Milking Conferences

I'm not talking about conferences on milking (Do those exist?), I'm taking about getting the most out of a conference.

I've heard it said, "Education without implementation is just plain entertainment."

Information overload is a polite description of the intensity I've experienced at most conferences.

I've been reflecting on this since returning from a 2 day conference last week, wondering how do I best make sense of all the madness?

I realized the key for me is going 3 deep:

Level one: Letting the stuff hit me as it comes, scribbling notes like a mad man as I do my best imitation of a sponge during the actual conference.

Storyline, thoughts on living a spicier life

Clarifying something worthy of pursuing with your life will make your life into a better story, and therefore a better life.

This is the main idea I took away from "Storyline", founded by "Blue Like Jazz" author Don Miller.  Whether you encounter Storyline through a conference (like I recently did in San Diego), the book, or a small group, Storyline is all about helping people live better stories.                                                              
         

                                                    "The stories we live effect others.  

When you have a clear plan, people are inspired." -Don Miller

Don Miller

The main example Don used to not focus your life on, was something trivial, such as buying a Volvo.  If someone's main goal in life is buying a Volvo, and they work overtime and save up money to buy one, that's really not a very interesting story, or an interesting life.


"Some people are waiting to see what God does, but what if he's waiting to see what you do?" -Allison Vesterfelt



Now the people that spoke at the conference with the spotlight shining on them were leading naturally spicy lives.  That is to say, they were doing remarkably interesting things.  Starting schools to reform witch doctors, having 500 people over for dinner, having breakfast with Mel Gibson to discuss their screenplay "Braveheart", etc.