The Wildcard Invite
Stop assuming the answer is no
Did you see that couple that actually got married (for real) during the Super Bowl halftime show this week?
How on earth does that happen?
Well, it was quite simple. They decided to send a wedding invitation to Bad Bunny, Spotify’s most-streamed artist in the world (2025).
I love this story.
I mean, how many of us have flippantly mentioned to our mates, “Oh, how amazing would it be if Tom Cruise came along to my book launch?”
… Just me?
Anyway, I bet this couple were the same! They probably said, “Wouldn’t it be incredible if Bad Bunny sung at our wedding?”
But they actually took the next step and sent the invite.
Total wildcard move. No doubt they said: there’s NO WAY he’ll respond.
But whaddyknow? They were invited onto a Zoom call where they learned Bad Bunny wanted them to get married during his halftime performance.
Life can be cool like this. But it takes a bit of audacity to dream up that wildcard experience, and the courageous follow-through to send an invite.
I sent a wildcard invite to someone this week
I can’t imagine they’ll get back to me. And that’s okay.
But actually doing it felt great.
I mean, the chances of getting a response if I DON’T reach out? 0%. But if I reach out, surely that increases to at least 1%. Which is better, right?
→ What invitation are you keeping in the drawer because you’ve already decided the answer is no?
(Oh and Tom Cruise, if you are reading this, send me a reply).
Further reading on this:
12 resources from seven years of facilitating
Last week was International Facilitation Week. To celebrate, I dug through my shelves and shared the 12 resources that moved the needle for me from my first workshop to a global consulting business.
The books (pictured below) aren’t all “facilitation” books.
Some are about the business side. Others, like Jonah Berger’s work on social psychology, don’t get talked about enough in our world. But understanding what influences how people behave in groups? 11/10 recommend.
Beyond the books:
Workshops Work podcast by Myriam Hadnes (now called Unprofessionalism) has a brilliant back catalogue.
A Facilitator’s Journey podcast by Kirsty Lewis covers the business side.
The First Time Facilitator podcast (mine!) has 250+ episodes tracking the journey from newbie to business owner.
If you enjoy this list, you might enjoy this article too: Don’t Read These 21 Books.
A 60-second reminder to get out of your own way
There were a million reasons why I shouldn’t have been trekking in Nepal last November.
It feels like ages ago now, but we’re lucky because the extraordinarily talented Brisbane filmmaker Ben Taylor recorded the epic trip.
Here’s the 60-second doco trailer. The theme of our trip, and the full-length documentary, is: Get Out of Your Own Way and is out at the end of May.
The ultimate life skill I believe is having trust in backing yourself - giving things a shot. The biggest competition is not external, it's the belief and self-talk going on inside.
Unfortunately, there’s no shortcut or ‘hack’ to building this. It’s just consistently putting yourself in the ring, getting used to falling down, facing rejection, and welcoming that experience over and over again.
The good news? You also get to experience the incredible upside. And that’s what keeps you getting back in the ring.
I learnt a lot about that in November. Here’s what I wrote on the experience: The Average Person’s Guide to Getting High.
Join us on LinkedIn Live
“No guilt, no fear, no peer.” I heard Alan Weiss say this at a workshop in Las Vegas years ago. Someone in the room added “you’re lucky I’m here” and it stuck.
I’ve asked Alan to dig into it with me on our next Talk the Walk livestream. We’re exploring the difference between ego and actual esteem, and what can change in your business (and life) with a fearless approach.
BYO coffee, your martini, or your questions on Thursday 12 Feb, 4pm ET / Friday 13 Feb, 7am AEST
→ Join us live, or watch the replay on LinkedIn.
A small number of 1:1 spots are opening
Most of my work is group programs, workshops and keynotes. A few times each year I work privately with a handful of people who are already doing well and want to move faster.
Because it’s personalised, there’s no set curriculum. It’s based on where you’re at and what you most need help with. This is a PAYG month-to-month offer, no lock in, with a combination of calls and on-demand support.
If any of the above sounds like where you're at, reply with "1:1" and I'll send you the details.
🌴
Thanks for reading!
If any of these ideas resonated with you this week, I invite you to click the heart 💙 .
Leanne “Wildcard for the Win” Hughes
P.S. Curious what this would look like for you? Drop a “1:1” reply.
"Life can be cool like this. But it takes a bit of audacity"
Love this reminder to both dream and follow-through courageously!