Toronto, July 19 2010

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2010 is halfway gone. We’re deep into the relaxing warmth of summer. It’s time to kick back and chill out. It’s also the perfect time to think about what happens next. As your work winds down (and I hope it does) your planning should be gearing up. It’s time to dream, not do. The quality of your fall and winter depends on what you see this summer. So take a break. Then create your break-through.

The first half of 2010 has been a stomach-turning, hair-raising, nerve-baring ride. This time last year, we were all shell-shocked by the brutality of the downturn. The prevailing mindset was to do nothing because it was too dangerous to do anything. It was like flying into a tornado – it was better to stay on the ground.

Now, we’ve been galvanized into action. We know the sky may get black and thunderous but it’s never going to fall in. We’ve all been to the brink of the abyss but if you’re reading this, you’ve held on. You’ve stood the immense test of time. You’ve shed the weight you didn’t need. You’ve stripped away what isn’t necessary. You’re focusing on the fundamentals. You’re smarter, faster, and stronger. Congratulations. You’ve made it this far. And if you’ve made it this far, you’ll go far.

Globally, the economic recovery is uneven. It’s strong in Asia but weak in Europe and The United States. But here’s what I know: Things will get better because you are. The economic cycle will do what it always does. Growth may come sooner or later than we expect. We will all take steps forward and then we’ll take them back. Success is not about the economy. It’s about what you do with it.

Since January 1 2010, I’ve worked with almost 50 000 people from over 100 companies around the world. The top one percent of them is literally amazing. I call them “One-Percenters”. They do things others believe are impossible and that’s how they inspire others to do more. I’ve discovered that they have ten traits in common. As I walk you through them, evaluate yourself on each one because each one will be vital to your success in the rest of 2010 and beyond. You are already amazing. Now let your actions demonstrate it.

• One-Percenters Are Realistic Idealists: They are earthed in reality but they are driven by their cause. They believe they can change the world and they enroll others in their quest.
• One-Percenters Are Focused: They understand the game-changers and make them their priorities. They say no to the many things that don’t count so they can say yes to the few that do.
• One-Percenters Relish The Game: They love what they do even when they don’t. Their passion shines through. They know Life is a Contact Sport and they throw themselves into it.
• One-Percenters are Extraordinarily Competent: They’re masters of their business. They see it from multiple points of view. They get the small details and they get the big picture. Nothing escapes their scrutiny.
• One-Percenters are Always On: They bring their A-Game every day. Their consistency is a source of wonder to their colleagues. They do what they have to do, not what they feel like doing.
• One-Percenters Have The Will To Win: They are unstoppable. Hyper-competitiveness is in their DNA. Silver is unacceptable.
• One-Percenters are Highly Social: They love people. They crave interaction. They make it fun to be around them. They’re accessible. They’re connected. They reach out to others. They make others feel powerful.
• One-Percenters Are Both Students and Teachers: They’re always questioning and learning. They’re always coaching and advising. Every crisis is an opportunity to grow. Every win is an opportunity to share.
• One-Percenters are Contributions Others Rally Around: They’re generous with their time and their energy. They do whatever it takes to make the people around them successful. They measure themselves by others’ wellbeing.
• One-Percenters Talk People Into Action: They are powerful communicators. They talk straight. They keep it simple. They stir their people’s emotions. They over-communicate.

That’s it. You may already be a One-Percenter or you may be a One-Percenter waiting to happen. Think about what it would take to own the Ten Traits. Share them with others. Develop your own list. The only thing that matters is that you bring out the best in others by being your personal best. All the best for the rest of 2010.

Toronto, 12pm, May 25 2010

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It’s almost summer. The days are bright. The sun is warm. The foliage is full. Winter is over, and so is the recession. Or is it? The Canadian and the US economies will grow at over 3% this year? Or will they really? The stock market will rise by double digits this year. Or will it really?

Have you noticed that just when you think you’re there, you’re not? Just when you thought it was safe, along comes a spider to scare you all over again. For every solution, there’s a problem. It’s always something. And lately, the somethings seem to be bigger and nastier. Whether it’s the oil spills in the gulf, the financial crises in Greece, the volcanic explosions in Iceland, or the breakdowns in your own backyard, the living ain’t easy anymore. Everything is connected to everything. What you don’t know and don’t care about, will hurt you.

Our research indicates that people are tired of being surprised by surprises they don’t like. They’re more anxious. They’re more doubtful. They’re turning inwards to protect themselves against The New Volatility –lows that are lower than they used to be and highs that are not as high as they used to be.

The majority of us are in survival mode. We’re trying to get through the month before we get through the money. We’re trying to meet our obligations to others and meet their expectations of us. At work, it’s becoming harder to try harder. So many people are so resistant. It seems like they don’t have the time or the inclination to be truly open or receptive. Cynicism has become the new mental normal. If one approaches everything as a potential hoax or wipe-out, then disappointment is not an option. It’s a different kind of failure. It’s the failure that comes from avoiding failure. It’s the failure to act, take a chance, experiment and explore.

Cynicism at work leads to tension at home. Frustration knows no boundaries. If you can’t get no satisfaction in one place, you’re unlikely to find it in another. Love and money are joined at the hip – like it or not. When one’s livelihood is endangered, one’s quality of life diminishes. Joy and passion are directly correlated with one’s perception of reality. A tougher reality means it’s tougher to see the world the way one wants it to be.

That’s the good news. People want change. They want to achieve the results they’re banking on. They want to get back into their groove. They want to be the star they used to be – before the meltdown, before the divorce, before the injury, before the job loss, before the erosion of their assets.

That’s where you and I come in. We need to become the antidote to other’s malaise. We need to be the joy, the delight, the relief that others crave. We need to become the surprises that others want to have. We need to be the reason why people still believe in themselves and their ability to make a difference.

It’s easier than you think. The smallest action can have the most disproportionate consequences. One conversation can change someone forever. One statement can be exactly what the other person needed to hear. I know. This how I make a living. Every day, I motivate and inspire people to do things they would otherwise never have done. Over and over again, people tell me that just one thing I said to them shifted their attitude and refocused them on what’s really important to them. Motivation and Inspiration is my stock-in-trade. It’s what I sell. I am a merchant of hope and possibility. It’s all I do. But it’s a major part of what you do too.

So what do you need to do to become the surprise that others want to have? What kind of conversations do you need to have? What kind of actions do you need to take? What kind of standards do you need to achieve? What kind of contributions do you need to make? What kind of responsibilities do you need to take on? What kind of attitude do you need to have? What kind of person do you need to be?

In short, what will it take for you to be Amazing? I define “Amazing” as causing others to be delighted, thrilled, motivated, inspired, joyous, excited, or happy. When you’re Amazing, you restore others faith in their future. You remind them of what’s possible. You cause their rejuvenation. You become the bridge between where they are and where they can be.

Here’s what I know: over the past week, you have been Amazing. Maybe it was your impact on one person. Or maybe it was just for a few moments with a few people. Or maybe that’s who you already are. Now your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to consciously, constantly and committedly be Amazing. Say and do things that Amaze others. Make your goal causing others to be delighted, thrilled, motivated, inspired, joyous, excited, or happy and you’ll find you’re the primary beneficiary of your own Amazing behaviour.
So here are Lipkin’s seven steps to being Amazing (send me yours):

1.    Condition yourself for success. Be physically and mentally vibrant. Amazing others takes massive amounts of personal energy.

2.    Go deep on your specialty. Be extraordinarily competent. Know everything you can and can everything you know. Then share it with everyone who wants and needs it. The more you share, the more you grow. That’s why I’m sharing this with you right now.

3.    Reach out to strangers. Make the first move. Meet others much more than half-way. Open up the dialogue. Whether it’s at a cocktail party or a corporate event, initiate conversations with people you don’t know. And do it with authentic joy and love for them.

4.    Design what you do and say to cause others to be delighted, thrilled, motivated, inspired, joyous, excited, or happy. Whatever you do for a living, how can you make it Amazing? What do your colleagues, customers and communities really want from you? It may mean redesigning your process or your style. It may simply mean being aware of being Amazing. It may mean stepping back or leaping forward, but do it. Think Apple, Starbucks, Tim Horton, Sidney Crosby, Mandela, Your Grandfather, Your Newborn Niece, Clint Eastwood, Canada Goose, Cirque Du Soleil, Your Favourite Person, You-At-Your-Best.

5.    Make your environment your never-ending source of Amazing. Manufacturing your Amazing-Ability from within. Don’t rely on the situation or the people around you to Amaze you. If they do, that’s a gift. If they don’t, it’s an even greater gift. Remember: the time to be Amazing is when it seems impossible to be that way.

6.     Build a reputation for being Amazing. Train people to expect you to be Amazing. Then kick it up a notch every time. In a world where most people are concerned with their own survival, being fully committed to others “thrival” will fuel your Amazing Ability. Make big promises and then over-deliver. Risk yourself. Share yourself. Be yourself – at your best. Use all the media available to you. Make it viral. Encourage others to talk about your contribution and reward them for it. Appreciation is still the most valuable currency in the world.

7.    Inoculate yourself against cynicism. Give more than others expect, but don’t expect them to give you more. Treat reciprocation as a bonus. And don’t be derailed by others’ hostility. The more you expose yourself, the more vulnerable you become to criticism and even ridicule. It takes courage. It takes caring. Most of all, it takes an understanding of one primary truth: We all get just one life to share with everyone around us. So let’s live large and play big together.

I’d love to coach your team on the art of Being Amazing. So call me on 416-917-6007. And let’s light up some people together.

Toronto, 3pm, April 12 2010

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I’m back. Literally. I went to my native South Africa for three weeks to connect with close family, friends  and trusted advisors. Sometimes, even the motivator needs to be motivated. It takes a village not just to raise a child, but to sustain an adult. We’re only as good as the relationships we build with the most valuable people in our lives. Sometimes we forget that truth. We can become so consumed by our own mission that we neglect to nurture the inner circle that supports us at our core.

That’s what I did. I went from country to country, company to company, person to person, declaring my mantra of possibility – until one morning in early March I woke up feeling weary and depleted. As one of the world’s most energized people, those feelings scare me because they are the opposite of who I am. I cannot give what I do not have. My audiences instantly sense my authentic excitement about being with them – or the lack of it.

It was a wake-up call. And I heard it. I took some time to breathe, laugh and love the people who love me. And that includes you.

In that spirit, I’ll share some fascinating insights with you. They are drawn from the Environics 2010 Social Values Monitor that was just completed in March of this year. Environics is one of Canada’s leading research houses and the Social Values Monitor is our flagship syndicated research study.  It reveals that although Canadians may have fared better than many other countries over the past year, they have still been strongly impacted by the “Great Global Recession”. And even if you’re not Canadian, you’ll find these insights highly relevant. Canada is such a mosaic of diverse cultures that it is either a microcosm of the rest of the world or an advance indicator of it.

In the face of economic adversity, we discovered that Canadians are in a less curious and exploratory mood. A moderate “me-first” attitude has asserted itself, with Canadians less inclined to say that they feel responsible for others’ well being. They’re also likely to feel a little isolated from society at large.

Values associated with social tolerance and flexibility remain strong and the general attitude towards the future is caution not panic. But the key message of the 2010 survey is that Canadians are turning inwards: they have a desire to ride out the storm by minding their own business. They’re also seeking small personal pleasures and escapes along the way.  So we’re seeing a stronger urge towards “experiential consumption” – spending on products and services that offer an emotional pick-me-up in gloomier times.
Surprisingly, we also seeing that Canadians’ faith in business does not appear to have diminished. The value “Confidence in Advertising” has actually spiked this year as Canadians look for advice and tips about the products and services that will give them what they need to ride out the recession.

Canadians are also feeling weary and anxious. We’re seeing a marked uptick in anxiety with less national commitment to lead healthful lives. Canadians report diminished feelings of vitality. Whether it is their own economic struggles that have sapped their energy, or simply the sense of discouragement they may be absorbing from the media, Canadians feel they are in a slump that extends beyond their wallets. In the face of seismic change, our natural impulse may be to feel powerless, or at least less-powerful.

Hmm, what are You experiencing as you review the data. A feeling of familiarity? You can see that you’re not alone. The most prevalent theme running through all the companies with whom I’m working is that life has become a lot harder. Success and growth are a lot more elusive. Executing the plan, making the connection or closing the sale have become ongoing exercises in endurance.

Cutting through the cynicism, both one’s own and others, may be the biggest challenge of all. Cynicism is when one’s negativity becomes ingrained. It’s when one’s default attitude is that the future may be too difficult, too painful or “just not worth the trouble”. In a perverse way, it’s a comforting attitude to have: it helps one believe that it’s not one’s fault. One is not responsible. It’s the “world out there”, rather than one’s ability to influence it, that is the reason for one’s lack of energy or drive.

As the self-professed motivator-in-chief-to-the-world, even I struggle with cynicism, especially when I’m tired. “Fatigue makes cowards of us all”, said Vince Lombardi. That’s why Vitality is the most precious resource in these cataclysmic times. I define Vitality as “Being in touch with one’s internal energy source; the sense that one has great energy and one is dedicated to multiplying it every day; being acutely committed to sharing one’s energy with others; becoming responsible for other’s health, happiness, success and well-being.”

Vitality is far more valuable in adversity than it is in prosperity. When things are hunky-dory, it’s easy to feel vital. External circumstances automatically excite you. It’s in times like right now, that you need to burn brightly without burning out.

So here are Lipkin’s “Ten Vital Principles” to help you sustain your Mojo in the days ahead:

1.    Breathe deeply and deliberately. Focus on taking deep diaphragmatic breaths that begin at the base of your belly. Use your stomach as a set of bellows to blow oxygen throughout your body. My guide and mentor, Dr Bernard Levinson, taught me this basic technique during my recent time in South Africa. Practice it now: Sit straight. Place your left hand on your stomach and your right hand on your chest. Breathe slowly without moving your chest. Feel your stomach expand and contract as you inhale and exhale.  Oxygen is our essential fuel. The more we have of it, the less anxiety we feel. Get into the ritual of practicing deep, deliberate breathing all the time.

2.    Eat Right. Take a huge interest in what and how much you eat. It amazes me how few people are seriously committed to what they consume. All the information you need is directly accessible to you. Treat yourself like the athlete you really are. Eating right doesn’t mean denying yourself culinary pleasures, it may even enhance them.

3.    Get Moving. Emotion comes from motion. Explore the right movement for you. Get good advice. Take personal responsibility for your own well-being. Then reach out to others. Be a model of what’s possible. Resist the lure of inertia. Create the natural endorphins that make you happy, keep you young and build your strength.

4.    Be Still. Take time out. Find the quite within. Meditate. Practise your own communion with your higher self. Focus on feeling gratitude, humility, security, connection, love, possibility, growth, generosity, and, yes, Vitality.

5.    Have a Why. Have a reason to get up every day that thrills and excites you. I am thrilled and excited to thrill and excite you. It’s that simple. What’s your Why? If you have a big enough Why, you’ll always find the How.

6.    Make a Plan. Create your own strategy of personal effectiveness. Test it. Live it. Share it. Evolve it. These principles are my strategy. I’m sharing them with you because that’s how I evolve them. What are yours? Find the people who can help you create your plan. You’ll find you can help them even more.

7.    Develop Your Preeminence. Whatever you do, consciously become the best you can be. Then build your reputation project by project, person by person, result by result. Communicate your achievements without being boastful or let your actions speak for themselves. The world is a small place. Preeminence shines. People talk.

8.    Strengthen Your Inner Circle. Love the people who are closest to you, I mean really love them. I mean actively, consistently, dramatically, passionately and creatively demonstrating your caring. They may be your close relatives, friends, or colleagues. Communicate your commitment to them constantly. When the crisis comes, it’s your inner circle who will resolve it for you.

9.    Widen your network by doing good. Your network are the hundreds  of people beyond your inner circle. They are your scouts of opportunity. They should be drawn from diverse sources with diverse backgrounds. Seize every opportunity to make new connections – and I don’t just mean on Facebook or LinkedIn. I mean get out there. Attend the events. Visit the places. Strike up the conversations. Give way more than others expect. Be open to everyone and you’ll find everyone will open up to you.

10.     Relish this moment. It doesn’t take more effort to enjoy yourself. I have discovered that whenever I focus on how bad my life is, it gets even worse. But when I celebrate my reality, it becomes worth celebrating. That’s Lipkin’s Ultimate Law: Life is a reflection of how much you relish it.

Thank you for reading.  Please pay it forward. It’s vital.

Toronto, 10pm, February 4 2010

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Hi this is Mike Lipkin and I hope that February is flowing well for you, especially if you’re a Pisces or an Aquarius. From everything I see around me, we’re definitely going to need help from above. 2010 is going to be another year of crises, opportunities, chaos, and change. In other words, it’s going to be exactly the same as 2009. It’s also going to be exactly different.

It will be exactly the same because dramatic change is the only constant. And that’s the same reason it’s going to be exactly different. Every year brings a new kind of dramatic change. In 2010, it’s the kind that will crush you or catapult you. It will grind you to nothing or grow you into the next new thing. It will build you or bust you. In other words, this is the year that will erase mediocrity from the vocabulary. If you’re middle of the road, you’ll get run over. If you’re fair or average, you’ll barely earn enough to eat. If you’re good, you only qualify for the struggle. Even if you’re excellent, life is going to be hard, really, really hard.

So what’s it going to take to make 2010 the best year of your career? That’s my mission. I want to help you achieve professional Nirvana no matter what your external circumstances. My definition of Nirvana is when you’re free of worry, performing at your best, doing what you love, making a powerful contribution to people you like being with, and earning great money. Does that sound like the kind of year you want to have? Then enjoy this message and listen for the breakthrough that you need to hear. That’s why you’re listening right now. I’m about to say the one thing that will spark your personal resurgence and renewal.

Through my work as a global researcher, motivator and coach, I talk to over a hundred thousand people a year. Most of them are incredibly smart and successful. They have to be – just to make it to my sessions. Seriously, it’s only the best and the brightest that bring me into their enterprises. So I probably have one big advantage over you: I hang with more people. I see challenges from multiple perspectives. I’m also a media addict who reads, listens and watches everything I can access 18 hours a day. That’s all I do – I consume and produce insights that are designed to make people magical. Even when I’m sleeping, I’m plugged into some celestial station, conjuring up new ideas and phrases to boost people’s mojo.

So are you ready for some motivational magic? Then let’s explore the Top Ten Drivers of Success in 2010. These are the game-changers that will help you and your stakeholders win. As you listen to me, think about how you can share them with others as well. Pay it forward, and you’ll get paid very well.

1. Preeminence – Be Recognized as The Best or Be Forgotten: In a tight market, everything is on sale – even the best quality. Clients can afford to buy the best. Why would they settle for anything less? So ramp up your skills. Develop your capacity to be remarkable. Out-train, out-study, out-plan, out-perform your competition so you can be out-standing. And let everyone know. Broadcast your superiority from every angle – just like I’m doing now. You’re listening to me because, at this moment, I’ve convinced you I’m worth it. That’s my moment of private Nirvana – thank you for granting it to me.

2. It’s about Discipline – Focus on The Fundamentals: Barack Obama told you to put away those “childish things”. I’m telling you to shelve the bells and whistles. Avoid the bling that can blind you to the things that really matter. Concentrate on the core. Make every conversation count on the matters that count. Become known as someone who keeps the main thing the main thing. Get the right things right. And be relentless. Repetition is the mother of success. Talk about what matters and you will too.

3. It’s about the Customer Experience – Differentiate or Die: It’s not good enough just being the best. It’s about being Uniquely Rewarding. That means giving others the kind of pleasure they value deeply and can only get from you. It’s not just about being different. It’s about being indispensable to their well-being. It’s about becoming a constant, welcome presence in their professional lives. What would that take? Who would you have to become to deliver at that level?

4. It’s about Execution – Accelerate, don’t Predict: We’re all operating in a permanent fog of extreme volatility. A plan is only as good as the assumptions it’s based on. As things change, so must your plan. Whoever responds first, wins. “Instantaneity” is the new expectation – no lag time between events and your actions. The big don’t eat the small. The fast eat the slow. And remember: it doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be damn good.

5. It’s about Simplicity – Response-ability, not Bureaucracy: We’re all suffering from the new global plague – apocalyptic anxiety & overwhelm. We all have to manage unprecedented complexity with unprecedented penalties for getting it wrong. We’re drowning in data but we’re starving for wisdom. We’re desperately looking for people who will help us navigate our way through the storm, not hide behind a wall of policy and procedures. What kind of person are you?

6. It’s about Constraint – Do More With Less: You don’t need me to tell you there’s a lot less funding around. Everything is becoming smaller, except for government. So daring and imagination must replace money and manpower. Constraint and austerity must become your call to action. Scarcity is a beautiful thing. It liberates your internal abundance. Bring it on.

7. It’s about Authenticity – Be Real or Be Ridiculed: After the shocks and shattered hopes of the past two years, people are having a hard time trusting other people any more. Skeptism and cynicism are the twin filters through which we’re processing anyone’s promises to us. We don’t want smoke and mirrors; we want real people with real benefits that will make a real difference. We want to see people sweat on our behalf and we’ll do the same for them. The absence of authenticity is a guarantee of failure and rejection.

8. It’s about Individual Ingenuity: Every Person Makes The Difference: The best organizations are looking to every one of their people to create a better way. There is a direct correlation between corporate success and individual contribution. Positions don’t count, ideas do. There are no passengers or spectators any more; just players who love to help their teams win. Are you one of them?

9. It’s about Interdependence – United, We Win; Divided, We Lose: This is the driver that defines all the others. Everything can only be achieved through other people. It’s about magnifying others’ talent. The ultimate winners in 2010 will be “Force Multipliers” – they will multiply the impact of the people around them. They are the reason why the team plays at a higher level. What would it take for you to be that person?

10. It’s about Daily Renewal – Fly Light, or Sink Heavy: Every day is a new beginning. Every day is our entire life in miniature. Every day is a decisive pivot around which our careers could turn. So live every day like it’s your finest hour. Treat it with that kind of reverence and that’s how you’ll treat everyone around you as well.

This is Mike Lipkin and it’s been pleasure and a privilege lighting you up. Pass the torch on…

Orlando, Florida, January 9 2010, 11pm

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Happy New You, no matter how old you are!

Congratulations! You made it through 2009. Take a bow. I’m serious. I want to give you props. You endured a cataclysmic year. You rolled with the punches. You came back from the brink. You kept your faith. You’re ready for another year of drama, excitement, tragedy, comedy, wonder, discovery, contribution, heartache, loss, profit, pain and pleasure.

The purpose of 2009 was simple: to prepare us for 2010. It was a year of extremes. From the low of March to the relative high of December, the world was introduced to a whole new level of volatility. But despite the lingering shell-shock, and the inevitable future-shocks, the signs are bullish. Growth is returning. A cautious confidence is emerging. But it’s inside a more brutal reality. Abundance has given way to tightness. There is still massive opportunity but it’s not hanging low off the ground. To succeed in 2010, we’re going to have to go way out on a limb – where others are afraid to go. Where others see fear, we need to see opportunity.

In the Chinese zodiac, 2010 is The Year Of The Tiger.  The Tiger is said to be lucky. The Tiger is also said to be incredibly brave, evidenced in his willingness to engage in battle or his undying courage. Maybe he’s so brave because he is so lucky. Or maybe he’s so lucky because he is so brave. The bottom line is that in 2010, Luck will favour the Brave.

I have been a motivator and coach for almost seventeen years. I make a living sensing the environment, scanning the trends, and intuiting the winds of change. I believe that 2010 will be a Big Year for people who are willing to be Tigers. Why? Because the majority of people are running scared. The shocks of the past two years have wedged themselves deeply into the collective psychology. “Safety First” is the filter through which the vast majority of people will process their world in 2010.

And you know what? They’re wise to do so. It’s brutal out there. The ice is a lot thinner than it used to be. One wrong move could sink you. The price of failure is much higher and the probability of failure is much greater. Avoiding failure is a sane strategy to follow. But avoiding failure doesn’t equal success because success demands failure. Hmmm, what do I mean?

Success in 2010 requires exhaustive exploration and experimentation. The world is being reconstructed. The rules are being rewritten. The game is being reinvented. New players are entering the game. Existing players are either becoming better or they’re going bust. Everything is being redefined, all the time. Every industry, including mine, is being shocked and rocked by crises that cannot be anticipated because they’re so new. It’s not the circle of life; it’s the circus of life.

So, in this new environment, you can’t play it safe if you want to win. You have to risk yourself in the pursuit of the unprecedented. The best insurance comes from being the best. And being the best demands that you imagine, dream, design, visualize, or strategize a better way- beginning now. That’s what I’m doing with these words. I writing them for you but, as importantly, I’m writing them for me. I’m crystallizing my own philosophy for success in 2010. I’m galvanizing my mental resources to magnetize massive success.

I’m serious. As you read these words, you’re thinking about how you can win, right? You’re becoming conscious of your need to succeed and how you’re going to meet it. And who is helping you do that? Me, of course. I’m becoming your go-to guy for inspiration in 2010. And who are you going to tell? Everybody, right? And how is that going to benefit me? They’re going to read these words. And the cycle will continue. The more people I reach, the more successful I become. What’s your plan?

Here’s the core insight of this blog: in an environment of constraint, you have to set yourself free. When there are fewer resources, you have to become resourceful. The winners in 2010 will use constraint to create abundance. Internal resources such as imagination and daring will replace external resources such as money and manpower. Look around you. I mean really look. Look in places you’ve never looked in before. Talk to people you’ve never talked to before. Read things you’ve never read before. Listen like you’ve never listened before. Become a detective of opportunity. It’s all there. It’s waiting for you. It’s just hiding. It will show itself when you’re ready.

But there is a price to pay. Right now, the possibilities are incubating inside of you just like these words were incubating inside me. The fact is I had to invest the time and energy to write them. I had to stop procrastinating. I had to face the bogeyman of the blank page. I had to wrestle with my own doubts. I had to find the words you needed to read. You decide whether I succeeded.

If you want to have a phenomenal 2010, be a Tiger…

Toronto, November 14 2009 11.05am

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We’re almost at the finish line. That gorgeous Christmas break is just a few short weeks away. I can smell the holly. I’m exhausted. No I’m not. I’m excited. No I’m not. I’m happy. No I’m not. I’m doing my best work. No I’m not. I’m anxious about the future. No I’m not. I’m healthy. No I’m not. I’m loved and appreciated. No I’m not. I’m a Champion. No I’m not. I’m going to win. No I’m not.

Feel familiar? Feel like every day has been an emotional yo-yo? Feel like Courage and Fear are playing hide and seek in your head? Feel like Control slips in and out your grasp like greased jelly-babies? That’s how I feel. Hour-by-hour. What’s happening on the outside massively magnifies what’s happening on my insides. I meditate. I pray. I exercise. I focus. I talk. I vent. I share. I declare my mantras. I hug my family, my friends and my dogs. But still, my emotions imbalance me. Just when I think I’ve got it all sorted out, it all comes apart.

That’s the way it is for me. My constant buddy is the little tension between my stomach and my heart. It reminds me to stand on guard for everything. It also alerts me to everything marvelous. It calls me into gratitude and it goads me into action. It’s the reason why I love my life and it’s the reason why I’m scared I could lose it all. It’s always been there. But this year it’s become tighter and sharper.

That’s how I feel in the final few days of 2009. And here are the Seven Key Lessons this magnificent savage of a year has taught me:

1. There is no such thing as seen-it-all-before. This time it’s truly different, even when it’s not. Even when you think you’re seeing what you know, sense what you don’t. New doesn’t always confront you head-on. It’s often sheathed in the illusion of the familiar. Same-old, same-old has become all-new-all-the-time. Your clichés will kill you. Your naiveté will set you free. So look, listen and learn like you’re always being confronted by the unprecedented. If you’re open to everything, everything becomes and opening to the next thing.

2. Pandemic and contagion are breeding the New Resilience. H1N1 and The Great Global Financial Crisis have been the two overarching catastrophes in 2009. Both were hailed as potentially fatal in their own way. Both hurled the world into bouts of panic and despair. And yet, as we near the year’s end, we’re still standing. H1N1 is turning out to be milder than the hysteria escalated it to be. The markets are recovering strongly. Nine out of Ten People still have a job. Reality may be a little grimmer. But people are toughening up. They’re building their capacity for challenge and change. The paralysis lasted for about six months – from September 2008 to March 2009. Then people were galvanized into action. The fabulous few are leading the desperate many. The Few will become many. They always do.

3. Results are exponential but causes are incremental. Collosal breakthroughs are created one value, one thought, one action, one habit at a time. The Great Ones understand that grind leads to genius. Sweat runs into inspiration. The winners in 2009 worked their guts out. They’re willing to pay the price that super-success demands. But their actions are guided by awareness. They think while they work. They never default to automatic pilot. They always seeking a better way that’s why they’re way better. Giant leaps are always a series of small steps invisible to those on the outside.

4. Real, live, face-to-face, human contact is as important as oxygen. It’s the great technological paradox. The more technology enables remote communication, the more people crave closeness and connection. All the Big Wins I’ve witnessed this year were initiated by up-close-and-personal interactions before they were amplified by digital connections. Humans are designed to be together. Isolation leads to alienation. Creativity is a collective activity. That’s why meetings are coming back. People need to be around other people. United, we win. Alone, we shrink, struggle and suffer.

5. Belief is more important than information. Faith is making a comeback. I’m not talking religion here. I’m talking about belief in oneself, belief in one’s cause, belief in one’s colleagues, belief in one’s community, and belief in action. Every one of my clients is operating within an information-deficit. We can never know everything we want to know before we act. There is always the moment when someone decides to commit the resources, the people and the time to the mission. How do you know when that moment is the right one? Believe it

6. The winners are making an acute effort for health and vitality. 2009 was brutal. It pushed all of us to the edge. But it’s just the first period in a whole new game. We may all aspire to being masters of the universe but we’re all just bundles of skin, muscles, organs, bones, nerves and blood. And we’re all aging. In North America, half of us are over 40. And the older we get, the more maintenance we need. One of the biggest trends tracked by Environics is “Effort for Health” – the pursuit of the mindset, activities and nutrition that maximize personal wellness. We all know we should make this effort. The winners actually do it – every day, in every way. No alibis. No excuses. No retreat. No surrender. Are you one of them?

7. Reputation is everything: Philanthropy will get you a lot more than you give. What began in 2008 will extend deep into 2010. The global recession has a long way to go. It was caused by rampant self-interest and magnified by infinite ingenuity. Greed was exacerbated by self-delusion on a cosmic scale. We all teetered on the brink. Now that we’re on our way back, we’re acutely aware of how precarious the recovery is. Governments have fuelled the beginning, but it’s up to every one of us to take it to the next level, and then the next, and then the next. I depend on you and you depend on me. I’m declaring my interdependence with you. I promise to give you all I can because I need you to pay it forward so we can all get paid back. It’s the New Philanthropy: a powerful concern for human welfare and advancement because we’re all a function of each others’ well being. If you want to thrive in 2010, give away your time, your money and your ideas while you let the world know exactly what you’re doing. A reputation for philanthropy will make you a lot of money.

That’s it. Those are the lessons I’ve learnt. What about you? Let me know. In the meantime, relish the last few weeks of this magnificent year. Suck up the final few challenges it will most certainly throw your way. Be so awesome that the people around you are inspired to do the same. If you can, they can. Reach out to them so they can reach the finish line with pride and gusto. It’s the Festive season. Be the reason why others celebrate.

Las Vegas, Saturday, October 3 2009 10.40pm

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It’s almost Halloween. How scary is that? We’re on the cusp of 2010. 2010. It sounds like a movie – a cross between science fiction and a reality show. In fact, it sounds like my life. It’s getting more fascinating all the time. But it’s also getting more brutal. I’m raising my game every day, but my clients’ expectations are rising even faster. Have you noticed that even Great isn’t good enough any more?

Even being the best may not be good enough if someone else has reinvented your industry. Everything is mutating so fast that direct comparisons may be impossible. Success doesn’t automatically accrue to you because you’re best-of-breed, especially if your breed is becoming extinct. I know. I make a living with my mouth – the oldest technology in the world. I’m a communicator in a world where communication is the super-solar energy driving everything else. I’m in competition with any other form of communication through any media by any person competing for my audience’s bandwidth. Yeah. I can go insane just thinking about it. There are so many magical people creating so many magical breakthroughs every second that I have to become my own Personal Alchemist.

What’s a Personal Alchemist? It’s someone who has the power to transform something of little or no value into the substance of Great Value. It’s someone who has created the secret sauce that entices, enthralls and spellbinds others. It’s the amalgam of preparation, mastery and imagination. But it’s also much more than that. It’s a touch of the divine. It’s the moment when you know you’re experiencing something as close to perfection as it can be in that moment. Those are the moments I chase and cherish. And here’s the big AHA: I find them because I’m looking for them. Tens of times a day. My life is not defined by the breaths I take. It’s defined by the moments that take my breath away. They’re all around me. And they’re all around you. In fact, you may be a Personal Alchemist waiting to happen.

Think about the people with whom you live and work. How many Personal Alchemists do you know? Think about the services and products you consume every day. How many are delivered to you at the level of Leadership Alchemy? Think hard now. There are more than you think.

And here’s the biggest question of all: How many people have you enticed, enthralled and spellbound today? Maybe more than you think. Give yourself credit. Modesty is not always the best policy. Unplug yourself a little, or maybe a lot. I don’t care what you do for a living. I care what you do for others’ lives.

I know the concept of being a Personal Alchemist may be a little extreme for some of you. But let it breathe. It’s your success channel. In fact, it may even be your lifeline for survival. Someone, somewhere is creating the new chemistry of success for your customers. So how can you guarantee that your customers only have eyes for you?

Hmmm. It’s a big audacious ask. It may even be impossible. But today’s impossible is tomorrow’s ho-hum. Now is a good time to begin. And here are ten ways to accelerate your progress because your competitor is right behind you. Maybe she’s even overtaking you. You’ve got much less time than you think to discover the universal elixir of your business.

Lipkin’s Ten Ways To Become a Personal Alchemist:

1. Make Reality Your Friend: your world is conspiring with you to help you win. It’s your laboratory of success. Everything is a base metal waiting to be turned into gold. Everyone serves a purpose. Crises are there to clarify your thinking and electrify you into inspired action. Even the bad times are good for you. You have to believe this truth because the alternative will shut you down.
2. Focus Will Set You Free: whatever you focus on, you move towards. And whatever you focus on moves towards you. In every situation, there’s always One Main Thing at the source of everything else. What’s your One Main Thing? Are you looking for all the right things in all the right places? What are they? I’m looking for inspiration, elegance, wisdom, beauty, generosity, ingenuity, and eloquence – to name just a few of my favourite things. They’re all the raw material for my One Main Thing: Exciting People.
3. Travel Light: Heavy people can’t soar. The past is heavy, man. Let it go. Your grudges, biases, fears, certainties, attachments resistances, doubts, ideologies and self-righteousness are weighing you down. Opportunity cannot land in cluttered places. So create the space for genius to breathe. Discard everything that doesn’t liberate you. The past is a great servant but a shocking master. Be light. Delight. Enlighten.
4. Play From Your Sweet Spot: Leadership Alchemy is attracted to inner congruity. That’s where you are fully integrated. It’s the confluence of your What, Why and How. What is the unique compelling value that you deliver to others? Why are you so passionate about delivering it? How are you delivering it every day? Here’s mine: I electrify people into powerful action. I love to see people get big results by playing big. I train, I learn, I share, I give, I explore, I love, I dream, I write, I talk, I thank every day. How about you?
5. Be Open To Everything: Frustration is not an option. Nothing is wrong, unjust, unfair, shouldn’t-be-happening, or stupid. If it’s happening it’s meant to happen. There is a reason. Find it. Use it. Don’t be resentful or resistant. Don’t complain. Don’t fight it. It may be the opposite of those things you think it is. And all those people who are bugging you? They may all be your teachers. They may be giving you the answers if you choose to listen. Remember: be open to everything and everything will be an opening to everything.
6. Courage Is The Right Side Of Fear: Courage without fear isn’t courage. It’s recklessness and stupidity or, even worse, insanity. Fear is the gift that sharpens your senses and immunizes you against complacency. Fear protects you against inertia, provided it’s the right kind of fear. It’s the kind that adrenalizes you, not paralyzes you. October may be the scariest month. That’s why I like it. I’m addicted to my fear. It’s what driving me to write this blog on a Saturday evening in Las Vegas before I go out to play. My fear is my friend. It’s what will keep me forever young. I’m serious. My fear motivates me to learn more, be more, do more. How about you?
7. Declare Your Compassionate Commitment (All The Time): We are living in times of apocalyptic anxiety. The one thing that others want from you more than anything else is certainty – the certainty that you will help them win against all odds. So declare your commitment to their success. And follow through. All the time. If people trust your intent, they’ll forgive you for the mistakes and breakdowns that will inevitably happen. So talk, then act. Then talk, then act. The word precedes the action and the action validates the word. Everybody wants a champion to help them win. Be one.
8. Embrace Heterarchy: It’s the opposite of hierarchy. It’s a belief that leadership should be flexible and fluid. It’s the principle that teamwork is more effective than autocracy and that leadership must be earned. Are you earning yours? How are you winning the followership of the most valuable people in your life? And are you being a great follower? Destroy your title. Build your reputation as someone who leads, follows or gets out of others’ way.
9. Model What’s Possible: Look around you. Others are waiting for you to go first. They’re depending on you to show them the way. Just as you’re relying on them to do the same. We’re all angels with one wing, we can only fly while embracing each other. So be conscious of yourself, but don’t be self-conscious. Inspire others with your actions. Be the reason why they do those things they otherwise would not have done. And keep your worst to yourself. Form your inner circle to which you can turn in your darkest moments, just as they can turn to you. But to everyone else, shine brightly so they can see where they’re going. And remember: either you will be a model of what’s possible, or you will become a warning of what could happen.
10. Discipline Yourself: Make your priorities non-negotiable. Leadership Alchemy is mercurial. It will get away from you in a  heartbeat and you may never get it back. So procrastinate later, do them now. You owe it to yourself. You cannot give what you do not have. The you of tomorrow is totally dependent on what you do today. Do the right things right and the results will follow.

That’s it. Thank you for reading. Tell me what you’re thinking. All power to you and yours. And happy Halloween!

Toronto, 5.21pm, Sunday, August 23 2009

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It’s always hard conjuring up the right thoughts to enable my readers to be remarkable. No matter how often I write these blogs, it never gets easier. The blank screen is always an intimidating sight. Finding the relevant words and organising them into compelling sentences and paragraphs gets more difficult every time.

Surely, it should be simple by now?  Surely, the words should just flow?  Surely, the process of writing should be quick and smooth? Or surely not. Last week I realized it’s meant to be hard. It’s meant to challenge and stretch me. The greater the resistance, the greater the benefit. Without the barriers and blocks, my mind can’t develop itself. It’s the very hardship that makes the effort worthwhile. There’s a direct correlation between exertion and excelling.

It’s called gravity. Without it, we become weak and stupid. Our minds, muscles and bones waste away. Literally. According to the Globe and Mail (08/20/09), fit and robust people blast into space and return six months later a much frailer version of themselves. They are prone to dizziness. Their muscles are thinner and weaker. And listen to this: their bone density has decreased by up to 12 percent – around eight times faster than it would have on earth. Scientists say it’s like aging at warpspeed.

What’s the moral of the story? Intensify your personal gravity. Take the path of maximum resistance. Take on impossible tasks. Be unreasonable in your expectations of yourself and others. Celebrate your crises. Bless your barriers. Love your losses. Marvel at your mistakes.  Make friends with your frustrations. Honour your opposition. Embrace your enemies – both inside and out.

Here’s what I’m discovering: happiness is not about plain-sailing or easy-riding. Those moments are there merely to prepare us for the next monumental challenge. It’s not about the pursuit of expedience by evading problems. It’s about the pursuit of mastery by seeking them out. Run towards the bear. Remember Napolean Hill’s immortal words, “Within every setback or obstacle or disadvantage there is the seed of an equal or opposite or greater advantage or benefit.”

By the way, I’m not just talking about raising your mental game here. I’m encouraging you to increase your physical exertions. If zero gravity wastes away your muscles and bones, the opposite must also be true. Go push against some resistance. Let them see you sweat. The season of leisure is almost over. Game on…

7.10am, Friday, August 7 2009

We’re into the Dog Days of August. Long, slow, humid, hot days washed down by cold beers is the way it’s supposed to be. This is a time for languid movement and luxurious reflection. It’s summer time and the living is easy. It’s the hiatus before the storm as we prepare for the action that explodes after Labour Day. Or is it?

August is the new September. All around me I see the signs of commercial awakening. On both sides of the border, I see more than green shoots. I see bursts of colour as the green shoots begin to flower. Financial services, Health-Care, IT, Energy, Automotive, Government – they’re all coming back. New businesses are being ignited, older businesses are reinventing themselves, the best are getting ready for a Great Fall.

I’m having my busiest August since I arrived in Canada in 2001. I’m running with a pack of clients who have adapted to the new realities. They know it’s tough. They know their markets are tight. They know their margins are sliced. They know their Customers are hurting. They know the competition is intense. But they also know this is the best time for the best to bring out their best. Anything less means oblivion. I’m serious. Survival and winning are becoming the same thing. Either you demonstrate your superiority or someone else eats your breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Have you noticed that even the Celsius levels have dropped? August isn’t hot and slow any more. It’s cool and fast. So if you’re on vacation, enjoy. Kick back and relax. But think about how you’ll kick your game up a few notches next month. Plan your moves. Imagine the possibilities. Relish the opportunity to think not do. Prepare to be preeminent – that’s where you become the benchmark by which all others are judged. What would that take? Who would you have to be? What would you have to create? How far would you have to go? And how can you get there with passion and grace?

Some things to think about on this first Friday in August. Let me know your thoughts as well.

Rest Easy Today. Hunt Well Tomorrow…

Toronto, July 16 11.20pm

Last weekend, I attended the Paul McCartney concert in Halifax as a guest of my friend, Barb Stegemann.

From 9.00pm to about midnight, McCartney wowed the audience of 50,000 people. He looked lean, fit and tanned. He is 67 years old but he looks younger than me at 51. For three hours, he sang, chatted and charmed his way through almost five decades of hits. He didn’t rest, he didn’t pass off the load to anyone else. He worked intensely for his audience’s love and respect. He seemed to relish every moment and by the end of the night, he looked like he could carry on until morning.

That’s why I want to be like Paul. Not because he’s a global, ageless icon. Not because he’s supernaturally talented. And not because he’s been gifted with Peter Pan genes. I want to be like Paul because of his hunger for more. I want to be like Paul because of his need to work. I want to be like Paul because he craves adulation and adoration just like everyone else I know. I want to be like Paul because he’s living proof that adolescent possibility never goes out of style. Yup, I want to be like Paul because he has never fallen out of love with his gift. He hasn’t succumbed to the siren call of self-destruction. He seems oh-so normal as he practices his craft with enticing insouciance.

Age does have something to do with it. We’re all temporary phenomenons. But while we’re here we can live each day as though it were a concert aimed at thrilling a small city. That’s what I got from Paul. Work it as hard as you can. Let them see you sweat. But let them also see your mastery and hear your voice. It’s about the show. And it always goes on…