“Next week there can’t be any crisis.  My schedule is already full.”  -Henry Kissinger

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger’s quote encapsulates what I will be doing in the upcoming week in Las Vegas.  The Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) will be  holding its 30th annual Convention and Trade Show from March 4 – 11.  It will be my second WPPI and I am looking forward to the teaching, meeting old friends, and making new ones.  Photographers who are attending WPPI for the first time have bombarded Facebook, Twitter, and forums with variations of this same question:  How can I make the most of my WPPI experience?

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”  -Stephen Covey

I would like to challenge and encourage you to not be overwhelmed by the amount of classes and information that you will inevitably encounter.  Make a mental exercise of the immediate needs of your business (do this without looking at the list of classes; it will only sidetrack you) and ask yourself fundamental questions about the state of your business.  Reason with yourself (perhaps seek input from those you trust) and evaluate the path that led you to this point.  Where are you lacking?  Where are you struggling?  Where are you stuck?  Struggle with these types of questions, attempt to answer them, and in doing so, you will begin to see areas in your business that are more important than others.  In other words, what are the priorities of your business at this very moment?  When you can get a little bit of a handle on this, then you can look at the list of classes/vendors and choose the ones that will help you with your priorities.  You will no longer be tempted to attend a platform class because it’s the popular one nor be tempted by classes that look interesting.  Don’t focus on what looks interesting.  Focus on the classes/vendors/people that will address your priorities.

I realize this is not an easy exercise!  You’re like, “Riz, that’s too much of a headache.  I’ll just go with the flow once I get there.”  You most certainly can do that but imagine just how much more you will be able to maximize your experience and more importantly push your company in the direction it needs to go in order for you to be successful if you took the time to identify your priorities.  Isn’t success what you want for your business after all?  I’m all about having a great time (you’ll see me at parties too) but let me end with this quote from Jack Canfield which emphasizes the the need for thoughtful reflection:

“If you are not moving closer to what you want in sales (or in life), you probably aren’t doing enough asking.”

WPPI is going to be awesome.  May WPPI 2010 be a great, fun time for all  but more importantly, a truly meaningful experience.  See you real soon!