Five Ways to Handle Your Fear of the Economy

Bill Treasurer knows how to handle fear, he's been doing it all his life. Here are Bill's five tips for handling your fear of the current economic crisis:

1. Refocus on your work. Fear is the enemy of productivity. Get clear on what needs to be done - right here, right now - and go about the business of doing it. If you're not contributing, you may be in danger. Stop being in denial. Know your job, and then do it.

2. Stop playing it safe. Ditch the herd. While everyone else is hiding, you can stand up and stand out, getting noticed for your talent and contributions. It's easy to follow the herd. It takes effort to lead.

3. Form a posse. Create an inner circle - a small group of co-workers who you can trust and turn to when the going gets really tough. Take turns being "the positive one" and injecting a daily shot of courage.

4. Find a productive distraction. What makes you feel better - a little stronger or braver? U2 on your iPod? A can-do mantra? A long run at lunch? Identify that one little thing - your own personal "fear buster" - and use it early and often.

5. Just say "no" to the pity party. It's tempting to commiserate with co-workers. Don't do it. It will stoke your fears and shake your confidence even more.

What are your suggestions for handling the fear? Write them in below (no login/security clearance required).

Better Ways to Spend a Trillion Dollars

Author Rob Simpson gives you five creative ways to spend a trillion dollars (and five ways to be outraged at the way it was spent on the war). Many more suggestions can be found in his book:

1. Send every high schooler in America to a four-year college. We'd have the most educated workforce in the world.

2. Create a retirement account for every child born in America -- shortly after the child's birth. That child will be a multimillionaire come retirement age. If they don't touch the account, they will never have to save up for retirement for the rest of their lives.

3. End ALL homelessness in America.

4. Rebuild New Orleans -- completely. This means bring back all displaced families, build new housing for everyone who needs it, repair all damage, reinstate businesses, create new incentive programs for businesses, restore wetlands and counter environmental damages, and pay for an ongoing, aggressive tourism plan.

5. Buy everyone in the world an ipod. It may not be the latest, cutting-edge model, but it still means we'll be rocking the Casbah, not blowing it up.