One of my favorite things about speaking at conferences are conversations with other speakers. Recently, I spoke at my friend Jeff Goins’ Tribe Conference and he graciously hosted a private dinner for us.
In addition to introducing ourselves, each speaker all asked to share the best advice we’ve ever been given. There were some valuable takeaways and I’ve listed them here below. This stuff was too good to keep in that room!
- Daydream about something so much that you enjoy the ride there.
- Get your reps in. Get in front of anyone with a pulse who will hear you speak.
- Figure out who doesn’t know you and get in front of them. One speaker shared that she was advised to do an “ask me anything” (AMA) on Reddit even though that wasn’t her audience. It was great practice to communicate to an people she didn’t normally speak in front of.
- Treat people the way you want to be treated.
- You influence anything but you control almost nothing, except yourself.
- Everything changes when you realize it’s not about you.
- If it’s not a “hell yes” then it’s a no.
- You can get everything you want in life if you help others get what they want.
- Work everyday to close the gap.
- Smile! Sometimes you need to smile for yourself, just to get out of your own head. But a smile also costs you nothing, and it’s something you can give to anyone.
- If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong.
- If you’re truly humble, nothing will touch you — neither praise nor disgrace, because you know who you are.
- The thing that comes easiest is your highest value offering, and you should charge the most for it.
- Things that we value should be pursued intensely.
- Make everyday a great day.
- When you’re talking to someone, give your undivided attention.
- Be relentlessly helpful.
- A tidy handbag is the sign of a lady.
- If you pride yourself on multitasking, you’re priding yourself on not being great at anything.
- Keep it so simple your grandma can understand it.
- Don’t go to bed angry.
- There was a time when where you’re sitting now seemed out of reach. Be grateful.
A big thanks to Todd Henry, Ken Davis, Alli Worthington, Dave Delaney, Nicole Gulotta, Charles Lee, Janet Murray, Paul Angone, Chris Marlow, Tim Grahl, Darrell Vesterfelt, and so many others for sharing.
What Strikes Me About This List of Advice:
The first thing is how simple it is. In an age where people try to out-quote one another on Twitter and Instagram, it was the simplest advice that a room full of speakers and entrepreneurs shared.
The second thing is how old some of the advice is. Many people quoted their grandmothers, mentors, and even Mother Teresa.
It just goes to show that simple, timeless advice still goes a long way.
If you’re looking to join a community of like-minded creatives, learn to grow your platform and make money off your message, and hear from experts who’ve been in your shoes then consider attending Tribe Conference next year.
While we’re talking about advice…