The fear of not knowing enough

Geertjan Wielenga: I think many people, and maybe especially women, as you indicate, have the feeling that they need to know absolutely everything, whether it's about public speaking or a particular tech, before they can give a talk or submit an abstract to a conference. What would you say to that?

Heather VanCura: That was exactly the topic of the breakfast I hosted for the Women Who Code group in Atlanta last week at DevNexus. The topic was submitting a talk for a conference. The women attending felt that they didn't know enough yet and worried about what they would say if someone challenged their knowledge.

It's going to happen that you don't know the answer to everything and you must be open and willing to acknowledge it, whether you're a man or a woman. There are lots of different ways to deal with a situation where you don't have an answer. You can say, "I don't know the answer to that. I can go back and find an answer for you." You can also ask if anyone in the audience has anything to share on that topic. That's a way to get more interactive. Speaking on a panel is another option.

User groups or small environments can be great places to share your first presentation. Do a lunchtime session with your user group team, then smaller regional conferences, and then work your way up to a larger audience.

Geertjan Wielenga: Have you been traveling to many overseas conferences recently?

Heather VanCura: I just got back from the first Oracle Code day in L.A. It seems like I've been traveling most of the year already. I haven't had the chance to settle and do some deep thinking about anything; I've just been traveling from one event to the next. I've been to India, Australia, Japan, Kenya, and Bulgaria. I've been doing too much travel, but it's ideal to be able to tie that travel to a community conference. With so much going on in the community, you have to engage.

Geertjan Wielenga: Can you explain more about the difficult life of a global traveler in the sense of jet lag and missed flights?

Heather VanCura: I've learned through trial and error. I do enjoy traveling, but I have some tips. I try to only take carry-on luggage. I've found this helpful in terms of getting around when I'm there but also for reducing the time spent in airports. I've got my carry-on luggage and then my backpack on top, and I wheel it, so I don't have to lug around heavy things when I'm traveling.

Some people say, "Oh, just stay up all night and get your work done the night before a flight because you can sleep on the plane." I don't recommend that: it doesn't work. I try to keep my regular sleep routine. As soon as I get on the flight, I do whatever I think I should be doing at that time. If it's the middle of the day and it's my nighttime back at home, I force myself to stay awake and get on that local time.

Exercise, too, is really important. I try to get a workout in, even if it's brisk walking to get my blood flowing. I also try not to eat the food on the airplane. Obviously, water is your friend. Hydrating is essential when traveling.

Geertjan Wielenga: Is burnout a risk? How do you know you have it and how can you avoid it?