How do you get out of financial and economic doldrums? I was reading this week about Uber CEO Dara's daily routine, and something hit me. He got Uber out of a slump by optimizing his lifestyle to do as much as possible to make this happen. A lot of us would be in a financial slump, but instead of optimizing everything we have to get out of it, we either give excuses and distract ourselves or pray for miracles and helpers. The first thing to ask yourself when you are in financial doldrums is whether you are healthy and functional. If you are healthy and functional, getting out becomes exponentially easier than you think. The worst place to be is broke and in poor health. Once you have your health, check your relationships and friendships. Be brutally honest with those close to you about your situation and ask for advice on how to get out, rather than loans or handouts. The advice may also come with financial help to dig you out of the hole if you are lucky. If you are unlucky, you will have a friend who stays at your house where you are broke and have no food, but goes out to buy a Pizza to eat, then comes back to you with one slice. This really happened to me. Avoid friends who arent useful. The most important assets you have are your health, your sanity, and your skills. Don't start forcing yourself to learn new skills when you are desperate. Leverage your existing advantages first to achieve a basic level of stability before acquiring new ones. I once was so broke that I started writing articles to make money to survive. A lot of clients owed me, and there were bills to pay from the little I had already made. I was left with nothing after the bills were settled. I decided to use what I had to get more, and nothing was too little. A hundred dollars a week when you are broke does wonders. The trick is not to get stuck in survival mode. The biggest problem when coming out of financial doldrums is the comfort zone. People adapt too easily to survival mode, and they no longer lack the will to push further and beyond. You need motivation and reminders, something to look forward to. I keep picturing my kids in expensive schools I paid for, and doing very well in life afterwards. It is not about my comfort but theirs; my early comfort today will deny them of theirs tomorrow. Community is the most underrated wealth hack. A lot of people believe this trope of locking in and locking everyone out when the real thing you should do is to "Lock on" to your community. To get out of the doldrums, you need to lock on to a community that will get you out of it and even provide volunteer services to those who need it when necessary. I have seen young people come to me with sob stories of how they are in despair, and I ask them what they can do for me, and they are lost. I have even given a few of them opportunities where they could not perform up to par. You also have to be honest with yourself about your capabilities and skills. I was so annoyed by that young lady who was telling people to fake customers yesterday, because there are so many people available to help that you wouldn't need to fake anything. People pay me for consultation via @Calendly to help them today because I have volunteered and still volunteer to help a lot of people for free. Doing that has helped me develop the skill of discernment and build a community I can leverage to help others. Most of the help I give people who book to speak with me is direction and connections with those who can help them further. In summary, if you are well and alive, then get moving. Don't succumb to self-pity, and nothing is too small for you to make. Someone once paid me $50 at the right time, and it changed a lot of things for me. Optimize and grow from what you have and stop fantasizing about what you don't have yet, while still keeping a goal on the horizon. Prayers work, but you also have to realize that good health and a sound mind is the answer to many prayers already.