Hi this is Mike Lipkin and it’s November 11 2012.
It’s been two weeks since Hurricane Sandy hit New York and New Jersey. Sandy seemed even more catastrophic than Katrina because it was so close and I know so many people who were devastated by it. Even though Toronto was on the outer perimeter of the storm, a massive tree was blown over in our garden onto our house, costing us almost three thousand dollars in removal and repairs.
According to today’s issue of the New York Times, Sandy was a boon for the Mad Max Economy, the multibillion dollar a year collection of industries that thrive when things get really, really bad – generators, batteries, candles, weather-radios, kerosene heaters, industrial fans, lanterns, flashlights and sump pumps. Even the demand for gas cans is phenomenal. Sales of emergency radios and flashlights rose 220% in the week after the storm – not just in the affected areas but across the US. It seems that mindfulness motivates consumers all over the continent to be prepared in case of a similar event. “ Jonathan Dick, director of sales for Ready Stores, says, “This industry is very event driven. When there is a hurricane like this, or the stock market crashes, we see crazy increases in demand.”
Aaron Jagdfeld, CEO of Generac, a major producer of generators, states that major storms typically create an immediate demand for portable generators and the demand from Sandy was unprecedented. He envisions a day when standby generators will be as common as central air-conditioning. “It is the next must have appliance.” He says.
So what does the Mad Max Economy mean to your life, irrespective of where you live?
Winter is coming. The economy is flatlining. The fiscal cliff is looming. A financial meltdown could be coming. A double dip is pending. Life is becoming one long Halloween. It’s scary, baby. But where there’s fear, there’s opportunity. The time to buy is when the mud is running in the streets.
The leaders are concentrating on their core. They are focusing on their fundamentals. They are getting the right things right. They’re training for the endgame. They’re saying yes to the things that count and no to the things that don’t. They’re developing a lean culture that can pivot on demand – that means abruptly shifting direction or strategy in response to changing circumstances.
We all need to act like the next storm is coming. That doesn’t mean running scared. It means being super-prepared. It means being so prepared that others turn to us for guidance and safety. So what does that take?
Firstly, it takes mental and physical fitness. Whatever happens next, it’s going to be extreme. It’s going to be exhausting. It’s going to take deep personal reservoirs of stamina and resilience. So build your capacity now. Train your mind and body to be ready. There is a gym near you waiting for you to register. There are presentations and ideas waiting to be developed. There are people waiting to collaborate and connect with you. Now is a good time to get going.
Secondly, it takes confidence. That means knowing you will win under any circumstances. But winning doesn’t mean someone else loses. It means you expand the possibilities for all your stakeholders. That’s the power of thinking exponential, not incremental. One idea that is beautifully executed can change your world. So stretch for it. In cataclysmic times, playing small doesn’t count. Big storms demand big solutions.
Thirdly, it takes communication. The greatest antidote to anxiety is community. We can handle anything collectively. Talk is powerful. Nothing happens until someone speaks to someone else. No matter how old we are, a warm human voice in a trying time is the sweetest sound we can hear. Even when we think we’re just communicating the facts, we’re really sharing emotions. So reach out and motivate someone. Talk directly to others. Everything else is a substitute. In the decisive moments, texting or tweeting just doesn’t cut it.
Fourthly, it takes one day at a time. Even decades come in twenty-four hour packages. We can do it all, we just cannot do it all at once. The Mad Max Economy demands that we prioritize right, right now. When one is eye to eye with the tiger, one cannot be distracted. That may be our greatest challenge: to switch off the noise and find power in the silence within.
That’s it. My priority was to inspire you right now. Giving you confidence has given me confidence. Now I’ll work out. Then I’ll connect with my beautiful wife over a great meal and it will all be ok in the end. And if it’s not ok, it’s not the end.
