POP!TECH - inspiration in a video! (Jason Womack)

After I met with Tom LeVine last week in Ojai, I have watched several of the POP!TECH podcasts. If you have not yet subscribed, do me a favor (please). Surf on over and subscribe.

Just tonight, I watched a PBS special that was done on the yearly conference in Camden, Maine. Just for kicks, check out the people invited to speak at this event! One of the most inspiring stories I've heard in a while is here...

I don't know if there will be a seat at this year's conference for me...if there was, however, I have my POP!TECH wish ready...

[SCENE: Jason Womack, speaking at POP!TECH near the end of the conference...]

[Lights low, low-level Alpha brainwave inducing music in the background...]

My one wish for us is that we leave here and wake up tomorrow inspired to act. That 37 days from today, when it's raining outside, or we are fixing a flat tire in our car; when our children are crying, and the dinner tried to make doesn't taste as good as we'd hoped; when "every"thing is going wrong, and we're having "one of those days...that in that moment we can reflect on what we are feeling right now.

Because, we all know that it's not enough to just feel good for good feelings sake. That momentum is created, and energy is revitalized when we experience a win. That when something good happens, and when we have been a small part of that happening, we feel motivated to continue.

So, starting right now let's build a vision to step into. Let's paint a picture, one where we are in it and outside of it. Where we are the focus and the observer...

In your mind's eye, go with me to next October 2008 and you are calling us, one at a time. Go ahead and look around you...to your right, and to your left. 12 months from today...in 52 weeks or 365 days or 8,760 hours or 525,600 seconds - whatever terms you think in - you are going to tell us what you've done as a result of being here.

My wish is that you'll do one thing every month. One small, seemingly significant thing. You'll write a letter. You'll volunteer your time. You'll share something with someone else...you'll do something, once a month, for a year.

Think, if there are 400 people in attendance, and we each did 12 things, that would be 4,800 things.

"But," you ask, "What's a thing?"

Ahhhh, that's for you to know AND for you to find out. It's October, and the holidays are going to be here before we know it. So, between now and the new year, what 2 things are you going to do?

Here's a way to figure it out... turn to your neighbor and look at them. Introduce yourself, and tell them where you are from.

[This should take about 1 minute.]

Now, close your eyes. No, this won't hurt, and yes you have to (remember, I did teach high school for many years, so up in front of the room I do get to be bossy!).

Now, with your eyes closed, and thinking of the person you just met, consider the following.

You are going to call them in January - sometime during that first week. You're going to tell them the two things that you've done, after attending POP!TECH that completely surprised, amazed, and inspired you.

Now, take 30 seconds, and see all the pictures, hear all the sounds, and feel all the feelings of imaging what you've done as of January, 2008.

[Wait a full 30 seconds.]

Ok, please raise your hands if you actually thought of two things to do!

Now, turn to your neighbor and tell them what you've done (as if you've already done it...)

...

So, my POP!TECH wish is simple. That we take what we learned, what we saw, and what we thought and in our own simple and significant way keep the conversation going.

[Jason, imagining he's speaking at POP!TECH!]