Let me tell you a little story about two guys that we all know.

These are individuals that were both doing very well heading into 2008.

And we'll just for the sake of this story call them Mike and Dave.

Now, Mike was the guy that everybody noticed.

He had the infectious energy.

He had the big personality. He had the nice car in the

driveway, the big house in the right neighborhood. He was always at the right events, always

looking the part. And when the market was good, Mike was very loud about it. He let you know

he was having big success. His portfolio was grown, his lifestyle was grown right alongside

it. And honestly, people respected him for that. He looked the part and he just dripped success.

Now, Dave was a little different, a little more reserved, a little quieter, a little more

unassuming. He drove something very practical. He lived below his means,

even when he didn't have to. And if you didn't know what Dave was building behind the scenes,

outside looking in, you might have actually felt a little sorry for Dave. And he was one of those

individuals. He just didn't flash it. Well, both of those guys going into 2008 got hit. And here's where the story gets real. Because there's a lesson in this based on maybe a season that I think we're heading into right now. Or I can guarantee you we will be heading into at some point in the future.

Now, Mike, he saw all the warning signs. He saw the same warning signs that Dave saw.

But Mike couldn't act on those warning signs. Why? Because acting meant that he'd have to sell

those assets, downgrade that car,

he'd have to get rid of that house, all the things that he'd been bragging about it,

meant downsizing his identity that he was wrapped up in. And meant admitting to his network,

to his clients, to his neighbors, to himself, that things just weren't what he said

they were. Things had changed. His ego wouldn't let him make that move. So he froze. And then

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