Here is what you need to know: most of what you have heard about the economy is dead wrong, or just irrelevant. Are we still in a recession? Has the recovery begun? How do I find a good job now? Is it the right time to start a business ? What’s going to happen with health care reform? How will that affect me? These are the wrong questions to ask. The big lesson from the market crash of 2008 is that we can’t rely on government or big business for hand-outs. Each one of us needs to take full responsibility for our lives, our business, our career, our health, our family. All of it- no excuses. But, we don’t need to do it alone. Amazing opportunities arise when we reach out to the communities in our lives: our family, our friends, and the places where we live. The Internet and social media make it easier than ever to build communities and connect to them.

Michael Moore is a truly passionate man, and 20 years after his first film Roger and Me, he has become a truly great filmmaker. While you may not agree with his conclusions, he puts an all-too-human face on the horror of evicted families, teenagers being locked up for minor offensives to put money in the pockets of crooked prison operators and workers who have lost both their job and their pension. I do appreciate the love/hate relationship Mr Moore has with America and its brand of capitalism, and I applaud his challenge to us.

Most people are in a state of fear about money today, and that fear keeps them from seeing Opportunities that exist all around them. By creating focus and seeking help from your community, even the largest financial obstacles can be overcome.

To rise above our floundering economy, we must first accept opportunity into our lives.