:: Stuff I Learned On The Weekend

I spoke at Clare Bowditch’s Big Hearted Business unConference on the weekend. It was ace. Every bit as good as last year. Possibly even better. Like roolly. How lucky are we to have people like CB and Marty and their gang? They spend gazillions of hours planning awesome events that are actually truly life changing. I know. That sounds cult-y, but it’s really true. Last year’s set me on a whole new path and I am SO GLAD I hung about for a weekend to soak up the ideas and inspiration that were on offer.

So let’s talk about  THIS YEAR’s event. It’s really hard to sum it all up, to be honest. Let me just say that if a warm, smart, non-woo-woo person gave you a hug and a bit of a leg-up whilst simultaneously offering you a cup of tea and a back rub you’d kind of be getting close. Sort of.

I felt like there were a few overarching (wooh! corp-speak!) themes across most of the speakers:

1. It’s okay to make business decisions according to intuition
2. Sometimes our only strategy is -> do stuff and see what happens
3. If you are struggling with work/life balance -> stop doing some stuff!
4. ‘Mistakes’ and ‘failures’ dotted everyones’ paths and they were totally okay with it
5. Everyone – even the more successful, famous-ish speakers – is still figuring it all out
6. You should say YES! And it’s okay to say NO! Go with your gut and change your mind if you need to!  

Phew. Doesn’t that make you feel better? So simple, but so universal!

Here are some quotes I loved from the weekend:

Have pride and no shame about what you do. Live authentically and be happy. Show the world that it’s possible
Missy Higgins  

Break the rules. Make mistakes. Go above and beyond. Be different.
Beci Orpin

Why would you distort who you are to appeal to a different audience? Work with people who resonate with you.
Danielle LaPorte

See the best in everybody you meet.
Jess Neave

How do you come back from failure? Share it with other people. Failure shared halves its impact.
Fabian Dattner

Be brave. Be curious. Be supportive. Be innovative. Be humble. And don’t be a tosser.
Pip Lincolne

If money was not a consideration what would it feel like to give yourself a new start, from this very moment?
Correne Wilkie

Caring is a superpower!
Clare Bowditch

(Paraphrasing) FREAKING STOP using stuff that will end up in landfill, you dorks! Rethink that shit!
Joost Bakker

(Just to ME in the green room!) This is from Obus too!
Kemi Nekvapil 

image by Kylie!

If you didn’t get to #BHB2014 this year, start a plan so you can go next year. I have been lucky enough to attend both conferences and I am definitely going to go to every single one from now until forever. You can stay updated here and I think you should get your BHB piggybank happening so there will be no excuses!

I have a bit more news about something I am doing with KYLIE and something I am doing with CLARE but I will save that for another time! #suspense!

Did you go to this unconference on the weekend? Do you want to? Does any of this stuff make sense to you?

x Pip