Do you find yourself just trying to hang on and get through the recession? Perhaps you are waiting for things to turn around or something to happen (business partner make a decision, new clients to show up, reorganization at a job to work itself out) before you move forward?

If so, you’re not alone. Many people are playing the “hang in there” and waiting game. But here’s the thing – when you do that, you’re living life like the cat on an old poster of mine. The one where the cat is hanging from a tree branch by one paw and the caption says “Hang in there Baby”. You’re really courting disaster.

When you feel fear or like you’re at the mercy of something “out there”, you find yourself:

* Tensing up as your body constricts

* Stressing out but going nowhere

* Feeling all alone and paralyzed right where you are

* Hoping and praying some Hail Mary effort you put forth will create a miracle or someone else will come save you

Here’s the thing, none of these choices are going to get you where you want to go. (And, yes, not choosing is a choice.) I have yet to find a story of success where someone took the approach of just hanging on for any length of time and were joyful with the results. Sure there may be moments when you need to pause, reflect, and make space to make a decision, but as long as you don’t let days turn into weeks turn into months, that is not hanging on, that is conscious creation.

All the experts I coach with and mentor with share a similar message -You are responsible for your results. This is not just in good times but in all times and all results. While lots of people are sitting around with a beer kvetching about the economy, their job, and having a pity party, people who will ultimately succeed are out there creating their own reality. They are willing to do and be what the majority of people are not.

I used to sit back and look at successful people like these who seemingly had effortless success and made money in sums I could barely count the zeros on, and just be pissed-off. Like why them and not me, right? Until it became as clear as day to me -they were willing to do the things I was not. They were willing to do things differently, take a risk, not follow the crowd of lemmings off the cliff, and stop waiting around for someone to deliver them an answer. They went out and found the answer from other successful people or created their own answers in a new way.

Like the cat in the poster, there really is only one way to get out of a jam where you feel like you’re hanging off a cliff by a branch. First you need to open yourself up to receive (someone to reach their hand out to you). Then you need to trust that the support that shows up is exactly right for you. Then you need to let go and surrender (if you don’t let go, you’ll just engage in a tug of war with the help that shows up).

One thing I know for sure is that if you own or are starting your own business and you’re waiting for things to get better before you invest in your own growth, take a stand for your value, or commit to your marketing, you will be one of those “has-been” businesses at whatever time the economy does turn around. If you are an employee and you’re just hanging in there until things get better or “settle down” before you invest in your own growth, prepare for your next career step, or make a move that’s right for you, you’ll be waiting forever.

During this time of great opportunity (and really every day can be a time of great opportunity if you look) are you going to do something with it or wait around for “someday”? The truth is we rarely regret things that we do; we regret the things we did not do.

So, are you going to wait around and create a trail of regrets or make a decision right here, right now to take your power back, your response-ability and become your own success story? The choice is yours, choose wisely.

Copyright © 2009 Paula Gregorowicz