The Number 1 Post Conference Mistake and How to Avoid It
Contributed by Idea Collective Member:
Laura Hulleman
Endotype Branding
"Another Idea Collective Retreat in the rear view mirror."
Were you able to attend this year or did you miss it? No judgement, just try not to make that mistake again next year. If you attended, likely you are on a high, super excited about implementing some of the things you learned.
Right now is the time to exercise caution or you could easily make a mistake that will slow down your business, instead of speeding it up. This mistake can happen not just after a conference, but also after reading an inspiring book or binging a great podcast.
So, what is the mistake?
The Biggest Mistake you can make after a conference
If you are like me, you leave a conference pumped up and energized, with a notebook full of great action steps. As you reflect on your action steps and remember the speakers you find yourself thinking, “Wow, Precious really overcame so many obstacles. I can’t believe she presented to a room of investors and left with $500,000 in her account. See…if I could only pitch like Precious, then I could get people to buy my product.“
Or do you remember Mike Michalowicz explaining how to keep expenses in business low (a great idea) and start to laugh thinking about at his impersonation of turtle toothpaste. “He was so entertaining and taught a huge lesson. If I could just speak like Mike, and maybe get that second zoom camera he had, then my workshops would fill up.“
If you have found yourself thinking, “I need to be more like…” fill in the celebrity, then you are on the edge of making a dangerous mistake in your business. This type of thinking is a warning you have stopped applying actions steps, and begun trying to be someone you are not.
there is only one precious williams. There is only one mike michalowicz. There is only one you!
Trying to BE Mike will seem inauthentic and off-brand. Any amount of inauthenticity will down your business, causing your team and clients to suddenly be suspicious of you. The solution is to see the conference like a buffet (P.S. we had some great buffets at the conference too – thanks Pat!).
When you load up your plate like a buffet, you don’t take everything. If you don’t like peppers you won’t take them. If the chicken looks dry, you choose the beef. A buffet allows you to pick and choose what you will take away with you.
Information works the same way. Your job is to decide which of the great points is for you, and which ones aren’t. This can be a challenging process. The key will be discerning if it is in alignment with who you are, how you operate, and what you do. Some of the information presented was just not for you.
If you try to use something that isn’t in alignment with you, it will feel like wearing shoes that are too small. For a little bit you think, “Oh, I will get used to these.” But the longer you try to be something you are not, the more it will pinch and squeeze.
Girl, take off those shoes! Was Precious less powerful after taking off her shoes? NO WAY! She didn’t need them. And you don’t need to try to be someone you aren’t.
So avoid the conference trap. Before you start changing how you do business, make sure it is in alignment with who you are already. use that as your guide to applying action steps. It will save you so many mistakes in the next 12 months.
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Contributed by
Laura Hulleman
Endotype Branding
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