Photos by: Justin Hackworth for Alt Summit
This is your conference, this is your year, this is all about you and the choice that you made to attend Alt this winter. We have done our best to collect great speakers, gather the most valuable information, and assemble amazing sponsors eager for collaboration, but you are the only one in charge of what you really take away from the experience. The more effort that you put into your experience, the more you will get in return.
Remember Your Why
You will have moments during the week where you feel out of your comfort zone, nervous, a little scared even. But the thing is, most everyone is feeling the exact same thing. We are all in this together, wanting to put our best foot forward – that is the truth.
So if you are feeling down, or comparing yourself to someone else, or regretting what shoes you brought, just take a moment to remind yourself why you decided to come in the first place.
If you stay focused on that original reason for attending Alt, then things will feel less overwhelming. Because at the end of the day, it is not about what people are wearing, how fancy your business cards look, or how popular someone appears. It is about you and what you want to achieve in the long run.
Set Three Goals
Breaking down your long-term goal into three smaller attainable goals will help you stay focused and make clear decisions at Alt. If you keep going back to your three goals throughout the day, the quick choices you will need to make will be less overwhelming and more purpose driven.
Instead of following all your friends into one of the Breakout Sessions, your goals might be urging you to hop over to something different. Instead of meeting with brands in the lounge, your goals might suggest you should be meeting like-minded bloggers to form collaborations. Or, instead of sleeping in, your goals might request an early morning meeting with a potential sponsor over coffee. You see, this is all about you and the specific goals that you want to accomplish.
Relax and Have Fun
That being said, the more fun you are able to have, the more relaxed you will begin to feel. And the more relaxed you are, the more potential opportunities will naturally arise. You want people to get to know you and your brand no matter what your three goals specify. That is why you are here, so that people can see in person who is creating the magic behind the computer each day. So do make some friends, do laugh often, and do let a little loose at the parties.