A Contrarian’s Thanksgiving
I used to produce a TV show many years ago hosted by a man who was a professional investment advisor. His approach to investing was self-described as ‘contrarian’: whichever way the crowd went, he took the opposite approach. Playing the odds that the markets are often wrong about a company in particular or the economy in general, this contrarian view of the world somehow worked well in the long run, even though it seemingly didn’t make sense at the moment (at least to me).
Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate the contrarian approach and how it can provide a beneficial perspective on life. So as we ponder our many blessings this Thanksgiving, I offer the following…
“A Contrarian’s List of Things to be Thankful For”—
Long lines at polls (which means there’s hope for our democracy yet)
Packed mall parking lots (which signal that the economy is getting better)
Hurricane Sandy (which shows that emergency preparation should be a part of every household)
High-performing employees (who motivate ME to be better)
Low-performing employees (whose grumblings force me to drill down on workforce engagement)
Tough council members (who make me work harder and smarter)
The Fiscal Cliff (which forces a recalcitrant Congress to finally DO something… or else)
Lost loved ones (which remind us to make the most of our loved ones still here)
So on this Thanksgiving, I hope you take a moment and ponder the many challenges YOU face in your life, business and family… and appreciate how obstacles can become opportunities.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
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