Should You Attend Events & Conferences?

Are you a business professional? Are you a future or recent college graduate? If so, you are probably wanting to learn more and meet people within your industry at every chance you get. One excellent way to do this is to attend business events and conferences. There are a quite a few reasons doing this and the reasons will benefit you and your work or business to a far greater extent than you can imagine.

First of all, you have an opportunity to meet people in person that you wouldn't otherwise have access to & you can connect in a way that is superior to virtual meetings . Think of the top leaders in your industry and the likelihood that they are conducting some type of major live event such as a national conference that you can attend. While you can meet people virtually (through video conferencing software such as Skype or Facetime) and through teleconferencing and webinars, there is something special about being in person. Making it out to these type of live in-person events means that you can interact with your leaders and colleagues on a more human level to include sensory perceptions such as touch and smell.

Next, you are able to learn from the successful people who have the results that you want to achieve. This is a great way to absorb insights from others that you may have missed or just haven't learned yet. Doing this also keeps you at the cutting edge of your industry as you are staying up-to-date with what is working and what is not working in your field of expertise. The information that you learn at these type of live events are like 'golden nuggets' that you can then go back and apply to your work or your business making you more valuable and increasing your credibility.

Finally, by getting out of your local market to attend major live events you are getting out of your comfort zone and getting out of your own 'backyard' - so to speak. Traveling to another city (if the conference happens to be in a city other than your hometown) is considered a luxury for many people but it can also be a great way to move your skills up to the next level, not just something to do on special occasions.

In conclusion of this article, think of any upcoming events that are happening in your industry if you are a business professional or a savvy college graduate. If you are considering attending the major live events - whether you have to travel outside of your hometown or not - then consider the benefits versus the downside. There are are few reason to keep in mind including: meeting & networking with industry leaders and colleagues, learning from those who are successful so that you can apply up-to-date & cutting edge info into your business or work, and getting out of your comfort zone & having a specific reason to travel outside of your hometown.

Have you attended any live conferences or events in your industry? If not, to you plan to in the near future? If so, tell us about your experiences in the comments section below...

Turn Problems into Something Positive

What problem(s) are you experiencing right now and how are you coping with the inevitable obstacles life throws at you?

Each of us has encountered some type of problem throughout life – ranging from small nuisances to major life changing setbacks. One important thing to remember is that it’s not necessarily about the problem itself but your perception of the problem & how you handle it.

Is it really possible to keep things going positively when your problems seem to be overwhelming you emotionally? I believe the answer is YES – You can turn any problem into something positive if you are empowered enough to change your outlook. This requires leaving the victim mindset and taking action towards what you want by turning the problem around.

If you think for a moment about how troubling a current problem is to you and what steps you can take to resolve problem(s), then this will help improve your life experience greatly. Here are a few tips to help you get a better handle on managing the problems that you encounter in life:

• Face the problems head on – avoiding the problems only make them worse than they have to be.
• Tackle problems step-by-step – break down major problems into something than can be managed in increments rather than all at once to prevent becoming overwhelmed
• Get support – get help from those who are able to help you cope with problems you face. This can be therapists, coaches, church leaders, etc. Someone who has overcome a similar problem and is able to remain an objective, non-judgemental listener and guider
• Plan for avoiding future similar problems – although we can’t avoid problems altogether, we can learn from them so that we don’t continuously make the same mistakes

No matter what type of problem you have, you can take the negative experiences and turn them into something good.

This concept seems quite simple but is very powerful. It came about as a result of me reading The Attractor Factor. In it, the author Dr. Joe Vitale writes about a past experience in which he overhears Mark Joyner’s conversation with a man giving his sad personal story when Mark said “Turn it into something good”.

Joe’s acryonym for turning your problems into something good:
T.I.I.S.G = Turn It Into Something Good

Your problems don’t have to define you or hold you down, they can be sources of something good that can alter the course of your life either for a positive or a negative. It is ultimately your choice.

Here is an assignment for you to do right now:

Write down and answer the following,

1. What is the problem that you are currently experiencing?
2. What steps need to be taken to resolve the problem?
3. Who can help you with this problem?
4. How can you turn this problem around and form it into something good?

Have you had experiences turning your problems into something more positive in your life or the lives of others? Let me know what tips or insights you have on this topic in the comment section below.