As I'm sure many have experienced in recent months, my trip to NAFCU's annual conference in San Diego began with hanging around the airport for a few hours until my flight was so late that there was no way I'd make my connection. I was forced to reschedule for o-dark-30 the next morning. Fortunately, that flight worked out, and I arrived for the afternoon sessions of the opening day and the meetings I had planned.

An inauspicious start? Not at all.

I did miss the opening session with Marshall Goldsmith–as well as the closing session with Keith Harrell–but honestly, all these conferences begin and end with inspirational speakers and life coaches. They make you feel uplifted and determined to do something for all of maybe 48 hours, then you get back to work and face the realities of your day, your job, your family and everything else.