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Highlands Today

Keep Emotions In Check In Tough Economic Times

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By BILL ROGERS

Highlands Today

Published: February 1, 2009

SEBRING - People ask Duwayne Keller of Dale Carnegie Training how he manages to stay upbeat all the time, and he responds in a humorous way.

"I always tell them the same thing," Keller said during the Sebring Chamber of Commerce's networking luncheon Friday at the Kenilworth Lodge. "I'm upbeat and positive all day long. I get home at night, I drive into the garage. I get out of my car and walk into the closet, and I shut the closet, and I talk negative for an hour. I come out, and I'm like Superman; I'm ready to go."

Like everyone else, Keller said he does have bad days. But he doesn't dwell on them.

"I have to learn to get through all of it because if I don't it's going to affect me in other ways," he said. "It's going to cause our business to fail, it's going to cause me to fail."

Keller said emotions are a major factor that affect people in difficult economic times.

Keller said he doesn't like to talk about tough economic times, but acknowledges "we're in it" and adds there are opportunities in everything. He advises those in business to be proactive.

"You won't change what the economy is; it is what it is," he said. "We can change it for ourself and our company."

A former high school and college basketball coach, Keller said he learned how to deal with emotions while coaching. He said he will always remember attending a breakfast in Memphis, Tenn., with former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden. Wooden talked about having to have balance and not letting "your emotions control you."

Keller emphasized how important it is not to hold a grudge or waste time trying to get even.

"I see people just carrying things with them, and they are still upset at somebody," he said. "People be telling me they haven't talked with their father or their mother, sisters or brothers. I say 'how long has this been going on?' Oh, for years. And I will say 'well what happened?' I don't remember, but we're mad at each other."

It's not worth it because life is too short, said Keller of Duwayne E. Keller and Associates Inc.

"I know the young people don't see this, but I know for the older guy like me, life moves pretty fast," he said. "For the young people in here, I'm going to tell you if you can just pick one thing of this meeting and live your life this way you're going to be so far ahead of everybody else by the time you reach close to retirement.

"And that's live every day to its fullest," Keller said. "Enjoy every day you have, seize the moment that you have today."

Other tips on controlling emotions Keller offered include: pick your battles and keep things in proper perspective, do not allow your emotions to fester, cooperate with the inevitable and don't worry about the past.

Bill Rogers may be reached at 386-5825 or wrogers@highlandstoday.com

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