Why I RSVPed yes — immediately — to this event invitation

...even though it was geographically inconvenient.

Remember Zoom fatigue? For me, it’s merely a hazy memory because live events are back in such a big way. In fact, so many face-to-face event invitations are crossing my desk lately that I have to be really choosy about what I say yes to in order not to totally overwhelm my schedule in a hurry.

As everyone knows who's based in a major metro with gridlock traffic, geographic feasibility is a major factor in decision-making. I also want to look forward to seeing some familiar faces for a personal connection or networking opportunity. Beyond that, there's no real magic bullet that triggers my yes RSVP.

Or maybe there is: After I said the fastest yes ever last week to a press event, I realized there is one thing that is so valuable as to inspire my firm commitment (even though the event was many miles away, in an out-of-the-way location down by LAX). What was it?