What a fun week. I had a great time posting this week. The posts that I wrote were fun, original and genuinely thought-out.

If you’re a regular blogger, you know that sometimes posting something, especially every day, can become a bit bothersome. It’s a labor of love, for sure, but sometimes it’s more labor than love.

That being said, here are the top three posts from the week. These are the ones you read the most, shared the most and discussed the most.

• How to Get What You Want (Nearly Every Time) – There are two ways to get what you want in life: Pushing and pulling. Find out which one is more effective and will get you what you want.
• 5 Resources for Becoming a Digital Pastor – This post will give you a starting block for getting started with digital ministry. What’s digital ministry? Well you’ll just have to read the post and find out!
• Your Next Million-Dollar Idea – If you’re looking for a tried-and-true business strategy to literally make a million dollars, look no further. You’ve got it here, in this post.

Enjoy. Re-read. Retweet. Share with a friend or write that comment you were going to share during the week but didn’t have time for.

I’d love it if you’d join the team. The deviant team.

I told you yesterday how you could join our team for Gifts of Water, a project my friend Jerry from Dream Year put into motion.

Gifts of Water exists to get clean water into the hands of people who need it the most. Some more details:

• $10 = the Gift of Safe Water for 1 person
• Give your $10 by texting WMI to 85944 – giving online
• Getting 10 friends to give $10 each = 10 more people getting safe water
• 250 groups of 10 friends giving $10 each gives Gifts of Water to an entire community

Check out this short video to see how you can join Team Deviant and give the gift of clean water this holiday season.

• After reading 4-Hour Workweek and The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working, I’m convinced that email, as necessary as it is, largely exists to artificially bolster our confidence in how productive we are. Set 1-2 times per day where you’ll answer email and leave it off the rest of the day. You’ll be amazed at how many “urgent problems” take care of themselves.
• What happened to the Vikings? Apparently Chilly is getting in fights with his players. Also, Oakland is dirty. Glad they aren’t in my market.
• Just learned that the good folks from Freedom Blend Coffee custom-made sample bags for us to include in the swag bags at the Social Media Summit. I liked them before. I like them even more now.
• Josh Larson and his latest project, weiv, is poised to blow up. Mark my words, by this time next year his schedule will be so full, we’ll be lucky to get him at next year’s Summit.
• Do not try and solve conflict over Twitter. You look silly, foolish, and childish. Anyone with half a brain can see what you’re doing.
• I updated our About page. Check it out and let me know what you think.
• What are some of your family Thanksgiving traditions? My brother and I engage in what we’ve affectionately dubbed “The Nog Off”.
• You are three emails, phone calls or conversations from changing your life. Who do you need to contact today?
• I met with the Social Media Summit Dream Team last week to recap the event. This group is some of the sharpest minds I’ve ever had the privilege to work with. I got them all Action Method Cahiers. Action Method fueled the Summit.
• What’s the latest and greatest in your world, deviants?

• I’ve been sharing a lot about the Social Media Summit lately. We’re in the thick of things, as the event is tomorrow. I cannot believe the time has passed this quickly.
• After tomorrow, we’ll shift the focus on this blog onto other upcoming projects. What’s on your plate lately? What are you working on that’s got you excited?
• Not to sound trite, but the Action Method has changed my life. The products are second-to-none, but the philosophy driving the products is life-changing.
• Speaking of the Action Method, I just signed up to go to the 99% Conference in NYC this May. Kerry and I will cap off a vacation with this event. I seriously can’t wait. Are you going?
• “We had to do it so you have to do it.” This statement, in some form or another, is the source of almost everyone’s problems.
• Most of you may not know this, but my sister is a seriously-talented food blogger with legit cred. I got to guest post for her this week. It was fun (and her readers are really nice!).
• I’m really hitting a sweet spot with the Summit. A look into the future?
• What’s up with Juan Williams? No, seriously. I keep hearing his name but I have no idea who he is or what he’s done. </ignorantrant>.
• Brett Favre is going to walk out of the NFL with his tail between his legs and head hung low. He could’ve walked out a hero. Greed is an alluring toxin.
• The ELCA, for all her faults, has been one of the most supportive organizations of the work I’ve been doing with the Summit. They are hungry to learn. I would even say that the event would not have been possible without them. Thank you.
• We will visualize Twitter stream connections this weekend at the Summit. Here’s a snap shot. How does it work? No idea. Ask GodAtPlay.
• What’s up in your world this weekend?

I’ve always found that the easiest way to understand something is by seeing it. I’m a visual learner, so seeing something gives me a grasp better than hearing or reading ever would.

I wanted to give you all a peek behind the design curtain for the Social Media Summit, which just happens to be this Saturday. (You can still get on board for a very respectable price.)

What you’re about to see is a sampling from all the imaging I used to create the brand for the Summit. Most of the design work here is from the Summit program, but you can get a taste of what it will feel like when you come to the party.

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When I set out to plan the Social Media Summit, I had an idea of who I wanted to take part in it. I kept most of those names under a hat until I could flesh out what the interest level and availability was.

I also knew what I wanted to accomplish with the Summit. There are far too many good-hearted people in ministry who are absolutely terrified at the thought of social media. They know it’s important but have no idea where to start. I wanted to bridge that gap.

The two areas seemed easy enough to marry: Provide the comprehensive “why?” and “how?” for social networking to people in ministry and ask some of the brightest people in the field to take part.

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Recently I sat down with Kevin from Church Marketing Sucks to talk about churches and their use of social media.

• Why should a pastor care?
• Best uses of social media.
• Biggest mistakes churches make with social media.
• How to find time, etc.

It originally appeared on CMS, but I wanted to share it with you in case you missed it. Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments below.

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Jack Johnson said it: “We’re better together.”

We had a planning meeting for the BeDeviant Social Media Summit last night. It could not have gone better. When you surround yourself with brilliant people, something brilliant is bound to happen. You’ll want to be at the Summit. Trust me.

We shot some photos thanks to the talented Bridget Purdy. Below you’ll see some of the shots.

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I love going to conferences. Fresh off the heels of STORY, I’m convinced now more than ever before that conferences are a vital part of leadership development and training.

I know everyone doesn’t agree with me. Some people see conferences as a huge waste of time and resources. “We should be working!” they say.

That’s why I loved getting this question from reader Rachel recently:

I’m curious… I see a lot of bloggers get together for big events and what not.  I’m poor and live far away on a vast peninsula, but are these things worth going to?  I mean are they worth the financial investment?

Simply put, she’s asking if conferences are worth it. The travel, the hotels, the money, the time–does it all pay off? Or is it just an excuse to get out of the office for awhile?

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