Lessons learned from writing an ebook and speaking at conferences

This year was literally crazy, as I spoke at five various SEO conferences in Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, London and in the middle of nowhere, but the center of everything in Austria. Not to mention other projects.

I believe it gives something valuable to people by showing you my journey, my feelings, and the struggles I’ve been facing. I hope many can relate.

Usually, I don’t speak at so many conferences, but this year I decided: let’s **** bad old covid times and meet with people from the SEO industry, exchange knowledge & experience with them and spread the word about our new tool ZipTie.dev.

Honestly, I still don’t feel fully comfortable on the stage, I may not be the best speaker, but I enjoy it a lot, as well as it’s connected to my long-term goals, it helps me leave my comfort zone and simply push my limits forward. If we don’t push our limits, they push us down.

SearchLove London conference was kind of special to me, it reminded me of the time when I made another presentation at a London conference 3 years back.

I still remember back then when I was scared AF that people would judge my accent (as you probably noticed, Queen Elizabeth II wasn’t my grandma)

Two weeks prior to the presentation that I did 3 years back, I spent hours a day practicing my pronunciation instead of the core of the presentation. And later, during the presentation, I was focused more on HOW to say things than on WHAT things to say. I was simply too stiff because of that.

Happily enough, instead of complaining about my accent, I got quite positive feedback. Some even said they liked the humor in the presentation.

It was a hard lesson for me so I want to share it with you.

It took me a while to learn it’s OK to have your own accent. It’s not about accepting a mediocre accent. It’s about constant improvement and enjoying the journey you go through. BUT, it’s crucial to understand this - *without attachment to the final result*.

If you are struggling with this, just DM me?I know exactly how you might feel so I trust I can help you?

I accepted an offer to speak at the conference in Amsterdam on very short notice. The very same day I flew to a conference in Amsterdam, I released my ebook. I made the final corrections while on a plane, waiting for takeof. This taught me it’s possible to manage my time well, but it was also very exhausting. I usually try to maintain a life balance but failed this time. Crazy time?

Like many of us, I do enjoy challenges and overcoming obstacles, but this time taught me sometimes it’s better to calm down and take one step at a time.

Did I mention that one day before the conference and book release we had a huge problem with the final (and necessary!) corrections to the ebook)?

The ebook (TheSEOPlaybook.com) was another neverending story. It took me 8 months to write it and during the process, honestly, I thought about throwing it away many times.

Getting back to the conferences and networking, there was one thing that I enjoyed the most.

Spending time with people from various countries, coming from various backgrounds, understanding their customs, and their approach to work and life.

A while ago I started following a stoic philosophy and meditation. Coincidentally, I very recently missed my flight for the first time. Definitely not a pleasant experience.

So I booked a flight to another city. That meant lots of money lost (as I had to buy another ticket), move to another airport at night, as well as spending the rest of the night at the airport and then, spending the next few hours in a bus to Wroclaw.

What was my reaction? I thought: it’s a valuable lesson for the future. Pricey, but worth it. I made a mistake (we all do!), and that’s the price. You can blame others for anything happening in your life, but at the end of the day, you’re the one who has control over it.

I’m still new at meditation and breathing exercises, if you can recommend something to me, I’m all ears!

These days virtually everybody is forced to do presentations at work, to convince a boss or shareholders. But if you want to practice it, I strongly recommend Toastmasters. They meet every week (in many cities in many countries) and practice their speeches about life, work, whatever topic they are interested in. More importantly, they receive feedback helping them to improve. I joined Wroclove Speakers 4 years ago although I am no longer a member of the club due to lack of time, I still maintain a lot of friendships. One of the members of WrocLove Speakers Toastmasters Club , Cyril Junior Dim, WCPS , recently became a World Champion of Public Speaking. There are many people to learn from! You can also develop within the organization - improve your social or leadership skills.

If you reached the end (wow!)... If you have similar feelings as I did, or just struggle with your goals, just DM me. I’m not a coach by any means, but I more and more enjoy giving back what I got from the others