The Do Lectures – The encouragement network

The Do Lectures is a global community of like-minded entrepreneurs and ‘doers’. Individuals come together at their global gatherings – a cross between a festival and a conference – where there is limited wifi and distraction, but great food and plenty of campfire smoke, and they share their stories and their ideas.

The idea behind the Do Lectures is a simple one: people who Do things, can inspire the rest of us to go and Do things too. Each year, the organisers invite a set of people to come and share what they Do, and in turn participants are inspired to share their ideas and plan how they will bring them to life.

The shared belief that ‘ideas change things’ is what drives the Do Lectures and the resulting network has given many entrepreneurs the confidence and encouragement to take the leap and start up on their own.

The shared belief that ideas change things…

Not long after we had founded the Conscious Project, Abi and I went along to in 2013 – initially we were a little unsure as to whether it would prove helpful, as it seemed most of those attending were in the tech sector, or advertising, or product design and development. However, right at the edge of our comfort zone we had exciting conversations about our ideas and plans for our own business, and collaboration possibilities emerged. It was an eye-opener and an inspiring experience: we were able to connect and support others and we made some incredibly important friendships that continue to thrive. Indeed we have even been able to collaborate on one or two projects successfully, with more to come. Who would have thought that on the side of a hill on a farm in West Wales, the seeds of conscious collaboration would be sown?

            Right at the edge of our comfort zone… collaboration possibilities emerged

Key learning from the Do Lectures:

-   Sometimes we have to let go of our preconceptions and be prepared to go to the edge of our comfort zone in order to meet new people and discover unlikely collaborative possibilities.

-   In the case of the Do Lectures, this means letting go of our prejudices and quite literally travelling to a new place where the rules and terms of engagement are different, and we are free of distraction.

-   It takes courage and trust to share our ideas; trust that begins with the little things like sitting around a campfire or sharing a meal together.

You can find out more about the Do Lectures and what it does in the Conscious Collaboration book or by visiting their website www.theDoLectures.com