Essential Element To Create a Successful Seminar or Workshop - “Are We Having Fun?”

“Are we having fun yet?” is a familiar rhetorical question often said as a dig, but it’s something that you need to ask yourself on a regular basis while you are creating, marketing, producing and presenting your seminar, workshop, conference or other live event. Production and presentation can be particularly stressful and not very rewarding in the early stages - especially if you’re trying to do it without support.

Accordingly, you might want to ongoingly pause and ask yourself if this project is still as much fun as it was when you initially conceived it.  Even though I have been in this business (and life) for decades, “am I having fun” is something I continually ask myself - especially when deeply absorbed in a project that others and I believe to be of extreme importance.

If it’s not fun for you and those “playing” with you – be they employees, contractors, volunteers, vendors or the people who clean up after your event – consider changing your attitude or what you are doing.  Life is too short to engage in unnecessary suffering and sacrifice.

This is not to say that when aspects of your event production (or life) get tough, you should simply give up.  It might not be really fun in a particular moment such as when you’re rushing to complete all those “vital” last might tasks, but is it fun overall?  Are you and those you are involved with still able to laugh at some of the absurdity you find along the way?  Do you take a regular “mindful gap” to step back and look from a perspective that is broad enough to help you recognize that the world is not going to fall apart just because your handout has a couple typos?  And are you enjoying the process of bringing this new being to life?

There will be times when things are not going as planned and you get frustrated, angry, upset or exhausted, but when those incidents begin to outweigh periods or joy, satisfaction and just plain fun, it may be time to consider changing course, taking a break or just letting go of your idea.  Don’t give up on your dream, but think about other ways to go about what you are doing so that you derive more joy and satisfaction from the process.  Your event may or may not be producing the financial rewards and other results you had planned, but at least you’re having fun along the journey.

One common issue that takes the fun out of event production and presentation is scarcity.  People often go into such endeavors without adequate funding, time, resources and just about everything else except ideas and ways to improve the events.  Then, they find themselves “doing it all” and working hundred hour weeks for months on end while wondering why their families are getting upset or that they’re just not into it as much as they were at the beginning.

The reason is simple – they’re no longer doing what they most love.  Generally, people who get into presenting seminars, workshops and other live events love to share, lead, motivate, inspire and be liked by everyone.   They don’t, however, usually enjoy handling the thousands of details that lead to a successful event.  They also don’t generally love all the record keeping, marketing, etc., but they feel forced to take on those tasks because they believe that they can’t afford to hire a contractor or even ask a competent friend to handle some of these tasks.

In reality, you can’t afford not to turn some of the tasks that you don’t like doing over to someone else because if you keep doing them, they will drag you, your idea, your events and your business down.  The energy of continuing to do things you don’t love doing will, in fact, destroy you just like working at a job you hate destroys your health, happiness and love of life.

Every so often take time to ask the simple question, “Am I having fun?”  And don’t wait until you have to add “yet” to your question because once you’ve reached that juncture in your journey, you’ve probably come to the point of no return and you’ll soon crash and burn.  This is not a good way to end any endeavor, particularly one that was founded on your passion for sharing something you love with others.

I wish you well on your journey.  And if I can be of service to you, please contact me or check out my website for more information.  www.ImagineLiveEvents.com   ssieden@gmail.com