Toronto, October 28, 8.10am

Last night, I did my daily workout at the Toronto Athletic Club. It’s an upscale gym whose members are drawn primarily from the surrounding downtown professional service community. Besides the gloomy atmosphere created by the TV report on the global stock-market meltdown, I also noted that there were less people working out. The usual  5.30pm rush wasn’t materializing. Could it be that people are less motivated to work out when they’re less motivated in general? Could it be that people  have less energy in a downturn? Do crises drain people of their discipline? When people are anxious, do they take less action?

Maybe. Determined action requires concentrated energy. If the energy is a function of the environment, then it will decline when the environment declines. Look around you. You’ll see there is less energy around. Worry wears away the spirit. Fear weighs us down. It’s hard to think, laugh and be creative when we’re focused on how-much-worse-it-will-get-before-it gets-better. The new normal is more sombre, sober and serious. It’s heads-down, not heads-up.

Here’s my message of the week: Brighten-up. It’s better than you think it is and you’re bigger than you think you are. The best performers are fuelled by an inner optimism, irrespective of circumstance. Obviously, boom times make it easier to be optimistic. When the tide is rising, everyone is lifted. It’s when the tide momentarily turns against us that we need to consciously dial up our commitment to being preeminent.

Preeminence means being the best that you can be in that moment. Some moments are more difficult than others. Your pre-eminence today may be different to your preeminence tomorrow. You take most out of the situations that take the most out of you. So wherever you are, be aware of who you are being. Be aware of how you’re acting. Be aware of what you’re saying. Be aware of your impact on others. Be aware of where you’re looking and what you’re finding.

Here are Lipkin’s Five Questions to help you trigger your pre-eminence:

·         Is this the best I can be right now?

·         Is this the most I can do right now?

·         Is this the most I can give right now?

·         Am I inspiring others right now?

·         What am I learning right now?

“Right Now” is the only thing that counts so make it count. If you want to stand out, be outstanding. Raise your energy, heighten your impact, expand your contribution. The wins will follow…