Convention set to define the ideal man

Calling all males: there is a convention in Orlando that has been tailored just for you.

The "21 Convention" will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Orlando from July 21 to July 25. Anthony Johnson, founder and architect of the 21 Convention, said that this convention is about being what he defines as the ideal man.

"It's becoming the best version of yourself," Johnson said. "I think society pushes you towards becoming perfect so people want to tell you to become the best relative to everyone else. For me, I say become the best person you can by your own standards and your own highest potential."

Johnson is a former UCF student who was majoring in interdisciplinary studies in 2006. He made the decision to drop out of UCF after consecutively failing a course on how to start a business.

"That to me was kind of like that tipping point where I realized, ‘What am I doing here? I love this school, it's been great to me, but I don't see a future despite being four years in of me being here,'" Johnson said.

Johnson said he looks back in awe at how far he's come, from his time as a student to where he is now, but he said he has no intention of returning to UCF to complete his degree.

The event features a wide variety of speakers to help men improve their lives, covering topics such as dating and relationships, as well as health and nutrition. This year, Johnson said there will be some new topics covered at the event.

"This is the first year we've officially and formally added entrepreneurship as a topic at the event," Johnson said.

Johnson also said the topic of self-defense will be introduced, as well. He said a tactical self-defense instructor will be at the event, who will speak to attendees about martial arts, as well as weapons that can be carried in certain states without a permit, among other things.

"It's kind of a collage of different self-defense things," Johnson said. "And that to me is an important topic."

Steve Mayeda, a dating, lifestyle and seduction coach, is one of the speakers that will be at the convention this year. Mayeda has been a coach in this field for five years, and was originally inspired to pursue this field after his own experience working with pickup artists. Mayeda said that working with the pickup artists improved his ability to meet women, as well as his relations with them. His personal growth inspired him to become a coach, teaching what he had learned to others. He said one of the things that draws him to this convention is its unique ability to improve the lives of men.

"In a lot of ways, the 21 Convention is the only convention that I see out there that is a total man convention, where any guy, from any background with whatever goals, can find something that is going to dramatically change his life," Mayeda said. "I just don't see anything else that well rounded."

Ticket prices for this year's convention, purchased at the door, will be $700. People who purchase this ticket at the door are allowed to bring a friend with them for no extra charge. Johnson said the cost to attend the convention is well worth it.

"It's not cheap. I'm not ashamed of that. I take pride in that, because the event, it's the best in the world at what it does." Johnson said. "Everyone that comes to it agrees that it is worth every penny you spend on it."

Although people must pay to attend the convention, Johnson provides the footage of his conventions for free on his company's website. He charged for the footage in 2008, but after that year, he decided to provide the footage online for free because he felt he did not need to charge in order to cover his expenses.

"I was more interested in making the event awesome, and I looked at the footage as a pathway to doing that."

To view footage of the convention or get more information on the event, go to www.the21convention.com.