There really is no better way to start believing then to surround myself with 3000 incredible people who are achieving their impossible. 

8 months ago when I bought a ticket to go to the World Domination Summit (WDS) in Portland, Oregon, I had no idea what to expect. If anything, I expected to be lost in the crowd of 3000 other people and to be overwhelmed with information from speakers. Success would be to meet some inspirational people who by telling their stories would help me believe that anything is impossible. Help me believe in me and my dreams.

Picture by Armosa

Fast forward to now and I am winding down from a very busy weekend at WDS. It was beyond what I expected and I will not attempt to summarise everything in one post. Over the next few weeks, months even, I fully expect that the key messages will seep in and I will begin to use them to take some incredible action. I will have more specific learnings and applications from each speaker and workshop. Lou will also have her own reflections from the event. So, for today, here are my main take aways from the event – some overarching themes.

1. We are all human – nobody is perfect – we’re all just in different places on our incredibly confusing journeys. Even the people I envy, those that appear to have ‘made it’, they are human too. And in fact ‘making it’ doesn’t really exist. It’s not an A to B type of journey. Realising this, I now feel a little better about riding the waves, muddling through and finding my way. (drawing of crazy map)
2. Most people assume that others are further ahead then they are. I do this with others frequently…but then through conversation, I realise they are usually making it up as they go along too. It’s not necessarily a bad thing but an interesting reflection.
3. Everything is easier together – Living a remarkable life, being different, achieving the impossible, these are all things that are so much easier to achieve together. Being surrounded by 3000 people looking to achieve similar things makes anything seem possible. And when I start doubting it again, I will think of these remarkable people that I met last weekend. I will think of the hugs, the smiles, the tears and the laughter. I will think of what it was like for a portion of these people to dance together to Gangham Style at the closing party with huge smiles on our faces. I will think of my new giant family who ‘get it’.
4. Be interested, not interesting. I’ve gone away from this weekend thinking maybe, just maybe, I am interesting after all. But more importantly, I am no longer too worried about whether I am or not. I am good at being interested, being curious, asking questions, collecting stories. At the improv workshop on Sunday afternoon I was given this card. And it just makes sense to me. o, I will continue to learn, ask questions, and help others find and achieve their impossible.
5. Speaking to 3000 people is f*ckin’ hard – I was surprised this weekend with an invitation to do an attendee story. Yep, I found out two days beforehand. Then, just before I found out it was meant to be half the length I had anticipated. My world shifted. I shifted. I adapted. It was bloody hard. I was harder on myself than the audience was. Here’s a first video about the emotional roller coaster that is speaking to 3000 people while standing in a box. To those who listened, who patted me on the back, who then shared your stories with me, thank you. You are the inspiration.

And for now, those are my key take aways, my key themes. Keep an eye out for more, including some follow up videos and challenges for you to step out of your box and tangible examples of how to ask those who are usually excluded for help instead of always asking to help them.

This is also my day 22 video for my 30 Day Scare The Crap Out Of Myself Challenge.

Yours from outside the box,

Mel