Take A Leap Of Faith And ATTEND The Global Blockbuilders Conference!!! Boost Your Presence, Confidence & Earning Potential By Investing In YOURSELF

If you want to grow on and/or grow Steem, and can afford it without robbing a bank, do yourself a favor and go to Austin next week.

Justttt do it. You won't regret it. SteemFest attendees know what I mean. Join the club.

If you're stuck, afraid, or need a push, here you go:

Let's get down to business...

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Costs are "costs" if you see them as such. For me, they're an investment in my future success and a means to do things that make me happy.

The outlay of time and money will be mere blips down the line, and nowhere near worth the opportunity cost of being held back by them. Unless you're coming from another country, I'd argue that this would likely hold true for you as well. As for costs, I'm not just talking about the price tag to go on the trip. I run my own business and will miss an important week of income/operations/pipeline, but I'd rather miss one week to not have to work for years later.

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Obviously, everyone is different and has their own lives...

I know, I know, cut-it-out!!

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If something is legitimately holding you back, consider how critical that thing truly is in both the short and long term. In other words, do you need @dramatoken(s) or not?

...Furthermore, what do you stand to gain and/or lose by NOT going ...and are you comfortable with that?

On the flip side, think about the same IF YOU WENT. Be realistically optimistic and pessimistic because there's a great opportunity at stake here.

All done? Now list them out on paper side by side and see and feel which outweighs the other. Too much work? Just pretend.

If all else fails, you should do what makes you happy, even if it might be a little bit of a strain or a call for a favor to achieve that.

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Why Sacrifice?

Opportunities to spend dedicated time with blockchain and Steem experts who share the same vision and passions have no price tag to me. These chances are too few and far between right now. The confidence and refreshed vision keeps me feeling somewhat sane for locking up a bunch of crypto on my Nano collecting dust, while also fueling me to keep grinding for success with Steem.

I was seconds away from giving up on Steem after a year of struggling, before being convinced to take a leap of faith to go to SteemFest 3. I bought my flight 2 days before, and my ticket from @arcange 30 minutes before leaving for the airport to make it to my gate exactly at boarding time. It was pricey to go, and it cost me a ton of business at home, while cutting another leg out on my momentum, but it was worth it.

...Now, I'll be going to as many conferences as I can, and planning/making personal sacrifices to make it possible. The synergy and camaraderie from these events fosters so much positive and creative energy I want more of. Those who have gone before know what I mean.

Be Spontaneous & Live A Little:

Three of my fondest memories in recent years were:

• Buying a Super Bowl ticket & flight the morning of the game with zero luggage or hotel, getting to my seat when the players ran onto the field. I snuck down to the field level after, hung out with fans at White Castle, and slept at the airport.
• Deciding to go to Barcelona for 5 days solo the day before, getting there at 10 PM with no lodging booked.
• Saying "F It" and going to Poland at the last minute for SteemFest to meet the community I cared about and had temporarily lost faith in.

...All last second, all amazing memories I'm proud of, out of the box, and not cheap. Much better than sitting at home wishing I was somewhere with some extra funds in my bank account.

Most of us spend our lives talking ourselves out of things we know are positive and beneficial because of a few objections we could easily overcome with the right mindset. Remember how you wanted to get into Bitcoin years ago and sat on it?

Many people skip opportunities and don't even know what they missed out on. In this case, the advantages of going are perfectly laid out for you, with dividends that could be paid in spades.

We're all risk takers and non-conventional for being involved in crypto and Steem, so take my advice... it's worth the leap of faith with the upside significantly dwarfing the contrary.

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If you're truly debating and/or feel stuck, let's break down some potential objections or obstacles...

Costs:

• If it's not impossible, you'll make your expenses back with the knowledge you learn and relationships made on the trip. It's also a badge of honor showing your commitment to the community to garner respect and much more attention from stakeholders.
• @llfarms is giving away TWO conference tickets and you could have a very high chance of getting one. If you see this and really can't go, please support her generous post either way.
• Some Steemians are sharing a house within walking distance for significant cost savings and convenience (me included to save over half of what I projected), others likely will too. Get chatting on Discord for tips and people to share costs with. Feel free to message me as a starting point at #9927.
  
  

Time Off Of Work:

• Ask your boss or colleagues for a favor. Don't assume they'd say no. If you're genuine and they see your excitement, people like to help people be happy. Explain how you'll make it up to them on the job or work some extra hours when you get back, hire a temp, get an intern, make your kids do it, yadda yadda.

Family Obligations:

• If you have young children... your spouse or significant other, or in-laws or relatives would probably love some quality time without you yapping about crypto to them. If not, family friends, neighbors? If a no go, @blewitt founded a global nanny app service where you can pay him in comic books. If your spouse won't let you go, tell them how much you love them, how lucky you are to have them, and how special they are. "60% of the time, it works every time."

"But, I Have To Plan Things":

• Noooo you don't. @steemcafe and team did all that for you. You just need a plane ticket and a place to stay.

"I'll Just Wait Until SteemFest":

• That's 6 or 7 months you could've been built up and helping develop the blockchain in advance to PRESENT next time as a leader, instead of being in the audience getting inspired to rise up for the next time around.
• Opportunity for compounding interest from the experience, inroads, ideas, relationships, and motivation significantly delayed.

"You Don't Like Perfectly Awesome Warm Weather, Kind & Knowledgeable Steemians/Blockchain Gurus, The Inside Track On New Developments, Earning Respect, Making New Friends, Innovation, Helping, World-Famous Music, BBQ, and/or Having Fun."

• Sorry, you're on your own here.

In sum, just pony up and make the trip happen. The odds of you having a ball are pretty close to a sure bet. In the worst case scenario, you'll make new friends and Steem will be much more fun and rewarding going forward in many ways.

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For comedy relief after all of this drama, check out my subtitled foreign videos about the conference (make sure CC captions are on).

Global Block Builders Jeopardy:

Global Block Builders Promo Photo Shoot:

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Aside from seeing Austin, I know many of the people going fairly well (met many too), and can assure you it'll be a great group to hang with for a few days. The water is warm, just jump right in.

If this helped anyone make the trip or seriously consider it, please let me know as a comment or in person next week! It's a long shot, but if this gets one or two people to say "F It" like I've done in the past and throw away any reservations, it's a big win for me and the community.

Thank you,
@steemmatt

P.S. Please see this post about supporting about IJ & Dave.