Ten Important Lessons From A Recession

The high unemployment rate brings back memories of my early years growing up in poverty. Unemployment always brought suffering to our family. I decided to write down the top ten lessons that I learned from my years in poverty:

1. Crisis Management: Don't panic during a crisis. Victims of generational poverty are accustomed to living in constant crisis. Some of our nation's largest corporations could have learned a few good lessons from poverty victims on how to SURVIVE this economic crisis.

2. Creativity: Get creative with problem solving. Sir Ken Robinson makes the point that without creativity we could never have an original idea. Choices are easy when you can borrow all the money you'll ever need. Take away the option of money and you'll be amazed at how creative you'll get. For poverty victims, being creative is a matter of survival.

3. Don't Get Above Your Raisin': This is the title to a song by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. The lyrics in part are, "just a little high headed. That's plain to see. Don't get above your raisin. Stay down to earth with me." The point is-be genuine.

4. Pride goes before the fall: Hubris adds no value to personal development. It's okay to dream big. In fact, it's necessary. But don't pretend to be someone you're not, and don't promise more than you can deliver.

5. Whenever You Do a Thing, Act as if the World were watching: This famous quote by Thomas Jefferson is rarely quoted these days. This is another way of saying "make things right before they go wrong."

6. Be an Optimist: If there is one lesson that I learned while working my way out of poverty, it is that optimism will trump any hardship.

7. Put Things in Perspective: Don't sweat the little things- keep your focus on what's important.

8. Take Responsibility: Be a victor not a victim.

9. Never give up: There's no better training for fighting uphill battles than living in the pit of poverty.

10. It's not about the money: Love & relationships are far more important.

Doug Wallace is an attorney, a successful entrepreneur and a published author. His book, Everything Will Be All Right is a memoir, scheduled for nationwide launch on October 1, 2009. Doug chose to write his story of growing up in poverty as a way to call attention to the unimaginable hardships for the generationally impoverished. Launched October 2009, available now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders Kindle, Sony Reader, and retail book stores everywhere