Life — The Real Shark Tank

“Your strength and security reside in your ability to produce results.” — General Douglas MacArthur

Everything in life can be neatly categorized as either YOYO or WITT.

While many are in favor of the WITT — We’re In This Together — approach to life. I’m of the belief that more of what was, and which should remain WITT is now falling under the category of YOYO — You’re On Your Own.

This is an accelerating trend with life altering consequences.

Perhaps you need some convincing of a few major YOYO trends…along with an actionable plan for what you can do to survive this real life shark tank.

The Death of Social Contracts and Common Decency

You’re no longer guaranteed a full-time job with benefits or a pension.

You can’t count on being more prosperous than your parents.

The government will do less to support you in retirement…but they will do more to run up massive debt while manipulating and devaluing existing currency.

Depending on which country you live in, your health premiums will continue to skyrocket and even bankrupt a good number of people.

Social security benefits will continue to get trimmed to the bare bone.

Big businesses like Facebook and Google will not protect your right to privacy. They will continue to sell you out to anyone with a checkbook.

Fake news , distorted facts, deception, character assassination and lies that would make even Pinocchio hide in shame are now part of the daily behavior from media and politicians.

YOYO — You’re on your own to figure out what’s real and what’s manufactured, spun, packaged and sold to you everyday.

Corporate behemoths like Boeing and Wells Fargo have traded blue-chip credibility for white collar callousness. This reckless behavior will continue at your expense.

Corporate self interest will continue to corrupt elected politicians to create laws and tax strategies which benefit themselves while leaving you holding the bag.

In their quest for growth at any cost, companies like JUUL and others will target your kids and poison their minds…while laughing all the way to the bank.

The video gaming industry now hire child psychologists, neuroscientists and marketing experts to turn your children into addicts.

The latest trend is the creation of “whales,” people so addicted to games that they spend their entire life savings to keep playing.

Student loan debt is now at a mind boggling $1.6 Trillion dollar balloon.

Your college could care less about you once you stop paying tuition, and a growing number of people will be paying off their debts for decades and for some an entire lifetime. Trust me…YOYO is real. No one is coming to your rescue.

Silicon Valley Unicorns like Theranos and WeWork will continue to reveal themselves as cons run by con artists.

Income disparity is growing by quantum leaps. As of this writing, 26 people now have more accumulated wealth than the poorest 4 billion.

Wall Street and Executives driven by greed will continue to pay themselves over-sized compensation , bloated bonuses, and obscene exit packages

Elite universities are selling admission spots to the highest bigger.

White collar crime and elite lawbreaking is out of control and poses what many believe to be the greatest existential treat to society.

Elite deviance has become the dark matter of life, the invisible force around which the most powerful legal and political systems have set their orbit.

And so much more…

What Does It Mean for You?

Clearly, the onus is now on each one of us to realize that YOYO is the new normal, and that building our self-reliance muscles must become a priority.

Luckily, there’s a way to do just that.

And you do that by becoming your own hero.

Now before we go much further, I want to be clear on one point…self-reliance is not to be looked at as anti-society nor anti-community.

Instead, we must view and advocate for self-reliance as a starting point, as a means for being responsible, not as an exclusionary goal.

Self-reliance is a virtue in need of serious cultivation as it’s all about freedom from the control or influence of outside parties.

It’s a simple concept that encourages each one of us to stand on your own two-feet and take full responsibility for our own needs — physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and economic.

To put it more directly, it’s an understanding that nobody owes you anything!

Yet, even though self-reliance is such a critical life skill…why on earth is society filled with so many wimpy, excuse making, responsibility dodging, entitlement driven people looking for a handout?

The answer like many others can be found in both government and in the home.

Many programs throughout the world have been set up by well-meaning individuals and institutions to aid those who are in need.

However, many of these programs are designed with the shortsighted objective of “helping people,” as opposed to “helping people help themselves.

As a result, the beneficiaries of these handouts or helping hands more than often become dependent upon them, and rather than inspiring self-reliance, they often accomplish just the opposite.

To bottom line this point…unnecessary dependence upon others is a false sense of security that only serves to make you weak and highly vulnerable.

It’s the ultimate act of self-betrayal, as your talents never see the light of day. That’s why our efforts must always be directed toward making able-bodied people self-reliant.

On the other hand, parents have a sacred responsibility to look after the welfare of their children.

As children grow older, they must become more responsible for their own welfare. Parents must teach them the basic principles of work, goal-setting, money management, and self-reliance.

Why? Because it’s not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves, that will make them successful and fully formed human beings.

The world NEEDS more leaders and less followers…it needs strong men and women.

Unfortunately, many parents are committing a crime of epic proportions by not teaching the virtues of self-reliance.

By shielding their children from challenges, failure, unpleasant tasks and adversity…they are actually doing more harm than good.

What I'm going to do now is explain how to become self-reliant in seven not so easy steps!

1. You Must Become a Nonconformist

You must avoid following popular opinion and avoid conforming to the weak and highly vulnerable will of the majority.

Trust you own instincts, ideas, principles and common sense. Do not conform.

2. You Must Stand for and Defend Principles

It pains me to think how easily people capitulate their dreams to badges, titles, and manipulative institutions.

The truth is…nothing on this earth can bring you freedom but you, and nothing can bring peace but the triumph of principles.

The integrity of your own mind and the principles you believe to be honorable and just are things you must fight for and protect against any opposition.

3. You Must Surrender Unnecessary Dependence

Only the weak, insecure and confidence deprived strive for security and dependency on others.

Therefore, you must identify where you are currently dependent by taking inventory of you life. Look for any unnecessary and unhealthy situations and resolve to move to a state of self-reliance.

4. You Must Work and Produce Results

Honorable work is the most foundational source of happiness, self-worth and prosperity.

Your greatest asset and primary sense of security freedom extends from your ability to produce results and that’s what self-reliance is all about.

You are far better off struggling to get what you want than letting someone give it to you. You never want to hear the words, “you wouldn’t have that if it wasn’t for me.”

5. You Must Accelerate Your Education

The world is changing rapidly, and the stakes are higher than ever. We’re facing full-fledged revolutions on multiple fronts…and there’s no end in sight.

Nothing is sacred…all rules are being rewritten. No country or currency…no industry or profession…and certainly no company or individual is safe.

We’re all vulnerable, we’re all in the cross hairs…and no one has your back. It’s YOYO time!

Hyper-competitiveness, relentless and ongoing challenges, disruptive technologies, blockchain, artificial intelligence, robotics and mass consolidation is occurring at warp speed…and it’s only going to accelerate.

So what can you do stay in the game and remain competitive in the age exponential technologies?

The answer is simpler than you might think…Stay a Student!

Those who have the lowest levels of skill and the weakest capacity for constant updating will find themselves uncompetitive, unemployed, and highly dependent upon others.

Therefore, it is imperative that everyone commit to becoming a student for life. Get smart and resourceful or you will be left behind, ignored and quickly forgotten. You cannot allow yourself to become irrelevant.

6. You Must Build Wealth and Be Free From Debt

Money is a faithful, loyal servant and we are its master. It allows us to enjoy freedom, expands our options and allows us to make better greater choices.

However when we get into debt the roles change, and we find ourselves in the position of slave and losing our freedom.

The person who owes money is a servant to the person or to the corporation who lends the money. Never are you less free and with fewer options than when you are in debt.

The solution: Cut spending and focus on building your wealth. If you do not, you signed your own death warrant.

7. You Must Become Your Own Hero

Embrace the power of unconditional responsibility as it’s foolish for any of us to ask or to accept from others for that which we have the power to obtain themselves.

Be mindful that your present situation is not your final destination as the best is yet to come. That’s why you must be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when you need help, and brave enough to ask for it.

To truly be self-reliant, you must rise to the challenges that each day presents by putting on your cape and becoming your own hero.

Do that and YOYO becomes a lot less concerning.