Are you one of those people? You know those people. The ones that like to tell you about the latest conference that they went to. Or in every conversation they include some “gem of knowledge” from a speaker they heard. Sometimes you think “What’s with that person?” Or “Why are they always going to conferences?”
Conferences, seminars, and the like are important. We should all be that person that I described above. It means that we’re excited about the information that we got and that we anticipate a change in our lives.
The past two weekends I’ve gone to two very different conferences and we should all go to conferences. The first conference that I went to was to Jeff Goins’ Tribewriters Conference. It’s a conference geared at writers, authors, bloggers and creative people. The other conference that I attended was called ManCamp. A conference for men wanting to grow in their raltionship with God. For me I needed both. Here’s why you should attended conferences.
1. Community
Men tend to isolate by nature. We also can carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. Going to conferences provides that sense of community. It at least puts you in the same room with other people who want the same thing as you. Sometimes men struggle with establishing and building relationships with other men. You have to fight that feeling of being isolated. Conferences are a great way to fight that isolation.
2. Growth
Conferences are great for self development and growth. Between the various speakers and activities you should expect to be challenged in some way. That’s a part of the whole experience. Take advantage of the conferences and the things that challenge you. Your growth as a person depends on you willingness to step up to the challenges.
3. Focus
There’s something to being able to get away from the normal routine. It doesn’t matter if the conference is local or if it’s in another town, attending a conference allows you to disrupt your normal routine and gives you the chance to focus on something specific. I usually like to get out of the town that I live in. It adds a level of disconnect from my normal world and routine. It allows for more focus.
Discussion Question:
Why do you like conferences?