Ever hear someone say, Perception is reality? It's a pretty powerful concept. If true, then if we all perceive something the same way together we should be able to make it happen, right? Sounds too easy to be true? Well, if it isn't true, then I guess the power of positive thinking is also a myth.

Felix Rohatyn, a renowned economist, believes that 50% of any economical condition is perception. Two people are laid off from the same company. One goes home, starts collecting unemployment checks and waits for things to turn around. The other, goes home, starts collecting unemployment checks and with some money he has saved, takes advantage of the time he now has to start a business he’s been think about for years, but never had the time to get it off the ground.

About three decades ago, we started our own business during a bad economy of double digit inflation, double digit unemployment and double digit mortgage rates - all at the same time. We kept our overhead down and were able to...