The ten-year period which followed stock market crash of October 1929 is referred to as Great Depression. This time frame is considered to be worst and most difficult of Modern American History by business historians. Unemployment was as high as 27% among White Americans and reached 60% in African American community. In Mississippi, on a single day in 1932, one quarter of entire state was auctioned off. Scarcity and limitations were everywhere to be seen. The Gross National Product of country, that unit of measurement which represents everything that is produced nationwide fell by as much as 43%. The prices of wheat and corn and cotton fell so low, crops were left to rot in fields. Many businesses and families were wiped out.

We all try to forget unpleasant moments in our lives. However, central premise of any meaningful philosophy is to look back upon hardest times of our lives and locate wisdom and insight necessary from which success and joy can occur. It has been my experience that usually within anxiety there are seeds of wisdom for us to learn from if we will only learn to look and understand experience. When you examine your business, life or relationships it is tough times that will teach you most.

During rough times of Great Depression music business also almost collapsed. American record companies, which had sold in excess of 200 million records in mid 1920’s, had seen unit sales drop by 97% by mid 1930’s. To put it mildly, things were tough! Even giant Victor phonograph company stopped making phonograph players altogether. However, there was a tiny silver lining in all of this hardship. A certain type of music was gripping regions of country and offering hope. There was no political message attached to tunes. No lyrics. It was an earthy, rhythmic, emotional and dynamic music. Its purpose was to make people dance. Huge parties would emerge that would often last for days. Even today music historians marvel how a distinctive and repetitive bass line and energetic rhythm could change focus of an entire community.

To classify this music as infectious would be an understatement! At its inception this music would be played solo by only one piano player. Since times were tough sometimes two piano players would share same instrument. Later, there would be as many as six musicians on three pianos all contributing to infectious power. The result was a celebration of creative energy that everyone could recognize. It was magical. In spite of economic hardships, people could find genuine joy even if only for a short moment.

The celebrations grew. House parties would turn into block parties. The refrains and melodies would often be played non-stop for what seemed like hours at a time. Top Musicians of day could locate work easily once they mastered this art form. Hope was born against horrendous economic landscape.

Then in 1938, legendary Jazz Promoter John Hammond saw a huge business opportunity. He organized and promoted a concert in New York City featuring three masters of this art form. When Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson and Meade "Lux" Lewis performed in Carnegie Hall, it launched a national craze. Businesses and clubs had to hop on bandwagon and get with program. Newspapers began to assign special editors to cover ‘music beat’ and report about this incredible energy as its popularity spread into clubs. Soon all of “happening” places were featuring top musicians playing these infectious energetic tunes. Club owners seeking to get good reviews and “cash in” would do whatever necessary to bribe music editors so they could acquire good press. Bribes of free food, free drinks, free women were commonplace. Musicians and club owners understood that one bad review from critics would kill good times! Or so they thought…

The name of this musical art form was Boogie-Woogie. The slang term that musicians gave to critics was Boogie Man!

Yes Boogie Man was monster who could criticize and sit in judgment. In spite of his inability to create or understand music they somehow were qualified to evaluate it. The Boogie Man, like an executioner could determine fate of musicians and club owners with his words. The Boogie Man was fear incarnate. He could kill party as quickly as review could be published. The Boogie Man was bad news! Funny thing is most people do not believe in Boogie Man. At least that is what they tell you to your face! However within this story is understanding of how success and joy is born and how it dies. Did you “get it?”

I have a sign on my office door. It pretty much summarizes my philosophy of life. The sign simply says…..”Whatever it takes.”

Short. Simple. To Point.

“Whatever it takes,” means exactly that. That I will do “whatever it takes” to get what I really want. It is best description that I have ever been able to come up with to summarize entrepreneurial experience.

Decision. Commitment. Result. Something I pretty much had ingrained into my subconscious, playing sports as a kid.

Make Decision. Commit to that outcome. Visualize. Experience that Result.

With my friends and colleagues I abbreviate and say…W.I.T. I’ll often refer to individuals as either having W.I.T or not. Y’know it’s like in Rocky movies…”the eye of tiger.” You can tell when someone has W.I.T and when someone is faking W.I.T.. Or, worse yet when someone doesn’t even know about it!

Walt Disney suffered through a bankruptcy and breakdown. Milton Hershey experienced bankruptcy in his pursuit as “chocolate king.” H.J. Heinz saw his newborn company forced into liquidation. All these individuals understood W.I.T.

It often confounds me though how many people will never understand what “whatever it takes” really means?

It seems that I developed my understanding of this philosophy through hardship. A tough teacher but an effective one nonetheless.

Maybe you can relate.

When I first started my life as an entrepreneur I thought I was pretty focused on what I wanted. Instead I got exact opposite. Working long hours for little or no pay, dealing with creditors, angry customers, unresponsive vendors, indifferent intermediaries, idiotic bankers, erratic sales, loaning money to company, etc. Quite frustrating until I discovered that all of that had been a training ground of sorts that taught me alchemy of turning problems into opportunities. The one characteristic that every great businessperson must possess.

Whatever it takes. Problems into Opportunities.

W.I.T made me understand that it is not what happens to you. W.I.T makes you look at what are you going to do about it?

Before I had discovered W.I.T I had never realized that I had a “BLAME” list that was responsible for my circumstances. There were so many problems standing in way of my success. I was convinced that I needed less problems. “If Only’s” so to speak…. I rationalized that successful people had less problems than I did which allowed them to be successful. LOL! I hate to admit it, but it is true.

“Well you know economy…” “But Government….” “If I only had more money…” “Its all in who you know….”

All of these are huge lies which will prevent you from understanding “W.I.T.”

Everybody has problems. But problems begin to dissolve when you acquire skills. I was guilty of wishing and hoping for less problems. What I needed though was better skills. Without skills your focus gravitates to problem. A very poor focus indeed.