I've had the privilege of going to several thought-provoking conferences this year: ConvergeSE in Columbia, South Carolina; Trey Smith's App Elite 2 in San Diego; Southland Summit in Nashville, Tennessee; and World Domination Summit in Portland, Oregon.
Going to conferences creates whitespace. I can take a step back from client work, app development, and other business pursuits and take stock of how I'm spending my time.
What is my Big Why? What is my definition of success? What do I want?
Yes, I enjoy the exposure to new people, new ideas, and new opportunities, but I also need a chance every once in awhile to take a deep breath, to recalibrate my many projects, and to realign my day-to-day activities with long-term goals.
But any creative professional and entrepreneur with technology- or internet-based businesses runs the risk of missing the forest for the trees. Inspirational speakers stir our imaginations and remind us of our dreams. "Follow your heart," they say. Or, "do what you love." Or, "turn your passion into a seven-figure business.”
"Work" morphs into a synonym for self-actualization, and those of us who live in the U.S. and other wealthy countries quickly lose sight of the hard reality faced by most of the world's workers:
Bringing your heart to work is a luxury.
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