The Great Bifurcation (a forking into two paths): Are you rich or are you poor?

Toronto, January 25, 8.45pm

Last Friday, I spent the morning with the staff of the Yonge Street Mission in downtown Toronto. Their calling is to “demonstrate God’s love, peace and justice to people living in economic, social and spiritual poverty in Toronto”. As we shared ideas with each other, it occurred to me that many of the people I know are living in poverty. I am. You might be. Not all the time, but too much of the time.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary defines poverty as: Any deficiency of elements or resources that are needed or desired, or that constitute richness; as, poverty of soil; poverty of the blood; poverty of ideas. Poverty is a relative term. Lipkin’s definition is “a lack of personal resources required to thrive in current circumstances”.

Right now, current circumstances are not as outwardly abundant as they were prior to the Great Slowdown. The Gross National Product of America and Canada is declining dramatically month by month. We’re all being economically impacted. But here’s where the Great Bifurcation begins: many people are feeling poorer not just financially, but emotionally and socially too. They’re struggling to make sense of the New Reality. They’re into Self-Preservation and Withdrawal as they seek shelter from the storm. You know these people. They’re the ones who begin each conversation by telling you how much they’ve lost, or how angry they are at someone or something for the current economic debacle. I’ll make this confession to you: sometimes that person is me.

When I hear myself being that kind of person, I cringe. And I stretch for the other path in the Great Bifurcation: becoming the person who thrives on crises, challenge and external deficit. This is the person who has the faith, the commitment, the ingenuity, the joy, the perspective, the connections, the capacity, the generosity, the patience and the humanity that constitutes personal richness, irrespective of current circumstances. It’s tough. I have more material, financial, social and physical resources than 99% of the people around me, and yet I feel the powerful gravitational pull towards personal poverty. I’m compelled to focus on what I don’t have, what I can’t do, what’s too difficult, what’s not right, what shouldn’t be happening, what’s gone wrong, who has done me wrong, what could go wrong. This blog is my way of stopping my slide. It’s my way of re-minding me what I am, who I am and what my mission is: to excite people into powerful action. Right now, I’m actively reaching for the higher path in the Great Bifurcation. I want to be rich in optimism, energy, possibility, contribution and gratitude. I want to be the guy who makes other rich. I want to be the reason why someone took the right path for himself as he entered the dark woods of the unknown.

Here’s the crucial point: Be consciously vigilant. Do not walk blindly down the path to personal poverty. There are too many people who may follow you there. Override your inclination to worry, anxiety or underestimation of your personal power. Back yourself. Be courageous. Prepare yourself to be rich. Invest in the only asset that will pay increasing dividends: yourself. That’s what I’m doing now. I spent the day with my family. I worked out physically. I listened to some great music. I read some great words. And now I’m writing the best words I can. I feel richer knowing I’m helping you feel richer. Now it’s up to you. Invest in yourself. Reap the dividends and pay it forward…

And by the way, if you want a concentrated two day program in getting richer, come to my program in Toronto on March 27. See http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz8eA-V8t7Y

You can also see me on February 20 or 23 – visit http://www.powerwithin.com/4105/emails/Lipkin_2009/