Control Your Destiny: Owning the Outcome

Years ago, when I worked in the New York City fashion industry, I learned a lesson I’ve carried with me ever since.

I had delegated a task, trusted the person to follow through, and didn’t check back in. The job didn’t get done ...and my name was on it.

In my early twenties (and prone to a little drama), it felt like I had just ruined my career. I braced myself for the worst when I explained the situation to my boss.

But he wasn’t mad. Instead, he said something I’ll never forget:

“What you learn from this is… control your destiny.”

He didn’t mean “micromanage.” He meant if your name is attached to something, own the outcome. Don’t assume. Don’t hope. Make sure.

What It Means for Travel Advisors

That little phrase has stayed with me, especially in this business, where what we do directly impacts people’s trips, trust, and wallets.

When a family books with you, they’re counting on you for more than just reservations. They’re trusting you to be the expert. The one who ensures their vacation goes as smoothly as possible.

In our world, details matter:

• A missed dining reservation window can mean losing a coveted table.

• Not mentioning a required park reservation can derail an entire day.

• Failing to double-check a ride closure could lead to disappointment.

When in doubt, double check it out.

Why It’s So Important in the Disney & Universal Space

If you’ve been doing this for more than five minutes, you know that things change constantly: park policies, Lightning Lane rules, attraction refurbishments, parade times… the list goes on.

And here’s the wild card...sometimes even Cast Members or Team Members on official phone lines give conflicting answers. It’s not malicious, it’s just reality.

That means it’s on us to confirm, re-confirm, and keep our finger on the pulse.

Some things will always be out of our control (last-minute closures, weather disruptions, technical issues). But the more you can do to avoid the dreaded client feedback of:

• “Why didn’t you tell us about…?”

• “You never mentioned we had to…?”

…the stronger your reputation and client trust will be.

The Long Game: Building Repeat Business

Repeat business is the name of the game. A client who books with you once is a customer.
A client who books with you multiple times — and refers others — is the foundation of your business.

That kind of loyalty is built on trust. And trust comes from ownership of your work.

“I’m new at this” or “But the blog said…” aren’t phrases anyone wants to hear from their travel advisor. Clients want reassurance, not excuses.

Three Ways to “Control Your Destiny” as a Travel Advisor

1. Verify Everything – Even if you’re sure you know the answer, check again. Disney and Universal change things often, sometimes without big announcements.

2. Follow Up on Delegated Tasks – If you pass a responsibility to a teammate or assistant, confirm it’s done and done correctly.

3. Document and Communicate – Keep records of confirmations and share key details with clients in writing so there’s no confusion.

Final Thoughts

It may sound cheesy, but my boss’s words still ring true: control your destiny.

In the travel industry, that means taking full ownership of the details you can control and doing everything in your power to prepare clients for the ones you can’t.

When your clients feel taken care of from start to finish, they’ll come back again and again. And that’s how you build a career with staying power. 💛