#1. Protect Your Thinking. Fear-mongerers have come out to play amidst the meltdown of the global economic markets. The news is mostly negative. The water-cooler chat is mostly bad. The word on the street focuses on the worst that is. But what’s the truth? Yes, I’ll agree that these are challenging times. But I’ll also say there’s never been a better opportunity for you to be an excellent leader. Stay focused on the opportunities that have presented themselves to add more value to even more customers. Train your brain to block out the negative and work amidst the positive. Turn off the TV. Put away the paper. And get to work on presenting the genius that you are meant to be to the world around you.

#2. Take the long view. You will never go wrong in doing what’s right. With the turmoil out there, it’s easy to let go of your closely-held values and cut corners when it comes to ethics. The fast buck might look like an easy way out. A quick deal with the wrong person might look like a solution. Cutting corners on a product or service might look a little attractive. And yet, you will never regret sticking to your business and personal values – being the most ethical person you know. This tough cycle will pass. And your customers will love you for staying true to you.

#3. Outwork your competition. Hard work and constant forward movement is the formula for leveraging the difficult conditions into opportunities for greatness. I know that sounds a little “motivationalspeakerish” but I do believe it’s true. Few things get you to BIW (Best in World) in the work you do as working really hard and standing for brilliance in your chosen career. Leadership is all about doing what’s right rather than what’s easy. And what’s right is an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.

#4. Stay Strong. No point in letting the stress and challenge of these interesting days ruin your health-or break your spirit. Tough times make great leaders. Maintain the champion’s mindset by reading uplifting books, associating with excellent people and making time each day to renew your self. Oh, and take good care of your health. Please. Now isn’t the time to neglect daily exercise. And those who don’t make time for fitness must eventually make time for illness.

Being an ‘evangelist’ has negative connotations in the world we reside in. But an evangelist, by definition, is simply someone who spreads good news. It’s someone who gets stick on a big idea or a passionate cause and then walks out and spreads the message like a virus. It’s someone who gets so engaged in doing something important that it’s all he thinks about, dreams about and talks about.

It’s a human being who understands – at cellular level – What Dr Martin Luther King Jr meant when he said: “If you have not discovered something you are willing to die for, then you are not fit to live.” This troubled and uncertain world of ours needs more evangelists: human beings doing great things, blessing lives by their actions, making a difference.

Where did most people’s passion for the greatness go? Each of us had it as kids. We wanted to be superheroes, astronauts, poets and painters. We wanted to change the world and stand on mountain tops. Then, as we aged, life began to work on us. Disappointments began to show up and life began to hurt us. We started thinking that and we should not high too big or love too much. It breaks my heart to think about it. But that’s exactly what happens.

You are meant to shine. You are here to find a cause. You are meant to find something that your life will stand for that will consume you, something so beautiful and meaningful that you’d be willing to take a bullet for it. It might mean developing people at work and helping them work to their highest potential. Your cause might involve elevating communities or helping people in need.

When you find the mission that your life will be dedicated to, you’ll wake up each day with that fire in your belly. You won’t want to sleep. You’ll be willing to move mountains to make it happen. You’ll find that sense of internal fulfillment that may now be missing from your life. And you’ll preach that message to anyone who’ll listen. You’ll become an evangelist.