I’ve got some good news about the zombie apocalypse.
It turns out that there’s an easy way to nip it in the bud and save the human race.
I could use your help.
But more on that in just a minute. Here’s how I got the idea...
It came to me after rewatching the 1939 classic, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”
Have you seen it? Great movie.
Jimmy Stewart plays Jefferson Smith, an ordinary guy who gets appointed to the US Senate. He’s basically (and literally) a big old Boy Scout who loves truth, justice and the United States of America.
Everybody guesses that an honest guy like him won’t last long in the cutthroat (and corrupt) world of Washington DC politics.
One of my favorite scenes is when Smith rushes back to his office after a late meeting.
He’s excited to put together his first bill and calls his secretary for help.
She rolls her eyes, takes a deep breath and gives Smith the hard truth about the way things really work in DC.
It will take forever to go through the motions, she explains. His beloved bill will get bogged down in bureaucracy and, nine times out of ten, it will end up getting killed on the floor.
Smith takes the bad news with a blank stare.
And then he says, “Shall we start on it right now… or order dinner first?”
Gotta love that optimism!
Yes, it will take forever. Yes, failure is much more likely than success.
But you’ve still got to TRY.
We could use more of that kind of optimism these days.
And not just in politics.
I’ve always been drawn to “glass half-full” people.
But lately, I’m running into more and more “half-empties.”
Not only do they wonder where half of their water went, they complain about fingerprints on the glass… the temperature of the water… and the lack of a lemon wedge.
Seriously?
Staying that miserable must be hard work.
Part of the reason I love working in economic development is that I get to interact with people who see the positive in possibility.
Entrepreneurs are professional optimists. They have to be, otherwise they would never get their ideas off the ground
I talk with people every week who want to start or grow a business. They see the potential in every vacant lot, empty storefront or available domain name.
They understand that hard work, passion and persistence can lead to great things.
But not everybody is on board.
Some people find it easier to throw around words like "can’t," "couldn’t," "shouldn’t" and "won’t." They see everything as doomed to fail.
That’s what scares me the most.
Once it starts, this attitude of laziness, negativity and cynicism can spread like the plague.
If it gets out of control, we’re all going to end up shuffling around like mindless, whiny, naysaying zombies.
Constantly complaining. Bickering on social media. Criticizing. Bellyaching. Monday morning quarterbacking.
That’s why I need your help preventing the “Naysayer Zombie Apocalypse.”
You don’t need a crossbow or a samurai sword (or whatever they use to fight the undead these days).
All it takes is a little positivity.
Sincerely,
Larry Lombardi
Director of Economic Development
