Since 1547, The Flat Earth Society has claimed that the earth is flat. They've tried to "deprogram the masses" from 1547 to the present--those pathetic, confused, dim-witted folks like me who wrongly assert the earth is round.

Just in case you haven't heard, "New York Times" columnist Thomas L. Friedman's book proves that the world is flat. It hasn't always been flat, mind you, but globalism in the 21st century has flattened the earth economically, bulldozing it into a level playing field globally.

His book, "The World Is Flat: A Brief History Of The 21st Century," explains it all. Says he, "Cheap, ubiquitous telecommunications (Internet and phone) obliterated all of the impediments to international competition."

"The convergence of technology and events allowed India and China to become part of the global supply chain for services and manufacturing, creating an explosion of wealth in the middle class of these two nations."

Friedman says, "The flattening of the world requires that you run faster to stay in place...globalism has created an international system which replaced the Cold War system."

He adds, "globalism integrates capital and technology, sending information across borders in a way that's creating a single global market."

So, what must we do? Friedman's prescription for Americans is to "create value through leadership and sell personality."

This is a three-part concept, Friedman says:

1. "When the world goes flat, and you're feeling flattened, reach for a shovel and dig inside yourself. Don't try to build walls."

2. "The key to being small and acting big is to take quick advantage of new tools for collaboration to reach farther, faster, wider and deeper."

3. "Conversely, if you're big, you must learn to act small, establishing your customers to act really big."

I agree with Friedman 100%. Globalism is good, and good for you, but you must learn to take advantage of it.

The Internet allows you expand beyond your local area and go nationwide and, after that, go global.

Don't limit your business to a five mile or 50 mile radius. Self-limiting beliefs and traditional marketing myopia must go.

Selling yourself and your product or service and your product or service is no longer limited to where you live or work.

If you ignore globalism and act provincially, you may wind up reenacting a situation in one of this author's other books, "The Lexus & The Lemon Tree."

While the author was riding a high speed, high tech train in Japan, as part of a Lexus company celebration, he read a newspaper describing an emotional battle over a lemon tree in the mideast, hotly contested by two different parties.

The question is"are you going with globalism, taking full advantage of it or are you going to focus on minor local matters like ownership of a lemon tree?

It depends on your vision of the world and your views of globalism.

John Alquist

John J. Alquist owns and operates Alquist Enterprises, along with his wife, Shirley. The firm promotes self-employment via the professional services and network marketing opportunities offered.

John is a speaker, consultant and author. His first published piece was at age 15, in a Connecticut daily newsletter, blasting a brainless politician. He has been writing ever since.

He started his career after college graduation as a writer for a Connecticut weekly newspaper.

He has been self-employed for 18 years and, prior to that, John spent 24 years in the corporate world, especially senior bank marketing positions.

He was Vice President of Market Planning for Wells Fargo Bank and Vice President & Director of Marketing for BarclayAmericanCorporation, an American commerical and consumer finance subsidiary of the Barclays Bank Group.

John & Shirley life and work in St. Petersburg, FL. John has lived in Connecticut, New Jersey, North Carolina, California, and Florida.

He is a graduate of Providence College, holding a Bachelor of Arts degree.

John is an avid exerciser, eats mostly organic food, and has considerable knowledge of wellness. He takes lots of nutrtional supplements. Though 64, he has a "Real Age" of 53.

Politically, John is a Libertarian. He and his wife, Shirley, are Christians. John is an avid Bible student and researcher.