The Musings Of An Opinionated Sod [Help Me Grow!]

Life is tough.

It’s demanding, challenging and expensive.

Some are dealt a very good hand, most have to deal with what they’re given.

It’s because of this, we look for things that let us feel we’re doing something right.

It might be putting food on the table.
It might be buying fashion or tech.
It might be progressing your career.

I am not here to judge anyone on that, we’re all dealing with our own shit and what gets us through, gets us through.

However, where it does bother me, is how this is increasingly being presented on platforms like Linkedin.

When I look there, it feels the ambition is to achieve ‘ultimate professional clout’.

Now I get ‘clout’ is old terminology … but it seems to capture the attitude of many, perfectly.

Be THE leader.
Be THE role model.
Be THE most popular.
Be THE judge of what matters.
Be THE most successful person.

To be honest, I find it all a bit repulsive – especially as it seems to be all about celebrating attitude, behaviour and bravado over anything more tangible and meaningful – but again, if it works for them so be it. After all, this need for pedestal posturing is hardly a new phenomenon, as I wrote about it – albeit not related to Linkedin – way back in 2012.

However, where it does become a problem to me is in terms of the message it sends out to the upcoming colleague.

Especially the next gen of marketing/advertising colleague.

In some ways, they’ve got their shit much better worked out than I ever did – as demonstrated by the ‘great resignation’, that was really the ‘great reset‘. However, as I wrote not that long ago, there’s a hell of a lot of people out there who think ‘success’ is far more about acting like a ‘thought leader’ than doing and making stuff that makes people think.

It’s not their fault.

The platforms celebrate it.
The industry champions it.
The companies promote it.

Hell, the only training companies seem to do these days is generic, one-size-fits-all approaches everyone does … so they’re designed to make you fit in, rather than develop you to be able to stand out.

Which is why I want to sound the oldest fuck in the entire universe by leaving anyone thinking of working in my industry with this.

The marketing and advertising industry can be an incredible place. It has given me a life I could never have imagined. I’ve been able to work, collaborate and learn from people all over the World who are unbelievably talented and creative. It has provided me with chances and opportunities that have allowed me to expand who I am, without demanding I change who I am. And while I started in it before many of you were even born, it is still possible. Not easy, but still possible.

But while it is understandable you want to feel you fit in. While it is understandable you want to move up the ladder as quickly as you can. While it is understandable you want to increase the chances of success. While it is understandable you think you have loads of time to do all you want … the way to achieve it is not the way you are being told by everyone else.

Because the secret to this industry is to live the fullest life you can.

Not your work life, but your life. And there’s one major reason for that …

Because creativity – whether we’re talking about strategy, production, media, account management, design – is born, nurtured and crafted through your exposure to experiences.

The people you meet.
The places you go.
The stories you hear.
The concerts you see.
The food you eat.
The books you read.
The museums you visit.
The history you learn.
The lessons you try.
The shit you get up to.

Because all of it – every single bit – somehow comes together and help forge YOUR opinion, rather than mimic everyone else’s.

Basically, the bigger the life, the more you’ll breed your own originality, independence. ideas, craft and voice.

Please note I’m not saying you can just piss about and it will all work out. While openness and spontaneity has a role to play, it’s a deliberate act. You are making a conscious choice. Because whoever you are … growing, learning, expanding and just doing fun and interesting shit takes a lot of hard work.

That doesn’t mean I’m saying you should work all hours in the office, but by the same token, you shouldn’t have the attitude you’re only going to put in effort to better yourself when someone is paying you for it. Sure, companies should absolutely be helping people develop outside of their generic, outsourced, annual training program … but if you don’t want to aid to your own development – by that, I mean exposing yourself to the biggest life you can [as detailed above] – then you’re not denying your potential, you’re undermining it and, without wishing to sounds a total prick, you deserve what you won’t get.

Which is why, if you read only one thing I ever write – and I’ve written a fuckton about this sort of thing over the 19+ years I’ve been churning out this blog – it’s this.

The secret to success is defining it on your terms, not on the Ranters of Linkedin™.

Here is the model on how to get there …