80 per cent of a person's ability to improve depends on the person himself, and only 20% - on outer forces. Also, 80 per cent of a company's growth abilities depend on the leader and the strategy, and 20% is determined by the outer forces.
One of the biggest mistakes a human makes is that he thinks that his life is predetermined by nature or by chance. People believe that when a person is born into a wealthy family, in a big city, or in a loving family, it's down to luck. "His business was given to him by his parents; all he has to do is maintain it." Or: "He always gets lucky." Or: "His whole life is easy, because once he had a lucky break."
The abilities of a human being, as well as those of a business, are limited only up to 20 per cent. 80 per cent of our nature is independent. Of course, a blind person will not become a gunslinger, and an armless person a wrestler, but these are the extreme cases that do not constitute even 20 per cent.
If the situation on the market is not favourable, you lose 20 per cent of your abilities. Though, you can still sell your business, merge it with another company, you can sell your apartment or your house, and buy a small competitive enterprise, you have the ability to take over a big order from a mighty opponent that is about to go bankrupt and you have a chance to sell everything and to go on vacation for a year - later you will have more energy (or you may even lose less in this case). Moreover, you can start improving your qualifications; right now it is cheaper to do so. While everyone is panicking, you can become the best specialist in your field!
"The only boundaries are the boundaries of your imagination" (Albert Einstein). Every person can achieve as much as he can imagine. Albert Einstein would have said that we are dependent on the outer forces only by 2 per cent. Also, the success of a company depends on its leader. It can only change as much as its leader can. Of course, a strong team is also important. As long as the leader is not limited by outer forces, then neither is the company.
"Rich people in times of economic decline become even richer" (Lee lacocca).
He is able to change. If he was able to change when everything was calm, then he will be able to change when the economy is declining.
A good businessman earns money when the economy is contracting and when it is growing. That is the very reason he is a good businessman. Anyone can make money when the economic situation is favourable, even a director who is having a year-long vacation.
It is easier for a person (or a private or legal entity) to believe that he is unable to change anything because this way he will not have any bearing on the outcome. Yet, everything depends on us and not on outer forces!
Contemplate the ideas of Napoleon Bonaparte, Abraham Lincoln, Richard Branson, Walt Disney, and the developers of Google. None of these people were born with great riches, but they managed to multiply their wealth a hundredfold, maybe even a thousand, and to increase their abilities to almost limitless potential. They would all say that you yourself set the limits of your abilities and right now is the right time.