Are we in a "Rigged" Economy? Most Americans Think So!

Seventy-one percent of Americans think we are in a "rigged" economy according to a recent poll by Marketplace and Edison Research. The vast majority of people believe that the economy is wrapped around and supportive of only a few select groups. The phenomenon is important because it is hitting wide political, ethnic and religious demographics.

The American Dream rests on the ability of people putting forward effort, developing, being innovative and improving their lives. Effort should end in some type of reward. Many Americans lost their savings and have not moved up the economic ladder in a couple of decades. To them, the American Dream may not be shining as brightly as it once was.

We must ask ourselves whether or not this is the American legacy we want to leave behind? People are poorer, more educated but make less money, distrustful, and want change. They feel they cannot get ahead no matter what they do. As riots in Ferguson have taught us, there is deep distrust between some populations and government officials and the discontent is getting wider and more powerful.

It doesn't need to be this way. We know that we are moving into a new world where information and ideas will spread quickly. The American economy, and those within it, will need to adjust to maintain international position by becoming more savvy and innovative. We should rethink how we view our government and leadership styles to ensure it has the most competitive economic and socio-political platforms.

I have seen places in this country where "who you know" is more important than "what you know" for jobs and promotion. People lived in poverty, a hole almost no one can climb out of, and leaders talked about their ideas but had little capacity to think beyond themselves. People who opposed or tried to use their freedom of speech were legally and socially chastised. American freedoms were thrown out the window as easily as throwing away a piece of trash.

If America is to be great again and create trust in society we will need to rethink and rejuvenate ourselves on a national scale to compete in a modern world. Everything from employment to police enforcement should be rethought to ensure interactions and systems are equitable and in the best interest of society. The future starts today by making those changes that will open the flood gates of American ingenuity and productivity.

Living in "Now"

There are three major blocks of time that include the future, the past and now. The future is what might happen, the past is what did happen, but "now" is our world. Focusing on the now has a lot to do with how to reduce stress and find greater enjoyment within your life. Learning this important skill takes time but is beneficial throughout your life.

The past is based on what happened before now and is subjective in nature. It rests on our interpretations and experience. As time passes our past changes, the meaning we make from it changes, and we come to understand the past in ways that were not possible before. Focusing on the past takes away from experiencing the now.

Our future is something we don't know. We can project what might happen based upon the past and present but we can't say what will happen with 100% certainty. Our brains seek to protect us by helping us be abstract in our thinking but this can also raise our stress levels when we cannot easily go back to the present.

The "now" is where we live our lives. It is the things that are happening now, at this moment, and make up "the moment". Living in the present means we are paying attention to what is happening right now and enjoying that moment as much as possible. We have temporarily forgotten about the past and future.

There are some advantages to living in the present when possible. It allows us to feel relaxed and now worry about things that happened before or what will happen in the future. We are enjoying life for life's sake and put down our worries about things we may not have any control over anyway. As soon as we start living in the present we also start taking advantage of each day.

Rewarding Corporate Social Responsibility

Companies hold powerhouses of knowledge and financial resources the average American could never hope to muster in their lifetimes. These companies live and work within the nations that helped make them and have some responsibility to the society in which they exist. Corporate social responsibility helps create a better world and greater cohesion in society.

We are coming into some rocky times and global changes are brewing that will have influence on American's lives. Corporations will be part of that change and will expected to be forces of positive  influence versus simple profit driven enterprises. As people become aware companies will be expected to be more philanthropic in addition to more competitive.

What should be and what is are two different things. Those companies that really try to do well should be supported but those that violate ethical rules and laws should be punished by the market. As the law doesn't typically apply to ethical violations it is necessary to ensure the market encourages pro-social behavior.

Ethical pro-social behavior applies to corporate giving, building neighborhoods, fundraising, philanthropic investments, and volunteering. These are the companies that are actively involved in their communities and make positive things happen.

As the public becomes more aware of corporate activities and more conscious of how corporations contribute to society market forces will start to play a role in the value of these companies. Ethical companies that contribute to society will have stronger corporate images and potentially higher market performance through customer loyalty and support.

Greater Integration of Knowledge

Knowledge is something we accumulate throughout our lives. When we are thinking about the world in an appropriate way we begin to  building upon our knowledge and create greater insight to the world in which we life. The greatest integration of knowledge comes from finding its value and applicability in solving real problems and integrating these lessons into our current mental frameworks.

Greater integration means we must reflect on the information in a way that adjusts our previous beliefs, knowledge, experience, and expectations. For example, let us assume that we are trying to understand a new photography method. We would need to take in new information, add it to our knowledge of previous photography methods, and then find a way of connecting the information into a cohesive model.

We must also be willing to learn the information in depth. It isn't easy to integrate knowledge when we don't have the details that would make that possible. For example, the statement "Sails move Boats because of air pressure." There just isn't enough details to take this to a more integrated level of knowledge without further practice and learning.

All knowledge should create as much practical use as possible for solving problems. When information is added just to make information it is discarded because it is useless. It is wasted effort to learn. However, when the knowledge solves some problem it has utility and the motivation to integrate the information is higher.

Integrating knowledge can take some time to do well. It may require us to think, feel, experience, and manipulate the information to determine its overall usage to determine its nature. As we find additional benefits for this information we will have the motivation to use it and continue to use it in a way that strengthens our capacity.

How Processes and Procedures Influence Our Judgements

Processes and procedures have an impact on the way we think and judge situations. These processes and procedures become vantage points that define our thoughts and courses of actions. Businesses that seek to develop the best organizations need to ensure that the policies and procedures are well developed and understand their long tail impact. The same lessons of an organization can be applied to any private or public institution.

Consider how behavior becomes pattern. For the vast majority of us, we act and react without thinking purposely about how we should be behaving or thinking in that situation. We rely on our previous modes of thoughts and patterns to make our decisions and actions. Policies and procedures define and reflect our modes of thought.

Policies and procedures are a method of accomplishing goals and set a tone and value for all decisions thereafter. As the people in the organization learn and integrate policies and procedures into their viewpoints they begin to believe these structures have validity beyond being only one course of action. They seem real but are only man made mental constructs that are limited in scope.

These systems work great when they operate unchallenged and in an environment that is stagnant. However, the world doesn't really work this way. Policies must change when new situations arise, or when things happen that are outside of the "normal". They are only a standard mode that works in a standard situation and fall apart or become defunct unique situations.

Policies and procedures should be revisited every time a major environmental change occurs or when new situations arise that truly don't apply well to existing processes. As the procedures are updated they become more accurate, more adaptive, and reflective of "truth" and the world in which we live.

Stagnant policies are part of stagnant organizations that will soon suffer the weight of their own inability to adjust to their environment. While the majority of people within an organization should follow the policies those with decision making authority should question the logic of policies on a regular basis. Finding new ways of doing things will make both the organization and the people who live within that structure more adaptive.

Eating for Health - Acai Bowls

Acai Bowls are a popular food item in California and have spread to many other regions. The fruit is known to carry some health benefits that make it ideal as a breakfast or as a snack.  Being a berry it has advantages in improving overall health while reducing the amount of toxins in the body. Each time we choose one alternative over another we can be adding or detracting from our fitness.

Consider the many choices that lead to obesity. Eating deep friend foods that are loaded with saturated fat and calories isn't likely going to do you much good for weight loss. Trying to find alternatives like salads, fruits, and nuts can make a big difference.

Acia is fruit that has been known to detox the body, aid in weight loss, and protect against cancer. As an alternative it is one of the best. It isn't a cure all but is one alternative among the many alternatives available for breakfast. Some have even argued that it has anti aging effects much like wine.

The nice thing about Acia is that it can be mixed with so many different alternatives. For example, granola, nuts, banana, chocolate, coconut, berries, hemp, bee pollen and lots of other things can be easily added to enhance the taste. The versatility of Acia makes it idea for smoothies and bowls. Prices run from $5 to $8 in most places.

Always Under Promise and Over Deliver

Have you ever had a salesperson promise you something and then give you less than expected? The worst mistake people can make is over promise and under deliver. It is a sure sign to disappointment. Under promising and over delivering is beneficial, not only in sales, but also in just about every other aspect of your career.

I have seen managers over promise and under delivery. When they do make promises they will have a difficult time keeping they push their employees to fill the gaps of their mistakes creating artificial crisis. As these crisis continue the employee begin to feel less than satisfied with their work.

Beyond personnel issues is the problem of meeting those deliverables under artificial time frames. The more you promise things you can't deliver, the more risk you have of not meeting those objectives. This will reflect poorly on you and the consistency of your output.

Work quality also consistently becomes weaker over times. Trying to complete projects in short pace also encourages shortcut taking and forgetfulness of details. The quality of the work and the satisfaction of the customer is based in those details and offering something others don't have.

Whether you are working in sales, a project, or even with your families it is important to under promise and over deliver. Beat people's expectations every time and you will find that they will not only trust what you have to say but they will also believe you are more competent then you might actual be. Your reputation as a person who can deliver high quality work rises.