How a former student reminded me I often say little things with huge implications.

Yesterday I was asked if I’d seen my “Tribute Poster” hanging in the Creative Circus corridor.  I had to admit I hadn’t, had to ask what a Tribute Poster was, then who did it.

Seems a former student, Ashley Milhoullin (now at Deutsch/LA), started a movement among Circus students when she first posted mine in a group of six.  Each has a quote that means something to her.  Reminders she goes back to in those infamous ad industry moments when we’re blind-sided, put off base, question our worth and ability to do the work.  Here’s the one she did for me, along with a blow- up that completes the quote.

I thought about what I meant, then looked through my files to be sure I had it right.

Here’s some of what I wrote on her grade sheet:

“...remember you get “worse” as a result of aiming higher…take creative risks, play with (concept/copy) style – this creates new problems you haven’t worked (out) yet.  But that’s GOOD – says you’re not sticking to what you know…It’s good how you pull it all up to where it needs to be...you give anything/everything a chance – (the) sign of great writing, learning by taking risks, not keeping it safe.”

The only way to grow is to keep it Kamikaze.  Step outside your personal and creative comfort zone. Challenge yourself to reach for less expected creative strategies, KKFs, solutions and the styles.

Growth can be a learning nightmare.  Just when you think you’ve reached your zenith, you’re hit with a challenge to move in a totally different direction.  One that expands your abilities, makes your work more versatile, freer than before.  One that includes insecurity and failure in its success formula.  

You were good.  Now you’re bad.  Until you finally grok a new solution you’ve not tried before.  As long as you keep it up, there's nothing you can't conquer.

Up and down, up and down.  The only way to find our best is to push ourselves from the safety of what we know into the scary, painful arena of doing what we’ve never done before.  May not work the first time.  Or the second.  Each try, every “failure,” we learn something else about what we’re trying to do, how high we must reach.

Then we get it right.  Boy am I good again.  The rub: too many creatives stop there, with a slightly bigger, better creative comfort zone.  Great creatives risk more, keep trying newer, smarter, less expected trips outside it.

For a while¸ the failures add up and we’re “bad” again.  It’s a continuous cycle of reaching¸ “failing.”  Getting better better better with each try.

That's the thing with ad creative.  You’re only as good as you are willing to risk being bad.  

Poster (c) 2015, Ashley Milhollon

Blog Post (c) 2015, Doreen Dvorin/Kamikaze Creative(TM)