I just returned from a very expensive 3-day marketing conference. I have always gone to a lot of conferences and taken great pride in attending every session I could jam in. I took home volumes of handouts and volumes of notes. Very little action was accomplished afterwards.
This time was different. I attended carefully selected sessions. I left when my brain was full or my body was weary. (The brain cannot absorb what the seat cannot endure!)
I took few and very selective notes (and there were NO handouts!). On the plane home I sketched out the basics of a totally new product and the marketing plan to go with it. That one idea all by itself - which is already in process - was worth all the time and money I spent.
What was different?
I attended only those sessions that applied to ME and my business now. When I was tired, I stopped. I skipped sessions and spent time thinking and figuring out how to apply the brilliant conclusions that I came to...which actually came from a conversation -- NOT from the speakers!
And I TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION and implemented one idea that will be amazingly productive! Maybe I'll get to something else later; maybe not. But this ONE idea was worth it!
NOTE: I fully understand this process (high selectivity etc.) is NOT a good game plan for the novice. Novices need to be there. They need to hear a volume of information; a volume of stimulating ideas. They need to learn enough to build a strong foundation. Only then are you able to recognize gold when you see raw ore.
But the time comes for all of us when we have learned enough and it is time to focus only on what we can effectively IMPLEMENT. School's out. Action's in.
Attending conferences is always a good idea because you'll meet other people who are in various phases of growth. And you never know when you'll have that very lucrative conversation that will provide you with an amazing and DO-ABLE strategy that will change your business --and maybe your life!
And as Huxley said, "The goal of life is not education, but ACTION!"
