Showing up at a well-put-together conference and participating with a plan can be one of the best investments you can make in yourself.

You meet the right kind of people.

You learn something new.

You could make friends with like-minded people, who share the same interests as you.

I went to one this week with a plan to push the boundaries of introversion a little.

I thought about how I was going to approach the day and it worked out well.

I started a few conversations I would have ordinarily shied away from.

I stayed upbeat, enthusiastic, and open to anyone who wanted a chat.

I slowed down. Rather than tearing through the expo, I wandered around.

I saw more. I took it all in.

I’ve never been a conference fan. This experience, plus my attitude towards it, may have changed that.