June 17, 2006

Seth Godin, Seminars, & What I Almost Missed

published this at 12:20 pm

Choosing to Go Isn’t Easy

They say that when the learner is ready the teacher appears.

061506 Seth Godin and Liz

I had the privilege of attending a Seth Godin seminarthis week. My closest friends can’t believe I managed to get there.

Getting to a seminar is a problem for me. There are so many seminars, and there’s so little time. I have a problem choosing. I don’t really like to commit my time. I really like learning, but I’m leery of things that look like school.

Learning is task that I do by myself. A seminar is a BIG DEAL — It’s an investment of time and money. I have a whole speech that talks me out of such things. I can call that speech up in a second.

“NO WAY! Can’t afford it. No time. Too much to do. Need to be working, not spending. That would be fun. That would slacking. . . . taking the easy way. Can’t buy folks’ wisdom just ’cause I feel like it.”

What a crock!

It’s a great speech. It’s not a valid argument . . . but it works when want to talk myself out of something. It’s not about time or about slacking. NO WAY, No time is my back door to avoiding something that I feel is risky.

Attending a seminar is saying out loud that I want to learn something.

What if I go and it’s not what I thought? What if I don’t learn anything? What if I fall off my bike?

The answer’s the same to all three questions. But you knew that. I had to learn the hard way. I skipped the seminar on the value of seminars. If had skipped the Seth Godin seminar, I would have missed so much more.

Seth Godin, Ann Michael, and a Wealth of Ideas

Going to the seminar had all of the hassle that going anywhere has — transportation stress, different city, a hotel, new people, schedule changes, packing, unpacking. It also shook up my routine just enough for me to see myself and the world in new ways . . . and to uncover the hidden benefits of attending seminars. If you haven’t been to a top-notch seminar in while here’s what you’re missing.

What a phenomenal pay off on what was a small investment for what I got. I’ve grown in how I look at my business, how I define my brand, what I will offer my readers, what I promise my clients, and how I see myself taking my business forward.

I’ll never have trouble choosing a seminar again. I know what to look for — a world-class speaker, who attracts world-class participants, and a topic I want to learn more about. That’s it. Imagine. I almost missed it all. Seminars are now part of my strategic plan for growth. Thank you, Seth Godin, for showing me what a good seminar can do. Thank you Ann for your ideas too.

Have you had experience with seminars lately? What criteria do you use to choose them?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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6 Comments to “Seth Godin, Seminars, & What I Almost Missed”

  1. June 17th, 2006 at 1:08 pm
    ann michael said

    Liz – It was great to get to meet you and spend some quality time (my feet still hurt!). It’s always fun and educational to spend time with people you that see the world from a different place than you do. Thanks for the kind words!

  2. June 17th, 2006 at 1:10 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Ann,
    You were, indeed, a highlight of the trip. I can’t believe the added value you proved to be. Seth should include you in all of his seminars. :)

  3. June 17th, 2006 at 11:55 pm
    Marianne Richmond said

    Glad you thought it was worthwhile…I was curious to find out. The participants make all the difference at onferences and seminars…and I guess in blogs as well!
    Marianne

  4. June 18th, 2006 at 5:51 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Marianne,
    Thanks.
    I did think it was worth it and I wouldn’t hesitate to go to another by Seth. He uses a good structure to ensure that his participants both participate and get individual value from the seminar — no matter the number of people in the room.

    I think the real key is making sure that the presenter is of the highest quality — the same way with blogs, as you say. :)

  5. May 9th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
    My Top 5 Successful Bloggers Who Made a Difference - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You’re only a stranger once. said

    [...] Godin Last June I went to a Seth Godin seminar with Ann Michael. I usually find plenty of reason not to attend such events. But the combination of [...]

  6. June 27th, 2008 at 7:17 am
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    [...] 2006, I returned to that same New York neighborhood for a Seth Godin seminar. I met Ann Michael. there for the first time. As we walked around the city, I’m sure I told [...]

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