The COVID Test

As I waited for the required 15 minute COVID test to give its results allowing me to join the event I had flown across country to participate in, the sweat began to bead on my forehead.

This event was booked 7 months prior.

Due to all of the cancelled flights over the holidays, knowing I was flying from Utah to Florida, I let the client know I needed to fly in 2 days prior to ensure I could either rebook a cancelled flight

OR

Hop in my car and drive 2,350 miles as fast as possible to make it in time to the event.

Due to the fact that I might have COVID, and would need to take a test to prove I was negative, my suitcase was full of my VIRTUAL SETUP (Lights, Camera, Microphone and more) to do my presentation from the hotel room just in case.

Due to the event having so many people cancelling nationwide with the virus hitting their families, this first attempt to get together in 2 years as a team and work family compromised nearly all of their plans, the meeting planners had to insist every attendee take a COVID test and be negative before coming to the ballroom.

At this point: This is reality.

This is what we are faced with to even hold an event!

What used to be the stress of making sure lanyards are printed properly, speakers are stellar, and the event is planned perfectly for the expectation of attendees…now those things are a given, whereas the COVID aspect throws not just a wrench, but the whole toolbox at a planner’s patience and plans.

I stand amazed at the planners who are still fighting to make events happen.  They are true heroes to me.  Not recklessly having events, but putting EVERY SAFETY MEASURE POSSIBLE to pull it off still:

MASKS

SANITIZER

SOCIALLY DISTANCED SEATING

WRIST BANDS with COLORS indicating who wants a hug and who needs to steer clear

and of course, the granddaddy of them all:

THE RAPID COVID TEST in the WELCOME BAG

Wow.  What a world we’re living in.

Whether you think all of this is ridiculous, necessary, or the way things ought to be, I can share that as a Keynote Speaker who has just made such efforts to get across the country, prepared custom material for months of prep with the client, and is needing to be nimble enough to put on a performance IN-PERSON or IN-VIRTUAL from my Hotel Room…there is a whole new level of concern, prep, and patience on my part as well.

Fortunately for me the test was NEGATIVE.  I texted the photo to the client, who was so grateful, and I went to the room with the attendees who had also tested negative.

Perhaps the only time everyone wants everyone to be NEGATIVE!

My 60-minute Keynote on The Promise was an easy tie-in with all of the promises we had made and kept to make this event work, to stay in business, to do whatever it takes.

Followed by 3 ICM Process 50-minutes each Workshop Sessions, this was a most wonderful event that happened last week in Florida.

The audience loved it, I loved it, the staff was thrilled to see a hotel full of people.

But it all comes as a great test.

A test of will.  A test of patience.  A test of keeping the Promise despite everything probably going wrong.

What can we do to keep The Promise?

Often, more than has been required of us in the past, but this is now what life is, so I’m curious:

How are you handling The COVID Test?

~ Jason Hewlett 

Husband, Father, Writer, Hiker, Coach

• Speaker Hall of Fame * Award-Winning Entertainer * Promise Legacy Coach
• World’s First & Only Keynote Speaker utilizing entertainment, musical impressions, and comedy to teach the Power of Keeping Your Promise
• Author of “The Promise To The One”

jasonhewlett.com