Creativity and Prosperity

Listening to a news program the other day I heard a young person claiming there is no limit on the creativity of people, especially Americans. He was born and raised mainly in Ireland before venturing with his brother to America for college educations. Each brother attended a prestigious school – Harvard for one and MIT for the other. I’m not sure if either completed schooling but the MIT student quit and never returned.

Instead they were curious about how Americans transact financial transactions. They learned that credit cards, debit cards and on-line phone apps are displacing cash as a medium of exchange. So they began studying how they could advance that adaption and found that some institutions in America are so far behind the times technologically that the future is open to anyone with the creativity and energy to press forward.

They soon learned that cooperating with banks was out of the question. The banks insisted they file lengthy applications, explain exactly what they planned to do and in every way constipated their progress forward (choice of terms intended!). So the two brothers forged ahead doing everything their own way and now the banks are sitting ducks and without any control whatever over the transactions that are plowing through their institutions. They could have been part of it, perhaps even partners. Lack of cooperation, however, sealed their fate on this so far.

Banks are now responding that such operating entities need far more regulation. That’s cute. Banks don’t want any regulations on their operations but now they are screaming for regs on others that have impact on their business’ bottom line.

Maybe the banks asking for detailed applications from the two brothers was their way to gain an understanding of something they simply didn’t understand. Seems they still don’t. All they understand is creativity has entered their world from another player and reducing their revenue flows.

These two young men learned a vital lesson, especially in America. If you have an idea, own it and work it to the point of using it in the open market. You might find yourself operating your own business with astounding volume possibilities. With a fraction of a penny earned per transaction the two young fellows are drawing in a lot of money.

This is a lesson for every American. Change creates vacuums into which your creative mind can engage ideas that make money. So what if your old job disappeared because technology made it obsolete? That happening gave you the time and space in which to create your own opportunity. Learn something new and adapt it to the real world. See if you can earn a fresh living from that activity. Chances are you will find what you are looking for.

A level playing field of employment, pricing and global competition has dislocated a lot of jobs from America to foreign lands. In the short term this discourages people as they experience job loss, stagnating incomes and loss of some benefits. What they don’t seem to understand is the gift unemployment provides.

It may not seem like a gift at the time but unemployed people have the choice of fighting their way back to a new career doing something different and more suited to their interests. They may actually create their own business, or find exciting new companies to work for.

Being on the cutting edge of change is refreshing and empowering. You are never too old to learn something new and become the master of your own world.

Reading internet news and reports of social change and new discoveries is the very food chain of new thinking. We all need such challenges. It keeps us fresh and creative. Actually doing something about it is more difficult. But at least let us all open our minds to what is possible!

Such is staring us in the face. Cars no longer look or operate the way they once did. Good thing. They are safer, more functional, and more reliable, take up less space and use fewer raw materials in their manufacture. They also waste less energy and pollute our planet less. All good results from automotive changes.

Houses are changing too. They are shrinking in size and lessening our work load to maintain. They also use less raw materials and are designed to use much lower levels of energy. As such modern homes are more affordable. Home values still are fluctuating as they attempt to regain old values prior to the recession. Most homes, however, are nowhere near where they once were in value. That may seem like a bad thing but in time we will realize this makes housing cheaper overall. And that is very fortunate.

Communication is much more direct and fast. And cheaper. It requires new technology to realize the gains, however. And that means we have to learn new things to be able to use new things.

I know this because I have done it as a senior citizen. Believe me, if I can do it so can anyone!

Here’s to the new economy as we discover fresh new horizons to explore and use in making a living!

May 6, 2016