Friday
Jul132012
I Went to World Domination Summit 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
Last weekend, I went to Chris Guillebeau's World Domination Summit 2012 in Portland, Oregon.
I flew there in an airplane, of course.
I almost immediately found myself at a party with sumo wrestling suits, ping pong, a dunk tank, people doing yoga, food carts, a balloon artist, and a real, live marching band.
I was surprised at how I felt as soon as I was there. I felt such a strong pull toward each person I spoke to. It was both exhilarating and exhausting.
So I went back to the hotel early and slept. Life is way too freaking intense, maaaaan.
I spent most of the World Domination Summit listening to powerful storytellers like Brené Brown and Scott Harrison and J.D. Roth and Susan Cain.
They made me want to run back to my hotel room and let the words run away with me. They don't just say You can do it! They say You can do it! And there are practical things you can do to get you there if you want to work really hard! These people mean what they say.
It's refreshing when there are so many who are willing to pep talk you to death with inane shit about how you are awesome and hot and can do anything you want to just because you believe you can because the Secret and faeries and unicorns are all real in your heart, and what is real in your heart is what creates the world, because egomaniacism rules the universe or something.
I just made egomaniacism a word. So there.
The question leading the conference was "How do we live a remarkable life in a conventional world?" What I heard most throughout the weekend was that we all have this immense power to lead interesting lives and put more good out into the world if we are willing to put ourselves out there and do the work and leverage our available resources. This is what I live by, and it was uplifting to be around so many people who know this, too.
I have a strong aversion to talk of the relationship between love and/or personal growth — be it spiritual or otherwise — and one's ability to become wealthy and/or successful.
I want to be clear that the WDS speakers themselves did not directly reflect this philosophy, but there is often a thread of I-became-a-better-person-and-the-money-followed running through these kinds of inspirational business happenings, and I found it in some of my conversations. I have nothing against good people making money, but tying their relationship with that money to their moral and ethical high ground screams of immense bullshit to me.
Negative people who do bad things get rich. Positive people who do good things get rich. Negative people sometimes do good things that improve the planet to improve their social standing. Positive people sometimes do good things that improve the planet to improve the planet. The universe didn't open a path to more money for the good person because they were good any more than the universe opened a path to more money for the bad person because they were bad. People make money because they figure out how and do it. There are a million ways to get there, and moral and ethical superiority aren't what makes the universe draw your lottery number.
The universe is kind of jerk that way. It doesn't serve humanity.
Of course, I really believe that not being a huge jerk will help you get to where you want to go faster than being a huge jerk. That's not magic, that's being a decent human being, and I'll admit that it helps, but you still might lose all your money, find yourself estranged from your family, and die in a freak roofing accident without ever having accomplished your life dreams, because that's how it works.
Bad things happening to you are not proof of your inferior goodness, and being good won't stop bad things from happening.
I know. This is the most uplifting one-sided gab-fest you've ever witnessed.
And then I had a few meals with Christy Stahl (above, of Vintagology on Etsy and The Grandway Theatre) and Blair Glaser and Krista Carnes. It was a relief to let my brain stop its whirring for a bit and get in touch with some truly nice conference companions.
Whenever you go to a conference, find yourself at least one down-to-earth, proper sense-talking conversation and idea partner. I found three, because I am very lucky.
After much hashing and rehashing with others and then writing out my thoughts alone, I came to the conclusion that I have no firm idea yet how to move forward business-wise, but I have figured out that time management is probably closer to a spiritual practice for me than anything else, and I need to wrangle with some issues to get my deal with time smoothed out.
I would be more clear about that matter if I could right now, but I'm still figuring out how to put it down in words so that it makes perfect sense rather than making me sound like a crazy person with a feather in my turban and an acrylic crystal ball who claims that space aliens gave me my true name.
Not that I have anything against people with befeathered turbans and space alien names. That's just not my style.
So, as you can probably tell, I haven't worked out all of what happened at the World Domination Summit and what it did for me, but that's good. It was a big, meaty conference with a grand dose of food for thought topped off with a Bollywood dance party cherry at the Crystal Ballroom. I've barely finished chewing.
If I can make it happen to get to the World Domination Summit in 2013, I'll be there, because anything that can get this deep under my skin is worth the price of admission.
Thank you, Chris Guillebeau. You've created something truly remarkable with the World Domination Summit, and I'm excited to see where we all go because you brought us together.
----------------------------
A year ago today: 7 Short Dust-Jacket Synopses Of My Early Twenties
I flew there in an airplane, of course.
I almost immediately found myself at a party with sumo wrestling suits, ping pong, a dunk tank, people doing yoga, food carts, a balloon artist, and a real, live marching band.
I was surprised at how I felt as soon as I was there. I felt such a strong pull toward each person I spoke to. It was both exhilarating and exhausting.
So I went back to the hotel early and slept. Life is way too freaking intense, maaaaan.
I spent most of the World Domination Summit listening to powerful storytellers like Brené Brown and Scott Harrison and J.D. Roth and Susan Cain.
They made me want to run back to my hotel room and let the words run away with me. They don't just say You can do it! They say You can do it! And there are practical things you can do to get you there if you want to work really hard! These people mean what they say.
It's refreshing when there are so many who are willing to pep talk you to death with inane shit about how you are awesome and hot and can do anything you want to just because you believe you can because the Secret and faeries and unicorns are all real in your heart, and what is real in your heart is what creates the world, because egomaniacism rules the universe or something.
I just made egomaniacism a word. So there.
The question leading the conference was "How do we live a remarkable life in a conventional world?" What I heard most throughout the weekend was that we all have this immense power to lead interesting lives and put more good out into the world if we are willing to put ourselves out there and do the work and leverage our available resources. This is what I live by, and it was uplifting to be around so many people who know this, too.
I have a strong aversion to talk of the relationship between love and/or personal growth — be it spiritual or otherwise — and one's ability to become wealthy and/or successful.
I want to be clear that the WDS speakers themselves did not directly reflect this philosophy, but there is often a thread of I-became-a-better-person-and-the-money-followed running through these kinds of inspirational business happenings, and I found it in some of my conversations. I have nothing against good people making money, but tying their relationship with that money to their moral and ethical high ground screams of immense bullshit to me.
Negative people who do bad things get rich. Positive people who do good things get rich. Negative people sometimes do good things that improve the planet to improve their social standing. Positive people sometimes do good things that improve the planet to improve the planet. The universe didn't open a path to more money for the good person because they were good any more than the universe opened a path to more money for the bad person because they were bad. People make money because they figure out how and do it. There are a million ways to get there, and moral and ethical superiority aren't what makes the universe draw your lottery number.
The universe is kind of jerk that way. It doesn't serve humanity.
Of course, I really believe that not being a huge jerk will help you get to where you want to go faster than being a huge jerk. That's not magic, that's being a decent human being, and I'll admit that it helps, but you still might lose all your money, find yourself estranged from your family, and die in a freak roofing accident without ever having accomplished your life dreams, because that's how it works.
Bad things happening to you are not proof of your inferior goodness, and being good won't stop bad things from happening.
I know. This is the most uplifting one-sided gab-fest you've ever witnessed.
And then I had a few meals with Christy Stahl (above, of Vintagology on Etsy and The Grandway Theatre) and Blair Glaser and Krista Carnes. It was a relief to let my brain stop its whirring for a bit and get in touch with some truly nice conference companions.
Whenever you go to a conference, find yourself at least one down-to-earth, proper sense-talking conversation and idea partner. I found three, because I am very lucky.
After much hashing and rehashing with others and then writing out my thoughts alone, I came to the conclusion that I have no firm idea yet how to move forward business-wise, but I have figured out that time management is probably closer to a spiritual practice for me than anything else, and I need to wrangle with some issues to get my deal with time smoothed out.
I would be more clear about that matter if I could right now, but I'm still figuring out how to put it down in words so that it makes perfect sense rather than making me sound like a crazy person with a feather in my turban and an acrylic crystal ball who claims that space aliens gave me my true name.
Not that I have anything against people with befeathered turbans and space alien names. That's just not my style.
So, as you can probably tell, I haven't worked out all of what happened at the World Domination Summit and what it did for me, but that's good. It was a big, meaty conference with a grand dose of food for thought topped off with a Bollywood dance party cherry at the Crystal Ballroom. I've barely finished chewing.
If I can make it happen to get to the World Domination Summit in 2013, I'll be there, because anything that can get this deep under my skin is worth the price of admission.
Thank you, Chris Guillebeau. You've created something truly remarkable with the World Domination Summit, and I'm excited to see where we all go because you brought us together.
----------------------------
A year ago today: 7 Short Dust-Jacket Synopses Of My Early Twenties
categorized in writing and blogging and tagged in Portland, WDS, WDS 2012, WDS2012, World Domination Summit, business, conference
writing and blogging and tagged in Portland, WDS, WDS 2012, WDS2012, World Domination Summit, business, conference 
Reader Comments (13)
Interesting. And what does the key around your neck unlock? The true Secret of success?
I just had an epiphany. It had nothing to do with this post but was triggered by it.
Oh my God, my life just got so much easier for a minute. Thanks, buddy.
I was kind of bummed to find out that the WDS wasn't about warlords and aggressive takeovers, but your post made me want to learn more. Thanks for the nibble of inspo. - hopefully future posts will contain more gooey details!
And once again you expressed my own thoughts and feelings about inspiring people who somehow imply that being true and authentic will also make you rich. But only if you also somehow don't care or focus on the money at the same time. Not that it's not true as you mentioned but it does seem like if you are acting in a real authentic way and yet you're not making a living at it you must be doing something wrong. and also as you mentioned there are no easy answers...
Hah! I've joked about my goal as 'world domination'. Feeling ever so slightly gazumped that there's a whole conference about it.
I agree with you about the time management issue. For me, it's a lack of impulse control that torpedoes all the good intentions. Even the great half-hourly diary someone posted online (the 1st step to raise consciousness about where the time goes) just never gets filled in.
Looking forward to more details.
I love this. I so want to go to this summit next year. It's on my list of MUST DO THINGS.
Brilliant as usual - you know, you could sell me on a conference no matter what it was really like because of your great writing.
And yes, that crazy correlation between "I am a good person" and "here comes the money" is beyond annoying 'cause the shadow side of it is, "you poor person, it's all YOUR fault and you aren't virtuous and spiritual like me!".
Bah...
It's sort of a remarkable world though isn't it?
I really don't understand things like this if they are not about something specific--like making art or doing activism or slow food or something like that. But I couldn't tell if this was about being specific. And I'm not being a jerk. If this is like the thing that people link to sometime about living and being inspiring I get very confused--it's like they are not talking about anything I can make concrete but everyone seems like they understand them and everyone is understanding each other and that is very strange. Like it is a parallel universe where the logic is a bit different and I'm almost getting it but not quite.
If this doesn't make any sense, never mind! I'm not trying to be a naysaying jerk like I usually am. I really truly mean the language is slippery and I can't hang it on anything.
But it actually looks really fun. I love your photos. I hope you did get something out of it.
That IS really great. Isn't it interesting that so many people knew to go to that?
I see why maybe I could not use this method to improve my work-I have actual trouble understanding and incorporating advice. Sometimes I honestly wonder if I don't have some kind of undiscovered learning disability where I can't follow directions. If people are talking about how to do something it usually doesn't make any sense unless it is as specific as driving directions.
Whoever you are snozma, you're my new hero.
Thank you for so eloquently describing your WDS experience. It is refreshing to hear a thoughtful critique -- part of what turned me off is the "fan culture" which does not easily allow for difference and critical thinking. And it was great breaking bread with a like-minded soul.
I totally and completely identify with the statement, "we all have this immense power to lead interesting lives and put more good out into the world if we are willing to put ourselves out there and do the work and leverage our available resources." Yes, 100% yes. This sounded like an amazing weekend.
Your post resonates with me tremendously. It feels good to be supported and it's ok not to know the next step.