Where I was a week or so ago...

[Guest guest]

I never mentioned to everyone where I disappeared to when I was away a week

or so ago. I attended a life insurance industry conference in downtown

Toronto. The highlight of the meeting for me was the Keynote speaker, Mike

Lipkin who is a world renowned motivational speaker. I bought his book and

his CDs.. they are wonderful and so uplifting!

There's lots of great free stuff on his website, please check it out.

http://www.mikelipkin.com/

He has what he calls the 12 Personal Best Practices. He explained 6 of them

to us in his keynote address. I couldn't help but think of all of you when

he mentioned things like ...

Habitual Generosity:

The free flowing giving of time, money, energy or emotion; the constant and

proactive search for ways to add value to others, especially when it's tough

to do so; offering more than others think is wise; impeccable kindness and

courtesy to strangers; ongoing investment in the emotional equity of others;

insurance against hardship and isolation; acquiring immunity against

despair; becoming the kind of person who attracts success; inviting the

favours of angels.

Adaptive Navigation:

Having the flexibility & mental openness to adapt to unforeseen events that

interfere with the realization of one's goals; discovering, developing &

implementing alternative strategies & tactics to achieve one's goals;

unbreakable belief in one's own ability to solve any problem; personal

conviction that there are always favourable options in any situation;

enthusiasm for technology as a powerful tool for responding to the demands

of everyday life; use of a strong personal purpose as a compass to guide

oneself through massive change; perpetual fascination with life and all its

challenges.

Human Connectivity:

Being relationship-centric; always consciously going for the magic in

others; rewarding others for the privilege of their presence; cross

pollinating other people's potential; never feeling rejected; listening with

our Third Ear; doing the Rapport Rumba; standing for something meaningful in

the minds of our personal network; having a conscious will to do those

things that we instinctively feel uncomfortable doing.

Global Citizenship:

Sense of belonging to the world, not a country; being continually fascinated

by what's happening in other countries and cultures; learning through

travel; acquisition of knowledge, skill and ability through international

and intercultural encounters; ownership of many international reference

points to help resolve local challenges; massive edge over more sedentary,

less mobile compatriots; hybrid of human creativity and mobility that is

being driven by radical mixing