Whatever It Takes

Every morning when I go to the health club, I’m reminded of just how much of a financial mess we are in, what it will take to get out of it, and why of some of us may be mired for quite some time in the economic muck and debris. That’s quite a bit for one trip to the gym, and it’s all because of the locker room attendant Andrew.

The other day when I saw Andrew, he was ecstatic: “I had good news today from the club. I get to work on Saturdays. Now I will be able to work six days a week.”

“Some things are lost forever. This includes certain jobs, industries and markets. It also includes the time and opportunity cost wasted while waiting for them to return.”

Mind you, Andrew is a laid off professional. He worked in the financial services business. Like many of us, he had a substantial portion of his savings invested in equities, and lost much of what he had in the market downturn. Now he works in the locker room of a gym attached to a financial services center. You would think that seeing the (remaining) well-coiffed, well-dressed, cell phone talking, Blackberry-tapping financial professionals who breeze through his locker room would get Andrew down.

Not at all. He is always upbeat, always with a positive attitude.

Why? Because he needs to support his family and he will do whatever it takes to put food on the table, and ultimately, get back on his feet. So working five days a week is a panacea to him. Getting the sixth day is a bonanza.

Whatever it takes.

I see a lot of Andrews out there. I find it encouraging. That’s what we need to navigate our way out of this mess. We need people to continue to work – no matter what the job is – to continue to spend, perhaps even save, and participate in the economy.

Unfortunately, I see a lot of people out there who should be a little more like Andrew but aren’t. That’s a source of concern. Because they won’t do whatever it takes. These people are a weight on our economy. They don’t inch it forward, but rather drag it backwards.

It makes wonder: What are they waiting for? The status quo to return? Some things are lost forever. This includes certain jobs, industries and markets. It also includes the time and opportunity cost wasted while waiting for them to return.

Andrew may never get back to the financial services industry. But you know what? He might find a whole new career path. He just might end up running that club one day, and will never look back. All because he always did just one thing: Whatever it takes.