Know Your Passion

Part of planning your why around a conference and conference sessions, not only includes the things you need to know, but WANT to know. You've paid good money to be there, now make sure the sessions drive your curiosity. You don't want to waste time around topics that are lukewarm. You want topics that make your heart race like you've just ran a marathon or drank a triple espresso.

Not sure about your passions, or perhaps you're unsure about which direction to go in. This is understandable, larger conferences tend to have a wide variety of "tracks" with many supporting sessions, how do you choose? This is not a time for flipping a coin. So, let's start with some questions.

Questions to ask yourself:

1. Is there something, a skill perhaps, that you've always wanted to do or take up that will help professionally? Let's say you're going to that awesome "Restaurants that Rock" conference. You've always been interested in photography, and know it would boost your instagram account - I'd be willing to bet they will have a "Food Photography for Dummies" session somewhere.
2. Is there an author, artist, blogger, entrepreneur who you have always admired? Look them up, find if their passions are your passions and are those sessions being offered. It could be this person is actually speaking at the conference. BONUS!
3. What's my passion? Use this conference to take a bit of a mental vacation. Yes, I've been preaching about planning your conference time around your goals, but sometimes the goal is to to take a bit of a mental break and have a bit of fun. Who am I to say not to have fun? Besides, the odds are good you'll learn something new.
4. What important problem has become an obsession? Is there something keeping you awake at night? Something that keeps pulling at you? See if there is a seed out there that will grow into your solution.
5. What do you find yourself always doing? It is said that you are truly passionate about the things you are doing when you are procrastinating. When I procrastinate I find that I turn to NASCAR.com. There, I said it. NASCAR. That's my passion. Don't judge me. When I'm not creating content for wonderful people like you, I'm checking out the cars and their drivers. Can I make a connection with my passion and my conference plan? Maybe. Maybe you can too.

Find Your Passion Worksheet. Use this worksheet to help you discover your passions. This will help you in your current and future conference plan and who knows, maybe a life plan too.