How Will You Do 2020?

Did waking up on the morning of January 1, 2020 – the first day of our new year and decade – feel any different to you?

Did it make you wonder how wisely and effectively you invested all your time and energy over the past ten years? Did it provide pause to reflect on and weigh the wins and losses? Triumphs and tragedies?

For me, the holidays allowed ample time to ponder two things:

1. How did an entire decade whoosh by so freakishly fast?
2. What was the real value of that ten-year stretch – the many accomplishments, heartbreaks, and powerful lessons learned?

If you experienced similar thoughts, you might still be taking stock and evaluating the last decade of your existence on this planet and you plan to make happen over the NEXT 10 years.

Has your perspective shifted over the last ten years?

Perspective either makes problems appear inflated or possibilities appear infinite. Perspective either brings you comfort or keeps you confined by fear.

As 2020 begins, I am dedicated to exploring ideas that transcend business and branding, by exploring what makes us tick at a deeper, more human level.

Which is why January 2020 seems like the perfect time to focus on the value of perspective – how the passage of time, distance and space permits us to see the world with fresh eyes on this edition of Leaders & Legends.

Picture what the world was like in early 1920.

Europe was still recovering from the ravages of the nightmarish “war to end all wars” and people were anxious to turn the page and start dreaming again. The automobile was all the rage. The world’s first commercially licensed radio station opened for business in Pittsburgh and after decades of protest. Women were finally given the right to vote. 

So, in the midst of all this roaring optimism, Robert dared to publish an article in Popular Science describing how rockets would one day launch ships into space. 

It was an audacious, rather plucky piece of work that stoked public imagination. But, of course, it also drew harsh criticism from the “experts” including the all-knowing New York Times. In a scathing editorial, they excoriated Robert’s concepts, insisting a rocket couldn't possibly work in space. And they didn’t just roast his idea – they turned it into a personal attack.

"That professor Goddard only seems to lack the knowledge ladled out daily in high schools." THE NEW YORK TIMES, January 13, 1920

Whether its debating the future of space travel, global warming, electric cars, education, social justice, social media, or issues with today’s youth, a deeper understanding of history helps explain why two people can look at exactly the same thing and see something totally different. 

That’s why perspective is needed now more than ever. 

With clear and present perspective, you can vividly see:

• The gift that young people like 8-year old Ryan are bringing us each day with their energetic optimism and boundless creativity
• The human connection created by the bonds of social media that inspires ordinary citizens to raise massive amounts of much-needed support for worthy causes like help for Australia.
• The dream of self-determination for anyone who wants to make their mark on the world is literally at our fingertips. Just ask Rajen Ruparell and Mike Gettis of Endy and the 88 million reasons how they successfully disrupted the mattress industry. 
• How real leaders like Barb Stegemann can make positive change happen through ethical marketing. Where does it say anymore that marketing is defined by cheesy, gimmicky ads, exaggerated hype or delivering oily pitches to work self-serving angles? What if the future of effective marketing is no longer about b.s. and fluff? What if it’s about doing real work that matters to someone who cares as deeply as you do?

And one more thing.

What if time-tempered perspective can also help us resist those impulsive urges to blurt out angry, mean-spirited opinions without bothering to verify or know the true facts?

Or worse, condemn another person and post it for the entire word to see, knowing full well there are at least three sides to any story. Yours. Mine. And the truth. 

Many of us believe the world has become a more petulant, self-absorbed and unforgiving place BUT there is some solace in knowing it’s been that way for centuries. The only real difference is that we are witnessing these lesser human qualities all over the Twitterverse every bleeping second.  In many respects the swirling, twirling Attention Economy is also conspiring to make us lose sight of the value of gaining much-needed perspective through the quiet passage of time, space and distance.

Which is why it’s always a good idea to take time every once in a while, and just … stop. 

Pause.

Reflect. 

Go for a run. Meditate. Walk in nature. Hug a tree. Find a chapel to pray. Do whatever you need to unplug and find stillness.  

Recharge. 

Having clear perspective and clarity is an absolute necessity.

Otherwise you run the risk of a daily existence of your face buried in a phone; assaulted by a dizzying number of selfies and self-serving status updates. 

“Oh …. if only we could go back in time when things were simpler and easier”. 

Hey, when I was a kid, it was perfectly normal to ride a bike without a helmet on your way to school where teachers could dish out corporal punishment. You could stay out until way past dark with neighbourhood friends. It was also perfectly normal back then to buy a gnarly George Carlin record on the sly and giggle insanely with your friends about “The 7 Words You Can’t Say on Television”, knowing that your buddies would never rat you out. Our collective memory banks are stuffed to the gills with fond recollections of nostalgic moments, but to be honest, not sure how that Carlin record would hold up today.

Hindsight being 2020, we can also see how it was back then that our world was dealing with its fair share of problems. Gay rights, civil rights and women’s liberation movements. Watergate and let's not forget the daily threat of nuclear annihilation as the posturing of two Cold War rivals made us believe they could detonate the planet with one push of a button. 

It’s the same game as it’s always been, but now you get to play the game differently. 

26-year old Jonna from Sweden has figured this out.

It's not what you’re looking at each day that matters.

It's what you see and decide to do something about. 

Will 2020 be your turning point?

Will it be your year and decade to reset and re-calibrate? Decide what really matters and the lengths you will go to stick your neck out for the stuff you believe in? 

And the critics be damned.

Robert Goddard’s disruptive theories on rockets would eventually be vindicated by the 1944 launch of a German V-2 guided ballistic missile. But it wasn’t until three days before the Apollo moon landings that the New York Times finally admitted their mistake. 

"Further investigation and experimentation have confirmed the findings of Isaac Newton in the 17th century, and it is now definitely established that a rocket can function in a vacuum as well as in an atmosphere. The Times regrets the error." JULY 17, 1969

With clear perspective and a little human rocket fuel, there is no telling where 2020 will take you. 

Let us know in the comments section where you’re planning to go.

Safe travels my friend.

It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow. ROBERT H. GODDARD

p.s… there is a chance you may have never heard of Robert Goddard, but his legacy lives on for everyone who dares to develop an original idea that no one else will believe in. As a thin, frail and painfully shy 16-year old from the Boston area, Robert became interested in space after absorbing the H.G Wells science fiction classic, The War of the Worlds. |Once Robert's imagination took over, the rest, as they say, is history.

NOW BOOKING FOR 2020 / 2021 ... BIG LITTLE LEGENDS!

The language of brand speaks to humans in a way that is metaphorical, meaningful, emotional and symbolic. The language of business communicates in a way that is logical, literal, mechanical and analytical. How then, does a business leader – in any industry – any product/service category become fluent in BOTH of these vitally important languages?

This unforgettable keynote/workshop (and preview of the forthcoming book) is designed to challenge accepted notions of how long-term brand-building really works these days. It forces leaders to re-think what's possible and the role they play in creating modern-day legacy. It's entitled BIG LITTLE LEGENDS - How Everyday Leaders Build Irresistible Brands.

Planning a Speaking Event?

The wheels of business turn faster each quarter and your company or industry association may be busy making plans to stay ahead of the lighting-fast relevance curve. In that spirit, we are knee-deep in booking events for 2020 and 2021 with organizations like Vistage International, Raptor Mining and the National Truck Equipment Association to dramatically rock their next conference with keynotes and workshops that inspire audiences to acquire “STADIUM-SIZED PERSPECTIVE”. For booking inquiries, feel free to reach out and contact us.

Other Resources for You to Explore:

If you are a CEO, Senior Executive or Business Owner who has attended one of our speaking events, consider this as an open invitation to schedule a 20-minute Discovery Session. It's a great, no-strings way to bounce ideas just to see where they land.

Purchase the critically-acclaimed, NUTS, BOLTS AND A FEW LOOSE SCREWS. Available at Chapters.ca and Amazon.com.

Get daily updates and continue the DISCUSSION on FACEBOOK or visit www.gairmaxwell.com

"Everything you can imagine is real"  PABLO PICASSO