Picking Ourselves in Honolulu: You Can Too!

[additional-authors]

Lisa Ellen Niver

February 9, 2014

Peering across the splendid banquet room of the “>Traveling in Sin. It felt more daunting to read my written words than I had expected. In contrast, when I read George’s written section of our dual-voiced memoir in Kathmandu, Nepal a few months ago, it was enjoyable. However, hearing myself read my words about our struggles and listening to the absolute silence around me, I hesitated with anxiety. Was everyone hushed because it was dull or were they hanging on every word? The loud applause answered my question and I sat back and relished every moment. We had created our own event called “

In Promote Yourself, Dan Schawbel discusses the new social economy and how different generations need to work together to share strengths. Schawbel writes, “If you work really hard, make yourself an expert on something, and pursue your passions, you will be able to achieve what you want.” Each individual must commit to make something happen for which they feel fervent about. No one handed us the Festival of the Pacific; we networked until it came together.

Schawbel’s “Rule of One” has definitely been true for us on both personal and professional levels. He adds, “When it comes to getting a job, starting a business, finding someone to marry, or just about anything else, all it takes is one person to change your life for the better. People may be saying no all around you. But as long as one person says yes, you’re on your way.” I typically continue searching until I locate the one person that I can work together with on a given project that will be mutually beneficial; then I often ask that person to join us to collaborate in the future.

Many hotel marketers request specific ROI (return on investment) to determine if they will work with WSGT. Contrasting this mode of thought, Kim Chandler McDonald, author of !nnovation, writes about “Return on Involvement,” which is what WSGT could offer with our extensive social media presence. However, not every hotel is ready to jump on board with this new definition of ROI. Rather than convince managers to accept this paradigm shift, I simply search until I find someone who is a right match for our team.

In Packing Light, author Allison Vesterfelt, shares her musical road-trip across the United States. Her comments on expectations shed light on how we made our festival become a reality:

“Maybe if we mastered the art of expecting the unusual, we would start experiencing the unusual. Maybe we have more control over the direction of our lives than we think. Maybe we should live our lives in a constant state of expectation, always curious and excited about the possibilities that could unfold in front of us. Maybe it is our sense of vision that colors our reality.”

At first many people who I approach to work with claim, “It is impossible to get forty people together for an event in Oahu.” Then when the numbers of attendees exceed the estimates, they say, “That was unusual.” My expectation is that it will come together and be a success. Our “>online webinar about Myanmar rapidly filled up with over sixty reservations. As WSGT continues to expand and grow, we continue to develop innovative plans. We are excited about what 2014 will bring! We hope you will join our growing global community of writers and travelers at We Said Go Travel.

About the Authors: “>Traveling in Sin and co-founders of