Labor Day 2011: The Power of Belief and the American Worker

Labor Day 2011 is going to be a gloomy one for many Americans. At least, that’s what all the news outlets say.

I pulled up the Internet edition of the Chicago Sun-Times this evening and read an article about Labor Day, 2011. Here’s the first paragraph:

“Labor Day arrives in 2011 America as a somber mockery. With unemployment stuck at 9.1 percent, zero job growth in August and an economic downturn that has now lasted longer than America’s involvement in World War II, the nation seems divided between desperate jobless folks and those lucky enough to still have jobs but are increasingly worried about keeping them.”

This paragraph stopped me cold. Is it really that bad, I thought, or are news reports like this one part of the problem?

Power of Belief

I’m not disputing the economic downturn or the jobless rate. But I am saying that it is so easy to publish and broadcast reports like this, reports that can make the jobless in this country lose all hope.

And then, of course, it becomes a vicious circle. You believe that there are no jobs so you don’t find any job (and you’re not really looking real hard) which makes you believe that there are no jobs, etc….

Even worse, the Americans who are working are focused on the dire predictions from economists. There’s a Law of the Universe at play here that says your beliefs are powerful. What you believe—really believe, deep down—is what you will get. You will attract that which you focus on the most. Since Americans are focusing on the bleak economy, this virtually ensures that the economic downturn will continue and deepen.

Think Prosperity

So let’s do something different this Labor Day, 2011. Let’s think and visualize a prosperous America. Let’s visualize a good job for every American who wants to work. It takes as much effort to think positive thoughts as it does negative ones, so think positive thoughts—if just for this one day.

And one other thing…

TURN of the news and throw away the newspaper.