Toronto, June 21 2011

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Today is my favourite private holiday – it’s the official start of summer. The season that reminds us how good it can be. In fact, the Random House Dictionary defines Summer as “the period of finest development, perfection or beauty previous to any decline.” Well, we’ll all decline at some stage but Summer is now. Our period of finest development, perfection and beauty is now. So let’s revel in it.

Today came just in time. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been playing hurt a lot this year. I’ve been tired. I’ve been stretched to straining point. I fell down seven times, stood up eight. I’m still standing but I can feel the fatigue like extra pounds on my body. I believe I can fly, but my wings need a rest.

It’s been a huge year filled with unpredictable moments of delight and disappointment. I won what I didn’t expect and lost what I did. In fact, that’s become my new normal. Past results are no longer an accurate guide to the future. They may even camouflage impending decline.

The biggest phenomenon I’ve witnessed this year is the collective Inflection Point we’re all experiencing. Our pathways are being recurved. Our professions are being redefined. Our businesses are being re-formed. Our industries are being fragmetized and re-constructed in strange and thrilling ways. It’s not just about change, it’s about imagining the right-now-future while we execute it.

There isn’t a single leader I know who isn’t feeling a little shell-shocked by the size and speed of the revolution impacting their business. The great ones are stepping up their game while they inspire their people to do the same. They may not have all the answers, but they’re asking great questions.

So how dramatic is your inflection point? What step-changes are you going through? Are you ahead of the curve? Or are you behind eight-ball? Or both? Or are you so busy doing that you haven’t taken time out to even consider the question?

The German Philospher, Nietzche, said, “Things which matter most should never be at the mercy of things which matter least”. In other words, the Urgent should not take precedence over the Important. Doing should not occur at the expense of Thinking. Re-acting should not replace Pro-acting. And yet, that’s the norm. We’re running as fast as we can to stay in the same place.

The future belongs to those who prepare for it. Plan is a verb, not a noun. The signs are all around us and within us but we don’t see what we’re not looking for. So this summer, take a deep breath and relax. Release yourself from the tension and angst of your everyday concerns. Stretch out. Take the pause that refreshes you.

So here is Lipkin’s Summer Recipe for Lifetime Success:

1. Get into a Relaxation State of Mind beginning now. Think Summer – the period of finest development, perfection or beauty. Think about the people, places, things, food, experiences, and feelings that make you joyous. Imbibe the warmth. Get away in the next two months. New environments spark new ideas. Add to your collection of fabulous experiences. It’s going to be a whole new ball game for all of us in the Fall. We’re going to have to bring our A-Game every day until next summer. So relish the moment and replenish your Mojo – while you do the same for everyone else. I’m off to the Greek Islands in a few weeks, but I’m already in holiday mode while I’m working.
2. Look at your life through Fresh Eyes. Imagine you were someone new coming into your world. What would they see that you’re not seeing? What surprises would they find that may currently be hidden from your view? Why would they love being you? What would delight them that you’re taking for granted? Perspective is a view from a place where you are not. So go to that place. Look at things differently and you’ll develop different points of view. That’s why talking to others is so important. They are a mirror that enables us to see ourselves clearly. There is an ancient African adage that states, “A person is a person only because of other people”. So reach out and talk to someone.
3. Envision what you want to achieve in the next year. Envision why you want to achieve it. Envision how you’re going to achieve it. Envision who you will become. Paint a clear picture in your mind and share it with people you love and trust. Then look at it multiple times a day until it becomes real. Broadcast it on YouTube if you wish. Declare your intentions to the world and the world will conspire with you to make it happen. I’m living proof of this truth. I see myself as a preeminent coach to amazing leaders. I see the material I’ll produce to achieve that goal. I’ll be the relentless source of possibility and excitement that charges others up. It’s done. I’m in lag time. Yes!

Have a great summer! Relax, Refresh and Re-envision yourself so you can be hot, hot, hot in the Fall.