In the hospitality industry, there are all kinds of plans for unforeseeable disasters or downturns in the economy. There are contingency plans for attendees’ canceled flights, emergencies on site and bad weather.
But do you have a personal contingency plan for yourself? What happens if you get sick or go to the hospital for an extended time? Do the right people know what to do on your behalf? Have you told someone what you want done and how to do it?
Sometimes life happens and things can get turned upside down in a hurry, when you least expect it. Unless you have a contingency plan for your personal life, a number of situations can impact your success and ability to move forward as a meeting professional. At work we know what to do if a computer system fails, or the hotel fails to send you their proposal in a timely manner, or the power goes out. But when something personal strikes, it can throw us off balance. We may not know who to call or we might hesitate to ask for help.
One reason we may not have a personal back-up plan is because we never think certain things will happen to us. We think we can predict or change almost anything that comes along. The fact is, there are certain things you simply cannot change in life – the weather, a medical diagnosis or the ways other people behave. Bad things happen to good people. But when they do, if you look for, and find what I like to call your grit, you will be on the road to creating your own personal back-up plan, just in case.
Definition of GRIT: Passion and perseverance in pursuit of long-term goals.
Now take a look at this acronym and add some of your own thoughts to this formula. You do this every single day as a meeting professional.
G – Guts. Pull up the boot straps and keep going. It takes guts to accept your limits and ask for help. Too much self-sufficiency will not get you any extra jewels in your crown. You may be in unchartered waters, so take time to navigate and find a new path and a new normal.
R – Resiliency. You know how to bounce back because you are instinctively a warrior and it is hard to keep good people down. It is not a competition; it is just life.
I – Intuition. Ninety-nine percent of the time when we get a gut instinct, it is correct. You know yourself better than anyone. If you feel intuitively strong about something, don’t shake it off as just an emotion. It’s most likely an inner compass pointing you in the direction you are supposed to go. It’s called “golden guts syndrome”.
T – Tenacity. People are built for endurance, determination and staying power. We do not just give up. Most people choose to stay the course, no matter how rough the waters. When you think about it, what are the alternatives? So ride out the tough times and you will most likely emerge stronger on the other side and perform even better than before.
One of the best gifts of love you can give yourself, family and business associates is to follow this link:
http://www.caregivers4cancer.com/downloads/Life%20Contingency%20Worksheet.pdf. Complete this NOW. You never know when you will need this.
Betty Garrett has spent more than three decades in the training, travel and hospitality industries. Her company, Garrett Speakers International, is based in Irving, Texas. Reach Garrett at betty@garrettspeakers.com. Check out our website atwww.garrettspeakers.com.
