Founder and president of Environics/Lipkin Mike Lipkin brings out the best in leaders and employees around the world. He’s built an enviably successful global research and motivation company, and is the author of numerous bestselling books. His personal expertise provides organizations such as Deloitte, P&G, Pfizer, Wells Fargo, and GE with the tools to take powerful action and achieve pre-eminence in their workplaces. One of those tools is helping people avoid the pitfalls of indecisiveness. In the blog post below, we’ve shared Lipkin’s three principles for making up your mind:
Make up your mind to be great at one thing that is valuable to others. In my case it’s inspiring people into successful actions. I coach, persuade, motivate, cajole, nudge or push people out of their comfort zones. I’m always developing my craft through study and practice – just like I’m doing now. What have you made up your mind to be great at? Why is it valuable to others? And what are you doing to develop it?
Make up your mind that the future is getting better all the time. We’re only as good as what we expect to happen next. If you’re pessimistic about the future, your problems will become self-fulfilling. If you’re excited about tomorrow, you’ll pull the future towards you. Go looking for reasons to be elated. For example, in the January 7 2017 edition of the New York Times, Nicholas Kristof wrote, “2017 was probably the very best year in the long history of humanity. A smaller share of the world’s people were hungry, impoverished or illiterate than at any time before. A smaller proportion of children died than ever before. The proportion disfigured by leprosy, blinded by diseases like trachoma or suffering from other ailments also fell.” Wow! I’ve made up my mind that 2018 will be even better. I’m fascinated by the magic of change. I can’t wait to see what happens next. My best days are just ahead of me. It’s always Day One.
Make up your mind to be act intentionally. Evaluate your impact on others. Be the best version of yourself in every conversation. Hold yourself to a higher standard. Feel the pain, fear, fatigue, frustration, disappointment, and be extraordinary anyway. Become the reason why people believe in the goodness of others. Train yourself not to lose your temper. Be cool if you want to be hot. Practise, practise, practise.
Today is a great day to make up your mind to be great. You don’t have to be perfect, just perfect enough. You will have so many opportunities to step up, stand out and shine, no matter what the weather. Seize them all. Train people to expect you to wow them in ways both big and small. First, you’ll amaze yourself. Then you’ll amaze everyone else. This is Mike Lipkin, and until the next time, hunt breakthroughs, expect miracles.
Make sure to check out the video Lipkin posted on improving the decision making process above.