Skift Take
Training to run a marathon is a tremendous undertaking. The commitment and time it takes to train and prepare for the race, takes effort and passion. The process is not so different from your career in the events industry. Here are 6 new tools I have gained that can help you in both your events career and (if you’re up for it) some distance running!
1. Routine Is Vital
Establishing a routine can be beneficial in so many ways. When you train for an endurance race you must learn to set a schedule and stick by it, or you will never make it safely to the finish line.
When planning events your routine may vary from event to event but the basic planning process will remain the same. Do your best to make this as routine as possible. This will save you time and energy on each event, and as a planner you know how important that is to the success of your events.
For example, establish a standard packing checklist and before each event, run through the list to see if you have everything prepared. This way you don’t have to create a new list each time and you have an established routine.
2. Dedication Pays Off
Crossing the finish line will be the ultimate pay off for many early mornings and long runs that have been logged over the last year. Sometimes staying dedicated can be hard and seem like a true challenge, but if you stick with it you will reap the rewards.
Perhaps you are starting a new event planning business. The early stages can be daunting and the long days spent recruiting clients and working independently can wear on you. Stick with it! Over time the initial challenges will fade and your confidence will grow. This type of dedication can have a tremendous impact on your career and business.
3. Mental Strength is Key
Whether it is dealing with a tough client or running your first 20 miler, you must find your own sense of mental strength to maintain your composure and succeed at your task. Mental strength in event planning means learning how to maintain a calm collected demeanor, continuing to enhance your thought process and maintaining a positive attitude.
Try working your creative side to give yourself new perspective. Put a new twist on an old process. This will open your mind to new ideas and perhaps new business opportunities. Continue to learn and push yourself to improve.
4. Trust Your Training
Training for a marathon doesn’t happen over night, unfortunately. You must go through a process to learn about nutrition, hydration, stretching, form and much more. Like running, event planners must learn many skills to make their events successful.
When you get into a pinch during your events, take a step back and remember to stay confident, trust your knowledge and your education. Many planners these days have formal degrees, certifications and many hours logged in the industry. No matter how you learned your skills, you should trust in their valuable and know that they will carry you through towards a success.
5. Learn From Setbacks
We all have moments where we don’t shine the brightest. In running it might be a bad race or an injury that hinders your training. With event management, we all have days we might like to forget, where things just don’t run as smooth as you’d hoped.
Take each setback and try to see it as an opportunity to grow and learn. This can be difficult in the moment, but overtime you will see the areas you can change in order to grow in your career. Ultimately these mistakes provide the greatest educational experience because you get to see them, and learn from them, first hand.
6. Expand Your Comfort Zone
When I set out on this marathon journey I was incredibly nervous to run 26.2 miles. It still gives me butterflies as I look forward to approaching the start line, but reaching beyond my comfort zone has taught me I can accomplish much more than I ever realized.
Try stepping out of your event manager comfort zone! Break out of the traditional planning tactics and try something new. EventMB has many articles and books that will help you to see the industry in a new light. Don’t be afraid to try something unconventional or think outside the box. Push the envelope, because this is what will help your career to be more enjoyable and your events to stand above the rest.
In Conclusion
You may not be the fastest runner or the world’s greatest event planner, but you can still gain many interesting skills from all facets of your life. Too often we spend our lives focused on our day-to-day schedule and agenda that we might forget to see the big picture of how everything relates. Look around at your favorite hobbies and see what they can teach you about your career. You never know when, or where, you will find a new spark for your career!
