The day has finally come and gone. The long, arduous battle between the Democratic
vision of bigger government versus the Republican vision of smaller government has
come to a decisive and abrupt end. The political spin, half-truths, and endless
campaign commercials have ceased, the fat lady has sung, and we as a nation
have finally decided who will be the next President of these United States.
After “the most important election of our lifetime” (which every election in my
recent memory has been labeled) about 50% of you are pleased with the outcome
and the rest…well, not so much. The far-right extremists on the losing side are
once again threatening to move to Canada, while those on the winning team are
making equally hyperbolic statements in victory. But those of us in the real
world are back to work, and many entrepreneurs are left to wonder how this
election will end up affecting their businesses, their families, and their
future. And as much as both sides would like to convince you otherwise, the
truth is, it probably won’t affect you much at all.
I fully understand that tax policy, the impending “fiscal cliff” and
Obamacare can have a tremendous impact on both large corporations and small
businesses alike. I don’t have the time, inclination, or room in this blog post
to dive into a political topic as deep and murky as that one. However, one
thing that I am more than certain of is that waiting around for a president to
help you achieve your dreams will leave your broke, disappointed, and
unfulfilled. Free market capitalism is an effective economic model that creates
enormous opportunity, not because of the man at the top, but because of the
ingenuity and creativity of all those working within its system. If the
participants in capitalism start using the president as the scapegoat or
whipping boy for their own lack of success, they have revealed a great deal
about themselves and their inability to take responsibility for their own
actions.
I have studied the lives of countless millionaires and billionaires, and
they all have one thing in common. Their businesses were built through hard
work, discipline, and determination during (& in spite of) numerous
presidential administrations from both major political parties. Sometimes they
paid more taxes, and sometimes they paid less. Sometimes there were incentives
and tax credits to take advantage of, and sometimes there were not. However,
through it all, their success or failure was determined by their own actions…not
by who was sitting behind the Resolute desk in the Oval Office.
Though the “hope & change” message of 2008 was largely absent from this
campaign, President Obama still spent a great deal of time in his victory
speech on how hopeful he is for the country’s future. While many Republicans view that “hope” with
a great deal of cynicism, after what they view as an unsuccessful first term, I
still believe we should all look forward to the next 4 years (as well as the
next 40) with a great sense of hope and optimism about our lives. Not because
the President or the current Congress is going to issue tax cuts for our
businesses or give handouts to our families, but rather because we are going to
tap into the God-given “power to create wealth” (Deut. 8:18) granted to us by a
loving Father. As the body of Christ begins to embrace this creative power that
comes only from Above, we will find ourselves implementing new ideas and fresh
vision that will catapult our businesses to greatness and increased prosperity in
the days ahead.Other Recent Posts....
Vaulting to Success, Part 1 - The Right Track
Vaulting to Success, Part 2 - The Safety Net
Vaulting to Success, Part 3 - The First Step
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