Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone

Shortly after registering for SOBCon08, I couldn’t wait for the date to arrive as the chance to learn from some of the most talented bloggers was too much to pass up.

As the date came closer and closer, I have to admit that I began to feel anxious about the experience and questioned why I had signed up.

It wasn’t because I doubted the value of the conference.

It wasn’t even because I was going to miss one of my son’s Little League games, which ended up being rained out anyways.

It was because I am extremely shy.

Typically, when I am in an environment of people that I do not know, I am perfectly comfortable standing off to the side observing everyone. But as our own Wendy Piersall mentioned during her presentation, you need to step out of your comfort zone.

While that isn’t always pretty, it is critical to your growth as a person.

Fortunately, I didn’t back out of attending SOBCon08 as it gave me an opportunity to learn from some of the most talented people; which includes both the speakers and the other attendees.

As much as I would like to say that I was a social butterfly during the event, I wasn’t. It was difficult for me to approach people and introduce myself, but I did push myself beyond my normal comfort zone and as a result I met quite a few outstanding people.

Here are some of the fine people I had the pleasure to meet:

• Wendy Piersall :: Believe it or not, this was the first time that Wendy and I met in person but it felt like we were old friends. Wendy helped shove nudge me out of my comfort zone from time to time as she introduced me to people, but I love her for it as I might not have done it myself.

• Chris Garrett :: Chris was one of the first people Wendy introduced me to and I am glad she did. Chris is such a down-to-earth guy and his presentation absolutely rocked. While Chris had admitted to being somewhat introverted as well, I never would have guessed it.

• Stephen Hopson :: A few days before the event, Stephen and I chatted via email and I was really looking forward to meeting him. From the first handshake, I was impressed by Stephen’s excitement and attitude.

• Lorelle VanFossen :: From being put on the spot to share my most profound moment to sharing ten words to describe what I do, Lorelle has an amazing energy about her that can inspire anyone. While we didn’t get a ton of time to talk, I cherished the conversation that we did share.

• Easton Ellsworth :: Easton was someone that I had conversed with prior to the conference, as he had shared 12 blogging tips to improve my blog with me last year. While we only chatted briefly and sat together over lunch, Easton came across as a very intelligent and thoughtful person that I would be honored to know better.

• Debra Moorhead :: Little did I know what was in store for me when Debra sat down next to me for the Mastermind groups. Debra is a very talented and inspirational woman, as well as a successful author, who shared so many great suggestions with me. Thank you Debra and I hope to talk more with you about a few things.

• Jeff Sable :: Jeff is from Chitika and is really a great guy. We shared a nice conversation on the boat cruise and I was also fortunate to have Jeff in my Mastermind group, as he really gave me a few fresh ways to look at my approach to blogging.

• Dawud Miracle :: It was a true pleasure to meet Dawud. Not only is he a brilliant person, but he can tell a story like nobody else and had me laughing all night long. Dawud is one of those people that if you knew the things that he forgot, you would still be on the road to success.

• Sara :: Sara and I had also shared a few emails before the event, as she was the winner of a contest on my personal blog. During the FuelMyBlog meet-up, Sara made an effort to get me out of my comfort zone as well and I appreciate her for that.

• Paul O’Flaherty :: Paul is a great guy with a sense of humor that I can really appreciate. We had the opportunity to share a few laughs (and drinks) throughout the weekend, although I never had the chance to hook up for the interview on Saturday.

• Vicky H. :: From the opening night festivities to drinks on the eve of the conclusion, Vicky and I shared quite a few interesting conversations. Vicky, I’m looking forward to the first post (and many more) on your blog and don’t hesitate to ask questions about anything.

• AmyL :: Amy and I only had one chance to sit and chat, but let me tell you that I was captivated. As a father to two boys, I can only imagine how much work she has to do with four boys! It was very interesting to talk about the impact that the economy is having near Amy’s hometown and my heart really went out to the people facing difficult times.

• Karen Hanrahan :: Karen has been a commentator here on The Man Page and it was such a pleasure to sit and chat with her. We talked about so many different things and in an odd moment of irony, Karen’s daughter is strongly considering attending my alma mater.

• Michael Martine :: After viewing Michael’s video from the airport on his way to SOBCon, we had a chance to chat briefly about capturing video and I hope to interview Michael in the near future for his take on work life balance.

• Stephen Smith :: Stephen has an amazing enthusiasm about what he does and it was a pleasure to share a few great conversations. It was so rewarding to share a small piece of knowledge with Stephen that he ran with and used to create a new site. Stephen, I look forward to our paths crossing again!

• Kristen King :: I had a chance to meet Kristen while looking for dinner plans on Saturday night, as she was down in the restaurant of the hotel I was staying in. Kristen made me think of this site as she seems like a real spark plug of energy and knowledge and I look forward to reading more of her writing.

• Christine Kane :: Christine wowed the entire crowd by performing on the boat cruise, while also laying down one of the best lines during the entire conference. Over lunch on Saturday, I had the pleasure to sit with Christine and it is great to see how she is approaching her blog and her career.

• Lisa Cree :: Lisa is one of the funniest people that I have met in quite some time. Her laugh was simply intoxicating and it was such a reward to share lunch with her.

• Mary-Lynn Foster and George Krueger :: While we only shared a few conversations, I have to say that both Mary-Lynn and George have a real passion for their business. They’re not too far from my home base so I am hoping that we will have a chance to meet again and share more with one another.

• Joseph Hauckes :: Joe is a great guy that has experienced quite a few different things and is happy to share what he knows with others. Joe, the next time you are in Chicago, make sure that you stay outside of the yellow line!

• Valerie Combs and Sandra Ponce de Leon :: Valerie and Sandra from BuzzLogic were both great to meet. We had a chance to chat about working for a startup company and I had to ask them why someone in San Francisco even owns a winter coat. Best to both of you and hopefully we can talk more in the future.

As you can see from the list above, stepping outside of your comfort zone gives you the opportunity to meet people that can literally change your life for the better.

The entire cast and crew at SOBCon08 were truly amazing and made me feel very welcome. While there were people that I would have liked to talk to but didn’t get make the time, there is always next year!

Thank you to everyone at SOBCon08 for making this an unforgettable experience!