Christopher V. Flett

There was a time in my career when I was drowning. I had got a company I was involved in into serious trouble. I had chosen a bad path, with the wrong people, and with a product that was 2 years ahead of the market. The company hemmoraged money month after month and it was all I could do to keep my head above water. My pride got in the way of my asking for help to the point that I almost lost everything. One morning I got up and realized that I needed to do something different. I needed to find a way to get back on track, stop the bleeding, and get the business profitable. I dug down deep and started calling in help. I found help in a stranger who agreed to work with me, mentor me, and point me in the right direction.  Not only did I survive, but I thrived in the market after I had someone there to keep me out of trouble and show me where the opportunities were.

Years later, I’m overseeing our GhostCEO model and I’m seeing individuals in the market that were in the same position that I was in 7 years ago. They think they are going to get out of the mess by doing the same things that got them into the mess. I spent some time with a woman today who comes from an academic background. She asked me what I was seeing in the market and I told her that the markets are on fire and those that were once risk adverse are now taking risks and those that used to enjoy risk are now seeking safe shelter.

In this market, what we  all need is a swim instructor rather than a life guard. If you have to be pulled out of the deep water, you are likely already on your way down. The trick is to know that you might go down and sign up for some swimming lessons before you get into dangerous territory. The people I see struggling in the market are the same ones that think they are above help. They are too pride to ask someone to work with them to get them on firm land. Their pride will end up being the cause of their imminent failure. I know because I got close myself. The day I started working with a mentor was the day that I started to recover. I’m not saying to start working with one of our coaches. Rather I’m saying for you to find someone who can support you in finding a way out of any mess you might get into. Maybe its a mentor, a friend, or someone else that knows the way out and can show you. You can’t do it alone. I’m proof of that. When you are digging a hole for yourself, the first thing to do is stop digging. Then look at who can give you a hand and get you out of the hole. Once you are out of the hole, have a look at what got you in the hole and take steps not to replicate that situation.

“Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery.” -  Joanne Kathleen Rowling