I know there are going to be moments along my journey where I may need some pick-me-ups, so here they are - the words I listened to, some hitting me like a ton of bricks, over five days in the month of August at my second World Domination Summit (WDS) 2016. I know I will read through these often and invite you to use as needed for your own dose of inspiration. I am forever grateful for all of the individuals below - for how they live their life and for making the decision to share themselves with the world.
Disclaimer: the quotes below may not be exact as they were taken from my notes during each session. I also categorized them below according to how they impacted me and in some cases, this was not the specific focus of their actual talks at the conference.
On Fear:
"If I couldn't tackle fear, wouldn't that impact every aspect of my life? " - Kendra Wright #yearoffear
"Chase the things that scare you. Use fear as a spotlight of where to go instead of where to run from." - Kendra Wright
"You know what brave feels like? Wanting to throw up all over yourself." - Kendra Wright
"Say yes to those moments you immediately feel like saying no to. Look at fear as an opportunity, not an obstacle." - Michelle Poler
"What if you've already done the hardest thing you'll ever have to do?" - Chelsea Dinsmore
On Taking Action:
"Doing the wrong this is almost always better than doing nothing. Do things. Just do things. Passion comes from action." - Kendra Wright
"Impact doesn't come from what you think about doing. There are people who talk and people who do. Who do you want to be?" - Charlie Gilkey
"Do not let not knowing how to do something stand in the way of doing it. That is innovation." - Emily McDowell
"How you do anything is how you do everything. Be intentional about your moments." - Chelsea Dinsmore
"Start before you're ready." - Kimberly Rich
"Start from today forward." - J.D. Roth & Pete Adeney- J.D. Roth & Pete Adeney
"Show up." - Leah Hynes & Nazrin Murphie
"When you do things differently, time doesn't go by as fast." - Michelle Poler
On Money:
"The shockingly simple math of financial freedom is: income - expenses = profit (savings)." - J.D. Roth & Pete Adeney
"Change your mindset about saving. It's a skill that needs to be practiced just you need to train to run a marathon." - J.D. Roth & Pete Adeney
"Happiness, not gold or prestige, is the ultimate currency." - J.D. Roth & Pete Adeney
"How about a zero budget? Nothing is a mandatory cost. Be aware and acknowledge that a zero budget is possible." - Pete Adeney
On Work and Productivity:
"The purpose of work is to create. Work is better when you don't need money." - Pete Adeney
"When you spend time doing what you love, you give a gift to the world." - Chelsea Dinsmore
"Manage time like it's the most precious commodity on earth. Because it is." - Kendra Wright
"Multitasking makes us slower, less accurate, less creative. We are faster and smarter when we single-task." - Caroline Webb
"Boundaries are the cornerstone to productivity. Intention + attention = productivity." - Mike Vardy
On Creating a Brand or Business:
"Authenticity is the most powerful form of marketing." - Pete Adeney
"The easiest path for a successful product or company is to solve a freaking problem." - Emily McDowell
"Get honest about if you really love it." - Jenna Herbut
"Sharing the story creates the connection. Be vulnerable. Brands create loyalty with transparency." - Jenna Herbut
On Dreams:
"Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will." - Michelle Poler via The War of Art book
"Don't think your small dream isn't big enough. Honor it." - Jenna Herbut
On Connecting to Others:
"When the sh*t hits the fan, paradoxically we focus on ourselves instead of opening ourselves up." - Rev. Angel Kyodo Williams
"Treat strangers as friends you never met." - Leah Hynes & Nazrin Murphie
"Ask, what can I do for you?" - Mac Prichard
"Being vulnerable and sharing a story gives others permission to share." - Kimberly Rich
"Any time we can expand the definition of normal, we are doing humanity a favor." - Emily McDowell
"Our emotions are strangely contagious." - Caroline Webb
"Don't go alone." - Charlie Gilkey
On Making Decisions:
"Happiness is a choice." - Chelsea Dinsmore
"What's the best that could happen?" - Michelle Poler
"What excites you right now?" - Kendra Wright
"Do it because you want to, not because you have to." - Michelle Poler
"If your life sucks, it's your fault." - Kendra Wright
"What's your why? When you are clear on your purpose, it will be easier to make decisions." - J.D. Roth & Pete Adeney
"Stillness cultivates awareness. The moments of stillness are the heartbeat of awareness." - Jonathan Fields
"Trust yourself." - Chris Guillebeau
On Mindset and Approach:
"We see more of what we're looking for." - Marc & Angel Chernoff
"Curiosity cultivates creativity." - Chelsea Dinsmore
"Fortune favors the open. Don't apologize for being open." - Jonathan Fields
"Everything can't be epic. And that's really good." - Charlie Gilkey
"Get comfortable being uncomfortable." - Kendra Wright
For those of you who don't know what WDS is, it's an annual conference focused on community, adventure, and service. I first heard of it by following Chris Guillebeau's blog after reading his first book, The Art of Non-Conformity which asked the question: How do you live a remarkable world in a conventional world? It's worth a look at his website and community, especially if you're interested in personal development, unconventional work, and travel.
A reminder to myself, from myself:
Something just clicked when listening to the speakers and connecting with the spirit of the community at WDS2016 between August 9 - 14, 2016 in my now-home base of Portland, OR. At just over 36 1/2 years old, after all the self-help books purchased, relationships observed and experienced, jobs held, vision boards made, the stars aligned (like literally, during the Perseid Meteor Shower which just happened to be visible during this timeframe), I finally saw my first shooting star, and even before the conference ended, I was catapulted into taking action. Taking action, despite not knowing the end goal, which had been holding me back for a long time.
I honestly don't remember ever feeling this alive and purposeful especially in the past two months since ending a nearly six-year relationship. And it was just five words that Kendra Wright said that made all the difference - Do things. Just do things. It never ceases to amaze me that our minds make the most simple things seem and feel so complex. But if I ever lose this spirit or can't get back to the feeling I have today on August 17, 2016, I just need to remember: Do things. Just do things. I have a really strong feeling that this will lead me to where I'm authentically meant to be and on the way to that true purpose, I'll just be having a whole lot of fun.