Biggest BIN2010 Lesson Learned: Watching the Examples of Leaders and Friends

The last few days at Blog Indiana’s BIN2010 were an absolute whirlwind. Liveblogging, catching up with friends, helping out wherever possible. I even pulled out the old Valet skills and handed out parking tickets the first day. I still don’t think there’s a “niece who was volunteering.” jk

Of all the great lessons I learned (as well as the many marketing mistakes I found I was making) the number one thing I saw was how people were organizing themselves.

So after the afterparty, as I laid on the Lawn at White River listening to Government Mule, I started to look through the clouds to find the stars. I structured how I’d get through, and when I finished my thoughts I realized:  I was making lists.

It’s what I did to get through writing books of blues. It’s what I did to get along the career path. I was just hoping my mom was wrong and that I’d never have to make another list for my personal life ever again. They’re claustrophobic. The commit me. “Commitment,” there’s a concept that puts one on the line.

And the resistance takes control. But…

…as I spent those days in Indy watching friends do book signings and moving forward to the next task while all the while my now-infamous books of blues are still in editing, life felt like it flew right by me – like them 5 days in Indy.

So when I got home I had the Sunday dinner with the oldold man. Then I got home, put my stuff in my room and…caught up on television. After 2 hours, I turned off the TV (as nice and new as it is) and swore at myself for five minutes till I got moving. Then I grabbed a goblet of water, put my clothes away, started laundy, cleaned up my room and put down all my goals I want to accomplish by the end of 2010.

• Personal
• Professional
• Extra-cirricular
• Skills
• Daily Regiments

I even put them all in a spreadsheet.

Now not everything feels so daunting. Maybe there’s something to these organization things my mother was telling me about when I wasn’t listening.

Some day I hope to speak at BIN, just to say that BIN2010 was the kick in the ass that got my life over the hump. I’ll find better words to phrase it.

Time to go to bed. One of my new daily goals is to be an early riser.

THANK YOU SHAWN AND NOAH for letting me help out, and to all those who made BIN2010 so special for me! The event really has become the yearly time-of-reflection for my professional.

Mecca, so to speak.