Head Banging: Fear is Good.

The light bulb, the very icon of innovation, was invented during a recession. And as its inventor, Thomas Edison, claimed, it was a more a product of sweat and hard work than genius. Search for “innovation and recession” and you’ll find hundreds of other examples. The barrier to profitable new products and ways of work is usually not talent or money, or kumbaya techniques for brainstorming and creating culture- friendy idea incubators for workers. It’s motivation. For some it’s intellectual curiosity, a personal burning desire for knowledge, but it’s sure hard to beat a hot injection of fear, the threat to survival, or $4 gasoline. So use your fear license to act boldly and swiftly; to make the tough decisions; create inspired, timely solutions; and get back to our cushy jobs as soon as possible.