Lessons Learned as Content Creators: Top 3 Fundamentals for Planning

The Elizabeth Hotel is a modern, chic hotel located right in the heart of Fort Collins that we stumbled across after we decided to switch gears on our agenda for the day.

 

When planning a road trip or vacation, it is easy to subconsciously have expectations on how the trip is "supposed" to go. Especially if you are a Type A, typing out an agenda for each day kind of planner, there are always things that bring change or throw off our plans. Expectations can be great in some cases but, if you aren't able to deviate from an original plan if something changes, you will be greatly disappointed and not experience your trip fully.

 

As content creators, we try to plan out places we need to go, things we need to see, what poses we need to get for brand content, and try to stick to that plan as closely as we can. Sometimes, things work out just as planned and it is such a great feeling; but, when plans change, we've learned it is super important to be flexible and accept what is. If you're starting out as a content creator, or just planning a road trip, here are three tips to help you get the best out of your experience and adventure.

 

• Check Your Mindset
• Be Flexible
• Accept "What Is"

 

Check Your Mindset

 

Cozy sitting area located in The Elizabeth Hotel in Fort Collins, the perfect spot to sip on some coffee, read a book, or self-reflect.

 

The first thing to do, before doing almost anything in life, is check your mindset and set your intentions for what you are wanting to do. Whether you are planning out how to get shots of content, where to have dinner in a city, or deciding what activities to do in a new place, checking your mindset is super important. Especially as a content creator, it can be very easy to get caught up in just going out to get brand content and not pay attention to the beauty around you, like a sunset, a hike by an alpine lake, or the hustle and bustle of a downtown. Check your mindset and ask yourself:

 

• What makes me happy?
• What new things do I want to experience?
• How do I want to feel after I leave this experience?

 

Be Flexible

 

The Elizabeth Hotel is the perfect, cozy stay that is a music enthusiasts dream. Decorations reflect music lovers and allow you to even check on records for your room. After our plans changed, I'm so glad we ran into this hotel and decided to be flexible.

 

Once you check your mindset and set your intentions before planning your adventure, the second step is to understand that anything you plan out could change. When we traveled to Fort Collins two weeks ago, we quickly realized that our agenda for the day was not going to be accomplished. I had a whole plan outlined of where we needed to go, what pictures or videos we needed for content, and it felt like the entire plan went out the window. If we had been so stuck in our plans and not willing to be flexible, we would not have been able to create content in a genuine way where we were having fun. We had to go with the flow and, in the end, we had an amazing time creating content in a more authentic way than if we had just stuck with our plans.

 

Accept "What Is"

 

Right before this picture was taken, we were so bummed because we weren't able to go somewhere we had originally planned. However, we had the amazing opportunity to talk to this vendor who makes several pieces of jewelry we own. It was a lesson to teach us to accept "what is".

 

This last tip is something we both have been working on and wanting to grow in. When circumstances change and things don't turn out the way we want, accepting "what is" can be very challenging but beneficial. Accepting "what is" goes back to checking your mindset and intentions for what you set out to do and can determine what you do next. Once we realized we were not going to accomplish everything on our itinerary, we had to be flexible, and accept what the current situation was in order to determine how we were going to handle the changes. Once you accept "what is":

 

• Take a big breath
• Think about what you want to do
• Be present in the moment

 

At the end of the day, if your original plans change, whether on vacation or in the middle of content creation, if you're doing what is true to you and what you love, it will be a successful experience.