terrible long term plan

                               Some harsh realities going forward from this pandemic.

1.     There will be many who will live in fear until there is a vaccine or the news and social media outlets tells them it's ok to go outside and live life again.

2.     Businesses and people who have not managed their money, resources, or life properly may never recover.

3.   A new psyche will develop by some who will expect the government or organization to take care of them. They will demand that they are paid to stay at home until it’s safe. This will lead to new government regulations and an increased burden on business.

4.     Inflation will accelerate in the coming years. Printing money by governments and shortages have and will create monetary difficulties in the days ahead.

5.     Some jobs will never come back. A recent study suggests as many as 40% of jobs will be lost forever.

6.     We will all learn what “essential” jobs are.  You can be replaced or eliminated.

7. New partnerships will emerge because of devastating supply chain breakdowns or breakups.

                                       So, where are the opportunities?

Some of the greatest examples of wealth and growth came during the great depression and there will be again. In a short phrase "It's all about the hustle!"

This is not an exhaustive list, but some for your consideration.

1.  The Hustle...Pay close attention to the negative items listed above. Adjust strategies as you observe movement in any of them.

2. The Hustle... Weak balance sheets and lack of financial discipline of the past will drive many out of business. Be prepared to fill the void. Acquire new companies, start a new business to meet the changing demand. This is a great opportunity for starting that business you've always wanted to start!

3. The Hustle...Develop a tireless "entrepreneurial" mindset, in yourself and those employees whom you choose to keep and partner with you. Entrepreneurs are "risk-takers" and will be more important in our present world filled with those who are risk-averse.

4. The Hustle..This is no time to go soft. For years I've talked of building an organization with employees who "add value".  The crisis we are experiencing will force businesses to eliminate former HR thinking. Having people on the payroll because they have "seniority" will be a thing of the past. Elimination and amalgamation of the workforce will be the strategy in the new business reality.

5. The Hustle... Be positive in everything you do. We've all been tirelessly bombarded with negativity for 8 weeks. Whether your a waitress or restaurant owner, you must instill a cheerful positive approach to your job, your business, and your customers. Work harder than you've ever worked before with a pleasant outlook. You're lucky to have a job, demonstrate that with humility and gratitude.

6. The Hustle...Develop and foster new relationships that will support your business with the same values, mindset, and hustle you have. For my international readers,(especially those in former soviet block nations) this is a golden opportunity to become dependable and reliable suppliers to business in Western markets. The supply chain for the future will change..Get ready for it. It will require getting your act together locally by shunning the old bureaucratic practices of the past. Engage with your local business, government, and political leaders to take advantage of some tremendous opportunities that will soon be just around the corner. Places like India, Vietnam, etc. have a head start on you, but you can make inroads if you hustle now.

Who would have thought we would pine for the “good ole days” referring to 2019? Parts of the good ole days may come back eventually, but not all of it and certainly not the way we approach business, customers, and relationships.

Dust off your old change management books, find a person who can guide you through the new reality.. Keep your head up, be positive, display a sense of urgency (not panic), and…

Finish Well