ALT Summit: The Quotable Recap...

There already so many wonderful recaps coming out of the ALT Summit attendees.  If there's one thing that other bloggers are excellent at, it's sharing.  I'm still learning stuff that I missed...and I was there!

I walked away with lots of ideas and inspirations - ironically, probably just as many for my day job...or for my role as a mom....or as a person who aspires to be more creative in general...than I did for my job.  And I also noticed a big difference in themes between the event in Salt Lake City from earlier this year and the New York event.  While both were full of fantastic advice on a myriad of topics, what I really took away from this particular event was that it was okay - and also likely probable and maybe even preferable - that you keep something on your creative side just for you.  Not everything has to be monetized, and not everything has to be a negotiation.  There was a reoccurring theme in January about "not working for free" - and I agree with that if blogging/photography/etc is what you do for a living (as living requires money), but for me it was always a leap because while the blog isn't easy, I don't consider it "working".  My day job is my work, and it plays a certain role, but having the blog allows me to pursue other avenues, and learn new things, and meet new people, that I otherwise wouldn't come across, and that makes me a better thinker overall across many fronts.  And that made me inspired all over again...

So to that end, here are some thoughts from the speakers and panels that really stuck with me - and I think they apply to just about any career or personal path you might choose to pursue...

• "We set our goals for the person we are when we set them - not the person we become when we achieve them." Dan Gilbert, from Tina Roth Eisenberg's keynote
• "If you want a creative life, then passive income will be your key." Tina Roth Eisenberg
• "I feel that I am right...but I don't know that I am."Albert Einstein, from Tina Roth Eisenberg's Keynote, on gut feelings
• "We systematically over-value the value of information, and undervalue the value of each other." Clay Shirky,  from Tina Roth Eisenberg's Keynote
• "If you can be a fair judge of yourself, you won't have to rely on the opinions of others." Tina Roth Eisenberg
• "I don't want to manage more people than can eat from one pizza." Tina Roth Eisenberg
• "You can see the hustle in people in their side projects." Tina Roth Eisenberg
• "17 bags of Ruffles taste better from a sterling silver punch bowl." Kevin Sharkey
• "It's creative entrepreneurs that will lead the New American Economy." Martha Stewart Panel
• "We're not a start up anymore but we should be working as though we are - everyone should be rolling up their sleeves." Martha Stewart Panel
• "Blogging is hard work." Martha Stewart
• "When you're through changing, then you're through." Martha Stewart
• "It's a good thing...until you discover a better thing." Martha Stewart
• "So...what are you bringing?" David Koren

All photos by Justin Hackworth via the ALT Summit Photostream.