Why Organize Meetup Events? Why Lead?
People ask me why I organize Meetup events, with all the work and drama associated with it. I think there are 3 main reasons – although if I thought about it longer I’m sure I could think of others.
1) To create opportunities for people to form the kind of meaningful and enduring friendships that are important to a satisfying life. Not a relationship with me, but with other people they are drawn to, for whatever reason.
2) To create opportunities for me (somewhat selfishly) to learn people’s stories in an environment that is conducive to storytelling. I’m intrigued and humbled by the secret angels among us, whose generosity and compassion is otherwise invisible. It makes me a better person (or so I hope).
3) To create opportunities to share my love of exploring nature in new and creative ways that get people away from the traditional overused locations. And I want to get away from the traditional concept of what it means to travel. I’m looking to create the “perfect experience”, whatever that means, and I feel I keep getting closer all the time through trial and error.
Meetup leaders need to be clear and thoughtful about why they lead events and what they hope to accomplish – otherwise they can get frustrated and burnt out.
Blog by Christopher Mark Nelson
I dig your motivations Christopher. Thanks for sharing!
I myaself long for that often elusive “perfect experiance” and deeper freinships and connections with other people.
As they say, the rewards are more often hidden in the journey, not actually gleaming at the pinical of your objective as it sometimes seems.