My I made it moment
This is not my attempt at me being a narcissist. I’ve been seeing the videos going viral on TikTok. It’s mostly to do with musicians at their concerts hearing the patrons singing their lyrics back to them or seeing a sold-out venue, in some cases, hitting a record number of audiences. I wanted to reflect on my career and try to find a moment I could attribute to ‘making it’.
I personally don’t think I’ve made it. The day I’ll make it is the day my show will be on with at least one of my favourite artists taking the stage, and with my people by my side. As you can see, this has always been the goal: to do mainstream concerts. The entirety of my career has been dictated by that one goal. So, it’s hard for me to really find one singular moment that I can use to say that I made it.
The first event I ever worked at was in 2010. I was a volunteer. I had zero knowledge of what being on-site at an event meant. I just waited for instructions and followed through with that. It did not feel revolutionary in the slightest, but somehow, I felt accomplished, like I had truly done something great. I graduated from university and started my first job, which was as a freelance marketer. I got to put together small networking events. A small step in my events career, but a giant leap in boosting my confidence. I venue-sourced and did site visits like I knew exactly what I was doing.
In 2015, I got my first full-time events role, and I got on that plane and moved to Sydney. I knew all of two people at the time, in Sydney. I was ready for that adventure. I started venue sourcing globally. Going to my office in North Sydney meant I was daydreaming about venues in Singapore, Riga, Reykjavik, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States in a week. I felt like I was on top of the world (literally).
I moved back to New Zealand and instantly felt like a failure. It felt like the momentary high that I had had come crashing down. I still chased the same goal. I started a new job and started putting conference agendas together. I didn’t quite know how this fit with my ultimate goal but I didn’t question it. I sold out the third conference that I put together. It’s a humbling experience to see delegates sign up to a conference for which you’ve curated the program. I started enjoying this. More conferences sold out. I grew. So, was this my I made it moment?
My career continued on its trajectory. It’s in the most unexpected places that you get a glimpse of what your life could look like. I had the opportunity to book an artist for a conference. Kings said yes, and did a 10-minute set. That event was one of the hardest events I’ve put together, but also a significant highlight. My hands and knees were shaking as we kicked off the event, and Kings took the stage. I don’t have the words to describe that feeling. I wanted to feel that high again, but the end goal was slowly blurring. I took a chance and joined a mentorship program. I got invited to work Groove Armada. The first actual concert that I worked. I was on a high. Cried on the flight there and back. It was messy. The theme here, anytime I did something close to achieving my goal, I cried. Were either of these my I made it moments?
I took another chance on me. I signed up to work Hidden Valley, a major summer festival. I truly think that was the turning point in my career. In one year, I went from working a gate to managing a gate. I went from having worked two concerts to having worked 6 concerts. So were either of these my I made it moments?
The reality is that I always looked to other people and their reactions to decipher whether I made it. Instead, I should have looked at my journey and where I started and how far I’ve come. If you’re chasing a goal, you should do the same. See how far you’ve come, the people you’ve met, the people who stood by you, and gave you the opportunities for you to succeed.
I don’t think the I made it moment, is one singular moment, but rather a collection of small moments that pave the way for the bigger events. Your goal will keep evolving. Your standards or the bar will continue to rise, but it’s important to acknowledge everything that you’ve done and achieved along the way. They are all I made it moments.
If I can leave you with one thing today, that is, let your faith be stronger than your fear.
Until next time,
Mili
