Ever heard the old adage, “Paralysis of the Analysis?” Well today, many individuals and businesses, both large and small, are centering their decision making process around this very idea. They are unsure whether or not they should invest time, energy and money into something they need, want or believe in.

In my opinion, America is either at the bottom of this economic cycle or close to it.  As to when exactly we will be off the ground and on the mend … that is being argued by economists daily all over the world. The problem with economic studies is that the most economists are reading history or judging the future based on historic charts and recovery tools that worked in the past.

We are in a new territory today, and we are writing history.  The data, before it’s printed, is outdated and being rewritten. This recovery is like no other because no one has dealt with the present circumstances.

Confidence and determination, or swagger, have served Americans well since our first ancestors set the stage.  How do we get back to that way of thinking?  It is all about mindset after all. America’s mindset, if truth be told, is the world’s mindset.

We have to lead, we have to believe, and we have to invest in our real estate, our companies and in ourselves. We, as businesses, must start risking and setting examples.

America was not built with everyone sitting on their hands. In the residential real estate business, we need buyers and sellers to negotiate to a win-win and reset property values.  We cannot sit and wait and let foreclosures and short sales set the new norm for our respective neighborhoods.  If we let that become the norm, the keys will continue to be turned over to the banks and exacerbate the issue.

When you have determined that you are going to wait until the bottom to negotiate, be forewarned that you probably missed it.  Now is not the time to just sit around and wait for things to get better. Take a trip, eat out, visit a museum – pursue things in life that you take pleasure in and can afford.

If we depend on the government to lead us out we must remember that they are the last ones in financially.  Our State and local revenue streams are at historical lows. We are the people and should therefore be confident, determined and take control.

Let’s look into the mirror and ask ourselves each and every day, “What can I do that will be a game changer and bring back America’s swagger?”