Look to Your Own DNA

Different people have had different reactions to our hobbled economy. Some are heartsick over tough choices made to keep a company solvent; others might thrill to the thought of newly identified opportunities; most of us are probably experiencing a mix of concern and optimism.

Whatever your perspective, it's likely you've become more entrepreneurial in your attitude; in a post at Copyblogger, Sonia Simone argues that this is a good thing. "[I]t might be time to think about the ancient traits that have helped entrepreneurs since the dawn of history," she says, "and how they relate to the emerging 21st-century economy." She offers a few examples:

We possess a survival instinct. It's easy to become complacent when we don't feel a sense of urgency; uncertainty might be uncomfortable, but it forces us to think creatively and inventively.

The village is our customer. "Once upon a time," says Simone, "the bread baker and his village were stuck with one another. If he baked lousy bread, he had to look his neighbors in the eye and face their scorn." The Industrial Revolution made us rather anonymous—and more willing to let quality slip. But thanks to the instant feedback of online tools like Twitter, we now have more personal accountability for the product or service we offer.

The Po!nt: Brace yourself. Succeeding in 2009 won't be easy, but it can be highly rewarding. "Embrace the entrepreneurship that's in your DNA," advises Simone. "Keep your eyes open for problems to solve and markets to serve."

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