Our View Opportunity from Chaos

April 13, 2012

It often takes dire situations for things to change.

At other times, dire situations fuel more of the kind of negativity that was partially responsible for the failures in the first place.

But within chaos lies opportunity.

Mammoth Lakes is slowly emerging out of a nightmare of a winter. We just want to put this winter behind us and focus on the future.

But in order for Mammoth Lakes to a.) emerge out of this lull and b.) to thrive and succeed in subsequent years, things need to change.
Attitude is on top of the list.
Attitude has a big impact and—unfortunately—it is usually the factor that’s left out of the equation and ignored. It seems trivial among discussions of budget cuts, layoffs, and a $42 million lawsuit judgment.
But attitude matters.

It’s often the only factor that matters in producing any positive change—and Mammoth Lakes needs all the positivity it can get.

What residents in Mammoth Lakes (and Mono County, really) have to realize is that they live in a tourist economy.

We all do.

Regardless of your title, your career, your company, or if you’re unemployed, we are all responsible for representing our resort destination to those who come visit and spend their dollars.

It’s no news the most important factor to a successful resort town is good customer service.
Where we live, attitude matters.

This responsibility is placed on every single one of us 24 hours a day, seven days a week, whether you like it or not.

For starters, this lingering attitude of “putting in your time in order to be accepted as a part of the Mammoth Lakes community” needs to stop.

We live here for various reasons, but none of us can survive if we continually shut people out because they haven’t lived here long enough.

Attitude matters.

Times are tough. And these times will surely swing this way around here again in the future. It’s how we handle it when it inevitably comes that’ll make all the difference.

Our suggestion is for the residents of Mammoth Lakes—whether you’re a business owner, a working resident, or a community member—to drop the negativity and take every opportunity it can out of this chaotic winter to actively, creatively and energetically engage in our community, ensuring the success of our future.

If we don’t, we will never be the resort town we have the potential to be.