Hi this is Mike Lipkin. It’s December 8 2013 and it’s time to celebrate the conclusion of another extraordinary year. Congratulations. You’ve earned your holiday season. Take a bow and take a breath. Pause, and plan for 2014.
Here’s what I know: 2014 will be nothing like 2013. The opportunities will be fresh. The crises will be strange. The problems will be unprecedented. The experiences will be novel. The results will be unexpected. And by the end of the year, you will have won.
I’m aware of the contradictions in what I’m saying. Firstly, how do I know that 2014 will be nothing like 2013? Secondly, how do I know that you’ll be celebrating your wins this time next year?
I know because everything changes all the time. I know because the present is never the same as the past. I know because the best of us evolve in sync with our world. I know because winning is a mindset.
I also know because the data show the trends defining the traits of winners. My insights are derived from my personal interaction with thousands of winners globally, the media and the acclaimed Environics Research.
Here are Lipkin’s Top Winning Trends for 2014:
1st Winning Trend: Intergenerational Mentorship is the engine of champion teams. The values of human beings from 25-65 are converging. Youth are growing mature and the mature are growing youthful. We are all beginners in the game of life. So seek out and respect others’ perspective, especially if they’re a different age to you.
2nd Winning Trend: Gender Fusion is bringing men and women closer together. Women are becoming more like men and men are becoming more like women. So shed your stereotypes. Embrace your inner-other-gender. Have some fun. Make some noise.
3rd Winning Trend: It’s hip to be hopeful. Optimism is back in style. Pessimism is so passé. There are so many opportunities to grow and niches to own. Those who believe in the beauty of their dreams are the ones that are making them come true.
4th Winning Trend: Movement is the movement. We’re counting every step because every step counts. Fit is fashionable at every age. Sitting pretty isn’t cool. The chair is not your friend. From software to bracelets to shoes, we’re being encouraged to walk and talk. Mental resilience comes from physical stamina.
5th Winning Trend: Everyone is a media figure. We’re all avatars. Our virtual presence impacts our personal wellbeing. What happens in Vegas stays on YouTube. The digital world overlays the physical one. Perception is reality. Our public and private personas are being mashed together. Our reputations are not just on the line, they’re online.
6th Winning Trend: Talk is money. Real, live conversation is the currency of success. The number of organized physical meetings are growing at the twice the rate of the economy. In the face of cataclysmic change, people crave face-to-face interaction. We’re all motivational speakers. Social intimacy is the antidote to alienation and anxiety.
7th Winning Trend: The meaning is the message. No matter what we make, we want to make a difference. We want to inspire others and be inspired by others. We’re migrating to the people, brands and businesses that demonstrate their values and their value. A powerful sense of purpose helps us make sense of what doesn’t make sense.
8th Winning Trend: There are zero degrees of separation. We’re all part of each others’ ecosystem. Openness is the only option in pursuit of progress. We only as good as the results we achieve for others. It’s not just about the win, it’s about the win-win. All success is a direct result of the contribution we make to others.
9th Winning Trend: It’s about the thrill. Beauty is more than skin deep. Form is as important as function. We want the WOW in everything we buy. Winning means bringing flair and élan to whatever we do. Excellence is a given. Now we expect to be amazed, seduced and charmed.
Lipkin’s 10th Winning Trend: Courageous Discipline is the secret sauce. Winning in 2014 means putting oneself out there. It means training oneself relentlessly to take big leaps and shoot for the moon. All the distractions and the noise cannot put us off our game. In an Olympic year, we’re all athletes competing at the highest level.
This is Mike Lipkin and I wish you a winning 2014.
