How to Get More Halloween Candy

At the B&B that my wife owns, we always look forward to Halloween and the scads of children coming by to ask for candy. This morning, I got to thinking about why some kids are more successful (i.e. get more candy) than others. Here are some of my observations. (1) They dress up to stand apart from the crowd (2) They know the neighborhoods and the houses in particular that give the most and best treats (3) They start early and stay late (4) They ask specifically for what they want (5) They have unique methods of asking--this really stands out to me (6) They have large, sturdy bags in anticipation of a lot of candy and (7) they try for more candy than we are willing to simply drop in their bag. The parallels in our world of sales are obvious--can you see them?

Stop Panicking

Between the media and the politicians we are being led by the nose into a world of panic, fear, and knee-jerk reactions. Today's economic whitewater is being compared to the Great Depression. We are going through our "every four year" routine of allowing ourselves to be told by White House wannabes how terrible life in America is (even while needing to beef up our borders to keep people who WANT to live here out). The media (conservative and liberal) is sensationalizing every uptick or downtick on the Dow to gain viewership. And the general public is beginning to cower in financial anxiety and reign in their spending; like a giant herd, we are moving into stampede mode.

Now, don't misunderstand my point. I think it would do most Americans a great deal of good to have less debt and to live within our means. And, economic cycles happen and, yes, the banking industry is in a mess (of their own making). Things may get tough for awhile. We may need to cut back. I'm not an unbridled optimist. But I do know that those who will do well during this time are not those running around making decisions based on fear. Panic is NOT a healthy emotion nor is it a good basis for choices.

Think. Watch. Observe. Act with confidence. Be willing to change on a dime. But don't panic. If I were a conspiratorialist (which I'm not), I'd say panic is exactly what they want us to do.