Casting About

Optimism in hard times

Most times, a positive attitude comes fairly easy. But lately, it has required more focus than usual. Every direction you turn, the media reminds us of the situation many wish to forget.

March is always a transition month for Bass Edge. All of the television episodes are complete. Trade-shows are winding down. Upcoming promotional appearances and the start of next year’s filming are less than a month away. Most of us at Bass Edge are confined to our offices catching up before we hit the road again. Added time with family is nice, but the increase of hours spent indoors is not.

I love to read. It helps my focus. But every now and then I feel obligated to turn on the network news to stay abreast of current issues. This is a partial result of habits formed during my previous career but also as a civic responsibility and an attempt to be a conscientious business owner. Those habits however, have been broken.

Every one of us knows someone that has been impacted by current economics. Our children now speak of job loss, home foreclosures and bankruptcies incurred by their parents and family members. This can’t be healthy?

As an angler, optimism sits on the top shelf of my tackle box. Expectation and hope ride on every cast. A willingness to take risk is just part of the experience. Ironically, my most memorable days on the water aren’t those with high catch rates or when I land a big bass. Certainly those have left their mark, but moments when things haven’t worked out often rank higher.

On-the-water struggles have a unique way of building “character.” Dormant faculties seem to come alive. Fundamental skills and mental toughness take center stage. Me vs. fish, no excuses. There have been days however; I would’ve gladly traded my supply of newly earned life skills for a few bites on the end of my line. But that thinking is short-sided.

Interestingly, only after numerous casts and countless decisions with nothing to show, my desired results eventually come. That moment when a bass strikes, previous failures are forgotten. The memory of how and where I caught them will serve me in the future. Simply put, the fishing experience is my addiction: the highs, the lows and everything in between. Conditions change. Fish move. Somewhere a bass is eating. And I’ve caught them before.

It hasn’t always been that way though. Time and experience are certainly my friends. Focusing on what I want, choosing to see the good, coupled with a lot of reflection, seem to be the best recipe for growth. That’s kind of odd. Déjà vu … I remember being told something similar growing up.

Don’t misunderstand me; totally ignoring the fact that fish aren’t biting doesn’t change things. Quite the opposite. But looking at the conditions for what they “really are” brings solace. A good starting point is to recall past, successful experiences. It’s a mental shift that sets a new course and draws attention back to catching fish. After all, that is what I crave.

When I look at the current economic landscape, I can’t help but apply the same. No doubt, a lot of companies are struggling but the fact remains that many are coping quite well. By redirecting their focus and their decisions, they are impacting the lives of many. But those narratives are rarely mentioned.

Within the Bass Edge family of sponsors are those chronicles that show a different side of corporate America. Organizations choosing to give during difficult times and proceed with confidence in their “pay-it-forward” attitude. This produces much more than a healthy stock dividend.

For instance, one of our sponsors pays employees to perform community service during this slowdown to keep food on the table. Another maintains production levels without sales just to keep employees on the payroll. And one more that chooses to keep manufacturing within the U.S. when it would be more profitable to ship production overseas.

Often these acts of kindness are buried in the reports of record unemployment and executive compensation tainted by greed. But to them, they do it not for recognition, rather because they are addicted to the experience of helping their fellow man.

I’ve often felt that fishing parallels life. How one acts on the water when no one is looking mirrors how he or she conducts his or her life. Can fishing revolutionize the economy? Who knows? But I do know that the successful attitude used while on the water has merit when approaching these tumultuous times. It’s not much fun while we are in it. But by seeing the conditions for what they “really are,” together we can make a difference.