The repaired trader
Traders quickly realise that they have to change their habits if they want results. They give it a try, they fail - and the punishment arrives.
Read moreI would not want to be a motivational speaker these days!
We have an economic crisis, and a financial one, and a political one, and an emotional one, and a crisis of trust, and a social one - and every one of them creates panic, which deepens all the others. Economic, financial, political, emotional… I think I listed them all. If I happened to leave one out, I solemnly apologise!
If a crisis drags on long enough, the downturn leads to a contraction, which is called a recession. If the recession also drags on, it turns into an even bigger crisis. The consequence of that is depression as a period - and a depressed person is one who does not try, or if they do, they do it without force.
Some say we are already in a recession, others say it is only now coming. The crisis itself is beyond doubt, and the panic that is becoming more and more general deepens it day by day. More and more people give up, more and more close down, sell off and run somewhere without much of a plan.
Motivating at the bottom
Motivating in an environment like this, in a mood that has settled in this deeply, is very hard. Trainers sweat blood for every forint they earn. Today it is no longer enough to throw out a few platitudes over music and watch the money roll in: the trainer has to shout themselves hoarse and race back and forth across the stage for very little. And when the last motivational speaker goes hungry too, then we know things are truly bad - but we also know that every bad thing has something good in it.
In a depressed period, beautiful dreams become unreachable, or at least they seem that way. It is hard to believe that if we work more than we did before, an incredible material abundance will arrive shortly - while what we see is everything falling apart and everyone panicking. And what we cannot believe will not motivate us.
On hard terrain you have to do more for the same progress than on easy terrain. This has to be understood and accepted, because reality is merciless. You cannot grow where there is no money, or where the money that is left is allocated to survival needs under rock-hard rules.
For most people, growth and expansion have become unreachable today, or will shortly. Urging them to dream big and work enthusiastically for great success is irritating and irresponsible.
What works in a crisis?
The key words in this period are optimisation and renewal.
There are always exceptions: empires were born even in the greatest crises. Before the collapse, the world of finance buys up the real economy and survives. Whoever has an indispensable profession and is outstanding at it will also stay on their feet. For everyone else, replanning is the homework.
And that is how it goes for the motivational speakers.
