Today, we see what Franklin Delano Roosevelt was talking about when he said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

Unemployment headlines are so big; you'd think ink companies are the only ones making any money. Politicians warn of dire consequences if their policies are not adopted immediately. Corporate CEOs meet at luxurious resorts to compare tales of economic woe. According to columnist Daniel Gross, who covered the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, "The overwhelming consensus was things are really bad and getting worse."

I disrespectfully disagree with that consensus. CEOs, press, and government officials benefit from harping on economic horrors. It sells papers, pushes bills through congress, and provides cover for past management mistakes. The rest of us benefit from taking care of business, and that should be our focus.

Don't get me wrong; when it is your job that disappears, the situation is real, terrifying, and urgent. But too many cynics are using the recession as an all-purpose excuse for their problems, and in doing so, they are making the economy worse.

For example, is Starbucks closing stores and laying off workers because of the economy, or because the company over-expanded and lost its cachet? If one has to do some ruthless cost cutting to compensate for an earlier period of excess, a recession provides good public relations cover.

And what about Caterpillar? As farms struggled, it seemed likely Caterpillar's revenues would sag.  With the coming government infrastructure investments, it seems likely the company's fortunes will improve. In the meantime, the company can use a convenient recession to trim down its workforce.

I don't mind companies correcting past mistakes, trimming down and getting fit to compete; I just don't like them using the recession as an excuse. Economic fears can become self-fulfilling prophecies. Fan these flames and you might find yourself trapped in a burning building.

I think small businesses can save themselves - and the economy - by focusing on their local economy. I'm pretty sure the fate of AIG and Merrill Lynch does not have to impact every dry cleaner, restaurant, or toy store in America.

Remember that 7% unemployment means that 93% of the workforce is still earning a paycheck.  Teachers are still working. Fire fighters and police officers are still working. The vast majority of people are still working, even if they are nervous about the future. Many teachers and public servants have just received annual pay raises at a time when housing prices are dropping. This creates terrific opportunities in communities where workers were priced out of the housing market in the past.

The economy is changing, not collapsing, and change creates opportunity for entrepreneurs. For example, worried about expenses, more people will be taking day trips instead of big vacations. What can your business offer them?

I've read that board game sales are up. Shoe repair sales are up.  If I were selling advertising, I'd be pitching to every repair service I could find. Energy prices are down. Rents are down. The market is changing as people's priorities shift, but those not paralyzed by fear see that there are new opportunities appearing.

In Santa Barbara, California, a bowling center's business was down in January, and a bicycle shop's sales were up. What does this say about "the economy?" Probably nothing. Both the decline at the bowling center and the increase at the bike shop can be attributed to the same thing: the weather was beautiful this January. Would you rather spend a sunny, warm winter day inside a bowling center or out on your bicycle? In this case, "it's NOT the economy, stupid."

Blaming the economy for our business problems is easy, but dangerous. If business owners believe that some nebulous bogeyman called the economy is hurting their business, they join the chorus of doom and gloom instead of focusing on their specific strengths and reshaping their business for a changing market.

This is what Roosevelt talked about, the "nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." Small business can lead this advance. It's as simple as striding up to a customer, with a huge smile on your face, and confidently asking the most important question in economics, "How can I help you?"