Big Plans For 2018

Just 12 short months ago, I was sitting at this very same desk writing a prediction that 2017 was going to be a Monster Year (man was that an understatement!). Well, that is certainly true. The year quickly started off feeling like a scene out of the Great American Race. I was amazed to find myself traveling each week (often coast to coast), living out of a suitcase, racking up thousands of miles on my brand-new van, and achieving pro status on multiple pieces of heavy equipment. The year 2017 not only tested my physical hardiness but my mental toughness, and I am proud to say that I survived an incredible year and am stronger than ever. I am ready to tackle anything that 2018 has in store for me.

As you might have read in my last blog, Who Needs Luck,I have recently accepted a position as the VP of Operations at ISM Connect; therefore, my workload isn’t very predictable. ISM Connect is constantly evolving and expanding into new arenas and it is my responsibility to grow with the company to ensure that operations and logistics aren’t ever a point of failure. I plan on doing this by working alongside a team of experienced professionals that will address and then divide and concur any obstacle that stands in our way. I plan on maximizing opportunities by ensuring that each team member is in the correct seat on the bus, and not being afraid to switch seats as the business evolves. Ultimately, the past 36 months have been action packed and filled with lessons that I have learned. And I plan on applying all of these experiences to this new opportunity.

The start of a new year is an ideal time to evaluate your goals, make sure you are still on plan, and adjust where needed. Here are my revised goals for work and play.

3 Professional Goals for 2018:

• Maximize every opportunity that has been made available to ISM Connect due to our recent naming rights sponsorship of ISM Raceway (formerly known as Phoenix International Raceway). ISM Raceway will showcase our technology and offer an opportunity for us to work alongside best-in-class technology partners to enhance the overall guest experience. If you would like to learn more about ways your company can participate in any of the construction or branding opportunities that ISM has access to please do not hesitate to reach out.
• Build upon our 2017 success and continue to strengthen the reputation that the operations team is high service and low maintenance.
• Work alongside Fortune 500 brands to create a new way to engage fans at live events. The ISM Connect network allows brands to talk to customers in a completely new way—think Instagram stories versus a traditional 30-second TV commercial that you now fast forward through every time. I am a content snob and can’t wait to work alongside a brand that truly gets it. 

3 Personal Goals For 2018:

• Over the course of the past eight years I finally decided to take my physical health seriously. I have lived a semi-clean lifestyle filled with whole foods and plenty of exercise. However, I fell off the wagon last year in a major way. I ate like shit and stopped working out, I used the excuse that the nonstop travel didn’t allow for me to get to the gym. Since 2018 looks like it isn’t going to slow down, I have built a workout and diet plan that can operate in conjunction with my travel schedule. I will keep you updated as the year progresses, but I am going to start by taking it day-by-day and doing what I can when I can.
• As you might know, I am ADDICTED to personal development podcasts where entrepreneurs, business leaders, and athletes share stories about milestone moments in their lives and how daily routines might play a part in their successes. The one thing that Tony Robbins, George Lucas, Madonna, and countless others have all shared during these podcasts is how meditation has played a key role in their personal and professional success. I have dabbled with different meditation apps in the past but am going to commit to the idea that 2018 is going to be a year where I make strides in my mediation journey.
• I have made a lot of progress blogging, vlogging, and snapping this journey but I want to kick my storytelling into high gear in 2018. I plan on doing this by building in additional processes and routines. My 2018 content strategy revolves around the #EventLife where I will document events that I am able to attend, highlight people behind the scenes at your favorite events, and share some of my tips and tricks from 20 years in the event biz.

To be sure, 2017 was without a doubt a Monster Year—but 2018 is already shaping up to be even bigger.

Cheers,
Michael