After the Workshop (Blog)

[Savage]

Use this thread to discuss the following entry from Steve Pavlina's blog:

After the Workshop

[seeker5]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

People you refer should at least feel they are responsible for their lives, be able to afford the registration price without undue hardship, and have a semi-stable social environment around them

What is a semi-stable social environment?

[straysweeper]

What I find it interesting the effect the energy is having on you. It gives me pause to reflect on several experiences in my own life. When I was in love to feelings of being on purpose. Also, how I feel or felt after the live UPW I went to, compared to the digital one 18 after. Even a phone call from a friend after an absence had a noticeable effect on my energies. A gathering with my cousin for the OU opener, even a phone call with Lil Chris on my tech issue, was an energizer for me.

Along this train of thought, its interesting as I don't consider myself a people person as I enjoy solitude or being alone especially after something trying or emotional. Which is odd, since my purpose lies in helping people and the possibilities.

[Andrew Brunelle]

Glad you had a fantastic time at the workshop, Steve. You're doing good things out there in the world and now you're actually connecting with your readers in person. It must be something to see all your hard work come to life on that stage. Keep it up.

[freely]

wow steve! i honestly could catch the energy flying off that post - now I'm all fidgety. Sounds amazing! and I'm with Seeker5 - what does 'semi-stable social environment' mean? it caught my attention too.

Thanks for powering up my afternoon!

[Gooseus]

Rock on Steve, I was seriously planning on just driving out and chilling in Vegas and doing the after-class events until you announced the free repeat. I'm wondering though... is that 100-150 NEW or TOTAL attendees for the workshop? Is there a concern that so many people will repeat that it might make the workshop larger than you were planning or make it less accessible to those trying to go first the first time? I don't want to steal a seat from somebody who hasn't experienced it yet.

Should people repeating be doing so only if they feel they need another crack at the exercises and content?... or would you encourage repeating even if it was simply to feel the energy and connect with more people? Personally I feel like I've absorbed the message/content pretty well (though a refresher is always good), but I'd be more motivated to reconnect with the other repeat attendees and connect with the newbies.

A thought/suggestion... you may want to have repeaters spread themselves through the room so they don't clump together and end up socializing while you're presenting material they've already heard (esp. on Day 1) and also to spread their energy out evenly and encourage working on new connections rather than resorting to established ones.

Let us know, as of right now though I'm definitely planning to come back out for January!

[Savage]

Erin and I met with our meeting planner from Harrah's, checked out several rooms, and discussed options. We're in the process of booking a really nice-looking room at the Flamingo for Jan 15-17. I'm just waiting for final confirmation and should know for sure by the end of the week. If we get a green light, we can start selling tickets within a week.

We can handle 100-150 NEW attendees each time. The new room can fit as many as 400 total. If people repeat the workshop, many of them will already know each other, so I don't think it would hurt the feeling of intimacy if they make the group that much bigger. If anything I think it would just generate even more social interaction possibilities and raise the energy of the room.

I'm making lots of improvements to the format and structure, so even if you went to it once, you'll probably still get something new out of it the second time. A lot of the content will be the same, but the experiences will be different, and of course you'll be hanging out and learning with different people. Because of all the interactivity and the personal nature of the work, CGW is designed to generate new gains every time you attend. For attendees of the first CGW, this is because your personal versions of Planets A and B will be different each time.

We're going to have to experiment with the audience size to see what works best. We can handle 300-400 people at a time if that many want to go. But I think it will be a balancing act to maintain the kind of intimacy you can get with a small group vs. the greater energy levels created by a larger group.

[James81]

I can’t even fathom where I’ll be after doing 5-10 more of these.

My guess is that the more you do them, the less energy you personally will feel about it. My guess is that the first one is probably going to be the most special to you because it was new.

I think that eventually you're going to want to expand and do different variations of the workshop. Keep raising the bar so to speak so that it doesn't become "habit" to you.

[Savage]

Originally Posted by James81

My guess is that the more you do them, the less energy you personally will feel about it. My guess is that the first one is probably going to be the most special to you because it was new.

I think that eventually you're going to want to expand and do different variations of the workshop. Keep raising the bar so to speak so that it doesn't become "habit" to you.

I don't see myself getting bored with these workshops because they're about the people and their unique transformations, not about the content being delivered. The content is only a tool for creating an environment of change.

[yoopersmith]

Steve,

Any thoughts about certifying people to run your workshops for you someday?

I'm not saying now, or any time soon, but has the thought entered your mind?

[TonyToneTone]

I thought that was great that you offered the people who came this time a chance to attend the next one. So now you're going to have like 300 people at the next one

[Savage]

Originally Posted by yoopersmith

Steve,

Any thoughts about certifying people to run your workshops for you someday?

I'm not saying now, or any time soon, but has the thought entered your mind?

Yes, but first I'm thinking of adding additional speakers too. I'm strongest on the Authority side of the triangle, but I know others who are stronger on the Oneness and Courage sides. For starters I would encourage Erin to tackle more of the Oneness-related sections since that's her strength.

[andreelerowes]

Steve, be nice to NYC. =) Visiting a city, as I'm sure you know, is not the same as living in it. You are on the outside looking in. I think if you lived in NYC for a few years, you'd have a very different picture of it and not the stereotype of "people running around."

cheers from my new digs in German suburbia...

[Jasper]

This is really cool.

Last night (GMT +1 time) I was thinking about the post-workshop post you made. I was trying to imagine how it must have been, using the few minutes of online footage I've seen from you (one bit is you presenting some blogging workshop or something, the other is you being interviewed on a blogging congress, I think).

I also remembered reading in your post that you enjoyed it but that it was very energy intensive and that you might do another one.

The feeling that hit me was, this guy is putting the bar too low. I've not really experienced you as being too modest or aiming too low, but in this instance, that was the feeling I got.

From what I read in your post, you grew just as much as the participants. And not only that, you seemed to really enjoy making such a connection (to a room full of people). And from what I can tell in the few minutes of video, you are a great speaker and overall a very awesome guy, that would be very interesting to hear/see speak. Then I thought about Anothy Robbins and the huge empire he build doing conferences and speaking.

And although he's a great and enthousiastic guy, it was my feeling that mr. Steve Pavlina is in a place and time, to trump it all. Now I'm not (only) talking financial success or just overall recognition. I'm talking about really having an impact on the world. Reaching people.

I just felt (and I have to admit, I never met you and I don't think you're perfect or anything), and feel, that this is the time for you to go beyond... current held reality! Time to become the world's new leading Personal Development face. To take it to a new level.

How this should all look, I'm not sure. And since you are the creator in this story, it's up to you.
All I can say is, this is just the beginning. So aim high my friend.

Your ideas about the different Growth Workshops are all good, run with them. We need a new way to learn about life and how to create within it. We need not only to learn about personal development in general, we need in-detail help and examples of how to create in each of the parts of life that are available to us. That give us the oppertunity to create who we want to be. But we need help.

So aim high!

PS: I even spent some time thinking about how to do something that really makes an impact, and really gets some attention. Now you get a lot of attention already, but you need more. You need global, massive attention. In your post you wrote about your energy level during and after the workshop and it really seems like giving workshops is like doing some Olympic sport. And I'm sure you're thinking about becoming really good at it, and not just content wise, but stamina wise as well. So how about a 30-trail giving workshops? Is it possible? I'm not sure, I think the whole idea is too far fetched anyway. But perhaps what you could do, is organize a time period where you are giving many intensive workshops. Now you should be the one setting the level there on how many and in what time period, but my advice would be, stretch yourself. And then get a camera crew to film the whole thing. And I don't mean just you giving the workshops, I mean, the WHOLE thing. That means, when you wake up to prepare for that day's workshop, the camera is there. After a workshop, perhaps eating out with a group or with Erin, the camera is there.
Now this whole deal will be extremely invasive for you, besides the fact that the whole workshop-setup will drain you. But can you imagine the documentary that could come out of that? The movie that could be made? The attention you could get for trying such a thing? You could be the David Blane of Personal Development (or something ... ). I'm pretty sure many people would be interested to see it and it could be a way to open up the Personal Development field to more than the current audience. Especially if there is some drama, love, fun, emotions in it.
And what about a Steve Pavlina Online Workshop? Once every so often, you could give an online workshop, with people taking out subscriptions or pay-per-view admission. That way you can do it at home and we don't have to go far away places. In this manner you could have a huge audience (this might not be the same to you for your personal fix, but in reaching others and spreading consiousness, it would be a nice road - but maybe this should wait until you are way more comfortable in doing workshops), at even lower cost. And those workshops could be made into a video series that people could stream when joining the Steve Pavlina Membership. Or something...

All I'm saying is, you know how much personal development material there is out there. And you know that most of it isn't just writing. It's audiobooks and videos.
I really feel you could dominate the Personal Development arena right now.

This whole field is just getting started. It's time for some people to set new standards. To examine what is possible in this field.

Anyway, it's cool to see you are going to and put a lot of energy in these workshops. All I'm saying is, I think you are the one that could be setting the bar at new heights, if you so desire.

Good luck! And if you need some more wacky ideas, let me know .

PS2: You have achieved so much, and set the bar really high for yourself. Your blog, book and other materials speak for themselves. So don't think I'm putting you down or something. I just had a feeling of your potential. And I'm sure you have thought of all the things I said here and I understand you have your own timeline to follow. But just in case you needed some ego boost, here it is .

[seeker5]

Originally Posted by andreelerowes

Steve, be nice to NYC. =) Visiting a city, as I'm sure you know, is not the same as living in it. You are on the outside looking in. I think if you lived in NYC for a few years, you'd have a very different picture of it and not the stereotype of "people running around."

You know, workshops are only a few days long, not a few years long .

Originally Posted by Jasper

I even spent some time thinking about how to do something that really makes an impact, and really gets some attention. Now you get a lot of attention already, but you need more.

I'm guessing Steve isn't seeking or care for attention. He just seems to instead make an impact. As he wrote elsewhere, he isn't seeking bigger audience and reaching more people. He seems to instead want to reach people deeper, and build deeper connections rather than reaching many people, but in a shallower way.

[dan1529]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

For starters I would encourage Erin to tackle more of the Oneness-related sections since that's her strength.

I couldn't agree more with this idea. Erin added a LOT of value each time she was up there on stage with you.

And I know of one particular conference-goer whose life may have changed in large part thanks to Erin.

Daniel Koontz


___________________
Visit me at Casual Kitchen!

[ericabiz]

"Specifically I’m looking at January 15-17, 2010 (Fri-Sun)"...

I won't be available those days, but I am available the weekend after that (Jan 22-24). I would like to come again at some point.

Right now I am pretty out of alignment.

-Erica

[Erin Pavlina]

Erica, we'll be in Puerto Rico that other weekend.