When people take out guns or show other signs
of road rage, they are exhibiting the symptoms of a community coming apart. It shows
little concern for neighbors and a lack of control in their lives. They have no real stake
in the community. It is a stressful existence.
As this trend continues, more and more people will be seeking more
control in their lives and a smarter way to live. Many will be forced to take stock of
their existence when things fall apart at work or home. People will desperately want the
lifestyle that a small community offers but will not have the knowledge or the skills to
make money there.
Rapid change in business and government will force people to
change in order to compete and survive. Some of the security blankets will be gone. This
will cause people to save more. They will be more inclined to get off the treadmill and
live well but smarter with less. Living well will take on new meanings.
The end of the millennium will have a profound effect on people.
Optimism will flourish. The Lewis and Clark Expedition Bicentennial will be another
important catalyst.
A new breed of citizen has already started to develop and will
continue to evolve. This young and fresh, or neros, attitude, from those of any
age, will be the engine for renewal in the smaller communities. These neros will
make more money through calculated risks. The independence and confidence this brings will
encourage them to make more improvements. These people will become reformers in other
areas as well such as local politics and development. Communities will be shaped by their
ideas and investments. They will teach the community how to take charge of the future and
utilize every resource to a fuller potential.
Start preparing you and your family for the future. Think like an
entrepreneur. Act like you are working for yourself now, so you will be prepared for the
day when you will be. Prepare a plan, gain new skills, make the commitment, and take
action by investing in business and projects in your community.
The smaller communities will actually be a blessing. You will have
the knowledge to pinpoint opportunities with precision and the flexibility to rapidly take
advantage of changing markets. You will have the vision to be ahead of the curve because
of the planning and the seeking of usable information and new skills. You will show all
the people of the community how to have a stake in it and help them to be involved and
committed as a group. You will succeed or fail together. You will build a powerful team.
Or you could work here.
