RULE #5: GET INTO THE CONFERENCE MINDSET

"ONCE YOUR MINDSET CHANGES, EVERYTHING ON THE
OUTSIDE WILL CHANGE ALONG WITH IT."

- STEVE MARABOLI

This is the last rule to be followed before you attend the conference. Getting into the conference mindset ties everything together. When you follow this rule, you'll notice considerable positive changes in your performance at the event.

You can start this process as far in advance before the conference as you'd like. At the very least, I recommend doing it the day before and the morning of the conference. I like to start a week before the first day of the conference; by the time I get there, I'm crystal clear on everything.

Let's break the process down so you know exactly how to get in the mindset.

1. Start by thinking about, or writing down, all of the things you're grateful for in your life right now, the things you already have. Spend just two minutes on this and jot them down. Too often we focus on what we don't have. When you walk into an event focused not on what you need but on the abundance you already have, you'll feel more relaxed and happy. Not only will you be more relaxed, but other people will gravitate toward your positivity. Gratitude is the key to happiness.

2. Next, write personal affirmations for the conference. One of my favorite books, The Five Minute Journal, by Alex Ikonn and UJ Ramdas, describes an affirmation as a statement describing what you want in your life in the present tense. Some examples of affirmations could be: "I am self-confident," "I achieved all my goals at the conference," or "People love to be around me." When you write personal affirmations, your brain is primed to build this belief. After you've written them down, start saying them aloud to yourself to cement this idea in your mind. Affirmations are extremely powerful. When I attended MastermindTalks, I was lucky enough to meet Chad Mureta from App Empire. While having a great conversation, he told me he had made positive affirmations a part of his daily routine. He would tell himself, over and over again, he was an app millionaire for an hour every day before he even had a successful app on the market. It obviously worked for Chad; it can work for you. You might be thinking, "I don't have an hour every day to do this." You don't need an hour. Practice your affirmations during your morning routine by saying them aloud while you shave or do your makeup.

3. Take some time to visualize yourself achieving your goals and adding value to others at the conference. Visualize talking with an influential person you want to speak with. Visualize yourself as relaxed and calm during this conversation, and see yourself and the person you're talking with enjoying the interaction. Visualizing success helps you to obtain it.

4. The last part of this process is what really ties it all together: tell your friends all about your goals. When you tell your friends you're going to do something, chances are you'll do it! Nobody likes to let themselves or other people down. By having accountability partners for your goals, you just can't lose. You won't want to tell your friends you got lazy and didn't take action on one of your goals, will you?

At this point, you should feel more prepared to tackle a conference than you've ever felt in your life. Enough planning and visualizing - let's make it happen! In the next section you'll learn how to maximize your ROI while at the conference. To be able to do this effectively, the first five rules are a must. Don't skip them, because they lay the groundwork for success at your event. You'll start to see dramatic results if you put in the time.