Flat Is The New Up

Today, I managed to beat Lagos Environmental and get to the training venue of the financial modelling class I am teaching before 7:00am. I drove like a mad man. Had many near misses against other cars, the road/traffic dividers and the drainage. Glad I made it and safe.

image: randommanna.com

Yesterday, I got an interesting email article about how to survive and thrive in this period of economic downtown. The author talked of how tough times make people creative and bring out the best in hardworking entrepreneurs. He talked of how people begin to demand more value for their money and not fall for the usual marketing gimmicks.

All he said made a lot of sense. And, particularly, one statement he made stood out and stuck with me -- "Flat is the new up". That you are still in business and making enough to keep the lights on means you are doing great. Flat is the new up.

I am used to hearing tough times never last but tough people do. I am used to hearing there's always light at the end of the tunnel. I am used to hearing every cloud has its silver lining. I am used to hearing winners never quit and quitters never win. But this one. This one is something totally and refreshingly different. And new too. Flat is the new up.

That you are still in work and your salary has not been cut means you are doing great. That your sales have been flat in this Buhari's economy means you're doing great. That you have somewhere to go daily that puts something in your pocket means you are up, my bro. That you are not regressing is the new progress. Flat is the new up.

So if you've been complaining that things have been flat lately then you've been an ingrate. Flat is the new up. Be grateful that things are flat, don't complain anymore. But still try to improve your situation; being grateful is not same as being complacent.

Today I thanked God. For everything. You too should.