The Power of Emotion

Dow Blues

Free falling stock market can't seem to fight through investor confidence issues. Proof positive that we purchase, or in this case sell, on the momentum of negative emotions. Companies like General Electric haven't become 50% less intelligent over the past six months. Their market share hasn't eroded. They continue to innovate while serving their various audiences brilliantly. But that's rational thinking, a poor substitute for fear, loathing, and stakeholder regret fueled by the free fall in stock value.

Once consumer emotions swell, logical argument's ability to persuade is indeed diminished.

Truth Well Told

Which isn't to suggest that we should counter emotion with emotion, or worse, allow others emotion to control our actions. My second agency job introduced me to the concept of 'Truth well Told'. Now is the time to be transparent, factual, forceful. No reason to retreat from the marketplace and rely on 'hope' to sell your product. Now is the time to sharpen the blade. Make your meaningful points of difference that much more clear. Not everyone is swept up in the negativity of the day. But consumers BS detectors are fine tuned. A brand story told well resonates true in all market conditions. The response at the cash register may be delayed, but it will not be denied.

Real Reasons to Cry

Say a prayer or two tonight for the families of the three NFL football players who lost their lives on the Gulf of Mexico this weekend caught by surprise in 20' swells.

The media is unable to stop fanning the flames of recession frenzy simply for fear of being accused of being soft on the Obama administration. Today, however, they have had to take a momentary nod towards the Coast Guard's heroic efforts to save these three young men. Alas, to no end.

My worst fear is waking up to the news that someone in my family has unexpectedly died. My thoughts and prayers go out to those who have unexpectedly lost a loved one.

Reasons to be Thankful

The death of those young men turns my thoughts to the thousands of boys and girls who have given their life to protect our freedom ... most recently in Iraq and Afghanistan. Courage is possibly the most noble of all human emotions. The combination of courage, selflessness, and service forever reinforces that our military men are our 'best and brightest'. I sleep easy tonight in Louisville for the bravery of my friend Sam Torrey and others like him who are at this moment walking as they do in harms way.

A Final Note

My wife Mary frequently reminds me to step away from the emotional buffet and wait for sanity to return before taking an action. When it comes to our investments, we could all stand a few more moments of Spock-like objectivity. When considered vs the plight of a lost fisherman or a blooded soldier, the decline in our individual wealth finds an appropriate sounding space.