Carpe Diem: Seize the Moment of Success

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand,” said Randy Pausch in his book The Last Lecture, a book based on a speech he delivered at Carnegie Mellon University while battling the cancer that would eventually take his life. He stressed the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling dreams, of seizing every moment. 

Which begs the question: if we vanish tomorrow, what would our legacy be?

A heavy question indeed.

In difficult economic climates, company leaders sometimes panic, which doesn’t solve anything. Panic will definitely not change the economy – in fact, it will most likely make everyone nervous.

Company leaders can overreact to dips in the economy, but the bigger danger is not reacting soon enough. Carpe Diem.

A leader walks the walk and talks the talk. What is your legacy going to be? Seize the day of success. It’s often said that the only thing a person regrets about a hard decision is not making it sooner.

Instead of panicking, it’s important to catch your breath and remember what your core competencies are – and then get busy pounding away at it! You have to seize what you are given this day and keep moving.  You do have to launch new products, and you do need to take risks—acquiring products or businesses that can round out your portfolio and perhaps look beyond your comfort level.  You need to communicate with your customers, vendors, employees and others about how you are moving ahead through these tough times. What can you do to take advantage of what you are given today?

The stumbling economy gives you the opportunity to make decisions. They may be unpopular – but this is not the time for a popularity contest. It is time for you to do what is right. You have to be focused on today and ask yourself how to improve your bottom line.

In good times, it’s easy to spend the big bucks on advertising campaigns, because there is no pressure to reduce or hunker down. There are always ups and downs in the economy, so be smart in allocating your budgets. You have to step up and do what is right today, because tomorrow is another day.   

To see Pausch’s lecture, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo. 

Tags: advertising, budget, carpe diem, leadership, recession, the last lecture