There are lots of conferences; not all of them will help you closer to your goals. Earlier this month, I attended Alt for Everyone, a three-day virtual conference. As with any conference I consider, before I registered, I identified which of my goals I am currently working towards and how that particular conference advances them. My recap, which I'm breaking into a three-part series which will appear here over the next three Fridays, touches on what I learned at Alt for Everyone and whether my goals for attending were met.
My goals for Alt for Everyone were the same as those I had for Alt Summit SLC: learning ways to more efficiently deliver quality content and connect with other bloggers for future collaborations.
For me, Joy Cho's keynote, "The Art of Being a Goal Getter," and two sessions led by Sara Urquhart, "How to Get Paid What You're Worth" and "Working with Brands," addressed my goal of delivering quality content and reiterated the importance of creating original authentic content.
Common to Joy and Sara's sessions was the notion of setting the right vision, one you're passionate about, and surrounding yourself with others who aligned with and supported that vision. Along with the right vision, they stressed the importance of not waiting for someone to hand you your dream job or collaboration. Start building your foundation and adjust as needed, but take control and be proactive.
Steps to Take to Achieve Your Dreams
My main takeaways from Joy and Sara's sessions (paraphrases or quotes from Joy's session appear in bold italic or italic):- "You cannot wait around for it. The only person who will make your goals come true is you." Do you have a vision?
- "You have to want it." Do you really want to put the effort in? Say no, if any of the following are true: you don't have the ability, the skill, or the time.
- Find something you're good at or that you enjoy doing. Focus on it and sell it. It doesn't need to be tangible. It can be blogging, teaching, or styling.
- "Do your research. Who or what will be the best fit to accomplish your goals?" Identify what companies and people you want to work for or work with. Know your audience and design and package for them. Say no to projects, if your vision and the brand's (or potential collaborator's) goals do not align.
- "Put together a presentation [a portfolio/a blog] that shines." Show companies work you've done that is most similar to what they're looking for. "People can't picture it until you show them." Create a blog with a specific personality -- one that's true to your vision and who you are.
- "'No' is not the end of the world. You won't always get what you want, but it will pave the way for something else."
Joy, Sara, Jordan, and others share their stories and their paths not so that we have a step-by-step blueprint. They tell their stories to inspire us and to motivate us to keep working hard. Success isn't luck. It doesn't happen overnight. And, today's success doesn't mean you can sit back and take a rest or that you'll land what you think is your dream job.
What did you learn at Alt for Everyone?
Throughout Alt for Everyone, Sara stressed learning more about our fellow attendees, going through the blogrolls and getting to know everyone. Want to keep the learning and the conversations going?
Connect with fellow Alt for Everyone attendees:
- Follow the Alt for Everyone 2013 Twitter list to see what everyone's up to
- Request to join the Alt for Everyone 2013 Facebook group
Ciao Bella!
Eden!
P.S. Curious what was in the goodie bag for Alt for Everyone? Check out my post from last Friday.
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