A Lesson From TAE 2018

I can’t believe it’s over.

Earlier this week, I wrapped up the Transformational Author Experience.

I celebrated with a full day photo shoot in New York City for some new pics for my website.  I even shot a video from Times Square.

My husband was with me and made a great director and cameraman.   (His acting background makes him a great on camera coach.)

Anyway, the video was a message I sent to all the attendees of Season Seven of the Transformational Author Experience.

Seven seasons.  It’s hard to believe it’s been that long.

Here are a few quick thoughts I’d like to share with you about my journey to TAE 2018.

First, I’m grateful I took TAE out of retirement.  I hadn’t hosted it since 2015 for a number of reasons.

I almost didn’t again… but I followed an “intuitive nudge” and boy, I’m so glad I did.

I would say this year’s line-up of speakers was the best I’ve ever had.

Now —

One of the biggest reasons why I was reluctant to host TAE again (and didn’t do it the past few years) was…

Running an event of this caliber take more time, energy and money than you can imagine.  And it pulls my energy and the energy of my entire team away from any other projects for a good three months.

Why?

Because TAE isn’t a run-of-the-mill summit.  There are a million details to track, nearly a dozen team members to manage, and enough project management to make your head spin.  And, some very long day – and nights – for me.  (Which I don’t enjoy.)

It can be feel exhausting, chaotic and stressful at times.

But you know what?

This year felt easier. In fact, it was the easi-est out of all previous years.

It felt effortless, joyful and truly guided by grace.

Now, it could be because I started hosting virtual events like this in 2006… and I’ve got a ton of  experience under my belt…

But I think it was something else.

I think it was the intention behind it.

You see, the very first TAE I ever ran in 2011 was created in a frenzy.

I was going through the final weeks of bankruptcy, and on the verge of homelessness as my house was being foreclosed on.

I didn’t know where we were going to live, or how I’d support my family.  My husband had been a stay at home dad since 2005 and I was the breadwinner.

I felt desperate for something to turn around my business and my family’s life… I was on my knees, begging, crying, and bargaining with God to show me what to do.

It was in that place that TAE showed up as the thing to do.

So I went for it full steam ahead and in 90 days had the first 10,000 people registered for TAE 2011.

It was fast, and it was furious from that very first one.

And this pace continued until I retired TAE in 2015.  It was pedal to the metal for more about five years.

And it broke me.

I was nearly un-functionable.

I had finally hit a revenue milestone of more than 7-figures in a year… but I was burnt out, tired, depleted and drained. Everything felt like work.

I’m writing you this because I want you to understand what can happen to entrepreneurs… what it can end up like sometimes.

People make such huge promises of fast growth. Making money fast. Impacting the world fast. Writing your book fast.   Building your platform fast.

And fast is nice. Nobody wants to wait around for success to forever….

But fast can also break you, and compromise every aspect of your life.

Here’s the thing though…

If I had to do it again, I wouldn’t change a thing.

That challenging experience helped me grow and evolve in ways I never imagined.    I’m a different person now than I was a few years ago.

My business and life used to feel stressful, out of balance, and haphazard.  I couldn’t slow down, I felt like I just had to keep going.  But not anymore.

Now my life really works.

I have a great marriage, feel good about how we’re raising our teenage daughter, enjoy time for date nights, family outings, vacations, meditation, yoga, massages, gardening and preparing home cooked meals nearly every night.

And… I love the work I get to do and the people I’m blessed to do it with.

So if I had to go through that rough patch for a few years to get to where I am now, then every minute of it was worth it.

That’s why I invited Kristine Carlson from the “Don’t Sweat” book phenomenon to speak on how to not sweat the small stuff during your launch… and keep yourself sane as you get everything done. She was brilliant!

Anyway —

Coming full circle back to what I said about TAE Season 7.

It was easier.

And it was easier because… this time I created it from joy, desire and excitement.

I was not standing on the brink of losing everything.

The past few years I’ve done a lot of S-Quadrant work and I felt fueled, full and ready to bring TAE back to life with renewed energy and passion.

And while there were still some very long days and tired nights…

Overall it was the most easy and graceful online event I’ve ever produced and I can’t wait to do it again.  (I’m already planning for TAE 2019.)

So now I want to hear from you…

In the comments below, tell me what resonates with you about what I shared here.

Have you been firing on all cylinders?  Feeling a little stressed out or burned out?

Or are you on the other side of an experience like that and stronger for it?

I’d love to hear from you.