Why do all good things come to an end

I was just listening to pint-size Furtado sing this song and realized (perhaps for the first time in my life) that endings are good because they create new beginnings. And, frankly, beginnings are a hell of a lot more exciting than endings. Beginnings are fresh and smell new. You're learning, fumbling, fitting in. You're experimenting. Pushing boundaries yet trying to walk the established line at the same time.

So, what's about to end for you? My advice: let it go. End it. Get it over with. Put it out of its misery. Get on to something new. Get on to screwing up again - maybe for the first time in a long time. Face it, you're on autopilot now anyway. Step out of that Cessna, whose controls you know all too well, and step into the Space Shuttle. You'll sweat. Your neurons will fire faster than Vanilla Ice's rise to fame and plummet into ridicule.

So, to answer the question, "why do all good things come to an end?" Frankly, they need too. After all, in a larger cosmic sense, it must, because it's all cyclical anyway. In a more practical sense, if you think a little deeper than the surface where all the emotions live, the good times weren't all that good. They were pretty fucked up at times.

So, move on people. Make some new good times. Hell, make some new bad times.

Just make something new.

Just make something new today.

How Fast Is Too Fast?

I received a survey tonight from my internet service provider asking about my experience with their service. While generally satisfied with the service, support and general functions, I am not satisfied with the speed of my Internet connection. Even at the highest levels. Imagine the surprise of my provider. "What? We have the fastest connection available in your area!"

So?

Is that supposed to make me feel better? No. Open up the pipes and give me service at home that is offered to high-technology businesses. Truly. Why not? Do I surf differently when I take off my coat and tie from the office and slip into my Hugh Hefner robe at home? No ... my net habits do not change from the office to the home. I like it fast, baby.

So, in the words of Sammy Hagar, "Take my license and all that jive, I can't drive 55."

Everybody Needs Passion

I read a story once of an adman who kept a card in his breast pocket that read: "They may be right." He would pull out that card before going into a client meeting. I once thought that was a poor way to start a meeting in regards to self-confidence and belief in your own ideas. However, I've altered my opinion somewhat. (Although I would never look at the card before a client meeting, still.)

I was reading comments from one of my clients on a creative brief. They were bristling, sometimes blistering comments. I read it once and put it away, moving on to the next project. Then a day later I picked up the brief again, shut my door, and read the comments with more empathy for the client. I tried to imagine the client's mindset as he wrote these comments. What was he REALLY trying to say to me?

And it dawned on me ... they may be right. In fact ... the client was right on several points.

I realized that the client had put more passion into their comments than I put into the brief. And that's the real lesson here for me: never let your client have more passion for a brief than you. Never be "one-up'd" by a client's passion for a communication piece. They can bring more facts and realities to the table all day. But never ... never ... let them be more passionate about key insights and ideas for the communication. If you try to keep this pace - work towards this goal - you will write better briefs.

Honesty

I had a conversation with a client yesterday where we both were completely honest with each other about our careers and future dreams. It was so liberating to express where I wanted to go in my career that may directly impact this client. Likewise for my client to express with such honesty where he/she wanted to go career-wise that may directly impact this agency.

Does that send up red flags?

I don't think so.

I think our relationship just got a little deeper and our connections a little stronger.


Now, time to stop blogging and go get to work for this client!

Paul Lavoie of Taxi says ...........

"NOs" hold us back. Saying no is easier than saying yes. There is tension in no. Behind the tension is opportunity. See it as a cue to do something great. Flip it. Make no your bitch......

VCU AdCenter ... on the walls

VCU AdCenter Planning Conference

I just returned on Friday 6.8 from a weeklong executive training program for planners at the VCU AdCenter in Richmond, VA. Amazing program, presenters, workshops and 20 other colleagues planning in agencies from small to global.

My planning hero, Russell Davies, was one of the presenters. Russell talks a lot these days about "interestingness". It's an (pardon the pun) interesting point that ROI, ad recall, effectiveness, sales ... none of this makes any difference if your communication isn't interesting to the target. Being interesting means that you're worth paying attention to, playing with, thinking about, etc. In a time where our clients compete with everything from Shakira to Shakespeare, we must strive to be interesting first.

That's my goal this week (among many) is to create briefs - create conversations - that are interesting first, above all. Then, look for opportunity to get my key message in once I have attention.