“If you have a body, you’re an athlete, says Nike. We’re all competitors in the game of life and 2011 has been an amazing race, but it’s almost over. It’s a sprint to the finish line. It’s also a sprint to the starting line of 2012 – The year of the London Olympics. That’s what I’m training for. I want to be higher, faster, stronger, lighter, fresher, edgier, newer, sharper, gutsier and nicer. I have to be. 2012 will demand a whole new level of execution. I believe it will be a breakout year…
I know I’ll be ready for the surprises, crises, cataclysms and shocks of 2012 on one condition: I have to let go of everything that doesn’t serve me anymore. I have to travel light. That’s the only way I’ll get to my goals…
It`s about being able to fast forward by acting now – knowing that failure leads to winning and winning requires more failure. It`s also about resilience and idealism in equal measure. The one is the bodyguard of the other. Everyone is enthusiastic at the start of the game, but it`s how they play to the end that counts. As Vince Lombardi said, fatigue makes cowards of us all. Trying to hold on to what`s past will ruin one’s future. There is only what works right here, right now. That’s why my new mantra is “Touch The Ground Lightly. Embrace The Temporary. Say Yes To Impermanence And Portability. “
What do you need to let go of? How can you be remarkable? What do you need to reduce, repurpose or reinvent? How are you building your resilience for a phenomenal 2012? What will it take to bring magic and joy to your colleagues and customers? I’m doing my best to answer these questions. That’s why I’m creating this message. And that’s why I’m recreating every assignment and every engagement for every client. If it’s not customized, crisp and fresh, it’s a waste of time. And that’s the ultimate sin where time is the resource we’re all competing for.
I hope the rest of 2011 is the best time of your life – why would you have it any other way? Choose to make it so. Be a model of what’s possible. Others will follow your lead while you follow theirs. It’s never too late if you begin now.”
(excerpts from Mike Lipkin’s latest blog insights)