You whiny little bastards. Quit it, would ya? All we hear in the media is “recession this, foreclosure crisis that, stock market blank…”

and blah, blah, blah.

Stop. Bitching. About. The. Recession.

I’ll say this here and now: I am against “job stimulus.” I voted for Obama yet believe firmly it’s no business of the federal, state or local government to “create” jobs. Here’s an idea: jobs are created when a business’s model demands the need for the resource, NOT because someone needs a job. What the hell are they teaching in business school these days? Here’s a list of shit I don’t think is on any MBA’s syllabus:

• If Bob sucks at his job but has three kids, you should keep him in the position out of pity and continue to overload other workers with tasks required to fix his sub-par efforts.
• If the economy is bad, the onus is on the business owner to contribute to the economy by overextending its resources to maintain its current workforce. It should never consider layoffs or downsizing to reduce costs.
• If the economy is bad, companies and governments should create more jobs, even though those jobs could be performed with existing resources.

Bullshit.

I don’t believe we are in a recession when I hear on the news that Las Vegas sports book managers estimate that over $90 million will be wagered on this year’s Super Bowl (numbers are estimated at $10 billion worldwide).

I don’t believe we are in a recession when 50% of the places I visit on a daily basis have Help Wanted signs in the window.

I think the media should shut the hell up about all of those people who bought homes they couldn’t afford without the proper cash reserves in the bank. I think they should stop the sensationalized buzz about a shitty day in the stock market. I think WE should start putting on our big people britches and get our asses in gear.

Can’t find a job? MAKE ONE. Reinvent yourself. Now is the time to pursue everything you always wanted to do instead of trolling the classifieds each day for a glimmer of hope. CREATE YOUR OWN GLIMMER.

Update your skill set. No one hires dinosaurs.

Accept responsibility – you don’t deserve a job. You have to market yourself above and beyond other candidates. You don’t deserve clients. They have to be courted. You don’t deserve an income. You have to…earn a living. Shocker, huh?

If you think I’m lack compassion with these unpopular thoughts of mine, here’s a story:

In November of 2008, I moved to Denver and engaged with a kickass startup as their Director of Marketing. I put all my eggs in one basket and accepted them as my primary client. I was 1099, carried my own health insurance, and busted ass 60+ hours a week. Well, in September, funding dried-up in spite of stellar press coverage and huge market traction. I had no other choice but to depart. I had a five-figure retainer client one week and the next I had nothing. What did I do? I sulked for a week and then cowgirled the fuck up and got all my clients back from my freelancers to whom I’d subbed my work out to and hit the streets running. Today? I’m full. I have so much business that it amazes even me and I’m thankful. Thankful for the relationships I’ve nurtured, my clients who trust me, my friends who supported me and colleagues who answered phone calls and emails when I finally had the guts to ask, “Do you know anyone who…”

I don’t rely on anyone to give me a paycheck. I don’t want anything given to me. I love the feeling of The Earn. I’m no better than anyone else and I’ve got a shitload left to learn on this mortal coil, but I’m loving OWNING my journey.

There is no recession in my house or in my life – and it’s not because I’m lucky. I don’t discount occasional streaks of luck, but this path I’m living – it’s filled with blood, sweat and tears. Work is just that – WORK. I adore what I do and why I do it. I do it for ME.

Stop working for someone else and work for yourself.

Stop whining about something you have the power to change.

Stop assuming that what you have today will be here tomorrow.

Stop letting the media tell you where your life is at.

Start living.

Start earning.

Just start.