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

Two words that trigger the fuck out of me.

Truly press every button I have.

Not because I’m some perfectionist who never gets things wrong.
Nor because I’m a myopic tyrant who only cares about what works for me.
But because I don’t have the time to waste on things – and people – who don’t share the same standards as me.

That sounds massively condescending, doesn’t it?

Believe it or not, I don’t mean it to be … but the fact is, time is precious to me. More precious than it has ever been. And – as I’ve written in the past – when you find yourself in this position, you realise you’re in a race.

That may sound over the top … exaggerated even … but I assure you it’s not.

For a start you know all the things you want to do won’t happen. Just won’t be possible.

Then to make matters worse … the more you do, the more you discover and that adds to the list of things you would love to explore and experiment with.

So you end up having to try and choose what matters – or intrigues or scares you – the most and when you have done that, you go into them like a freight train.

Hardcore.
Total commitment.
Focus on being as brilliant as you think it can be and you hope to be.

Or at least I do.

And that’s why when you find the people around you are in a different place in life … or have a different set of expectations or standards … that can be hard.

It’s not that they’re wrong, it’s just that they’re wrong for where you are at right now.

Because you have no time for casual.
You have no time for not being utterly focused.
And anything that shows a lack of consideration feels like a knife in your back.

I appreciate this may not be a popular perspective – especially on a Monday morning – but as a friend of mine’s father once said:

“If you haven’t got the time to do it right at the beginning, when will you?

The reality is standards are all that sets you apart in this industry …

That doesn’t mean everything you do has to be a hit … but it does mean everything you do has to feel you’ve pushed for it, cared for it and fought to make it as good as it can be.

Not simply outsourced to a system or framework.
Not simply doing what others have done quicker, cheaper or bigger.
Not simply following what’s popular or hyped.

But standards, efforts and taste.

Because the reality is anyone can be lucky occasionally, but real reputations are born from standards over time.

Where you are known and seen for continually making and pushing things to better and more interesting places, time and time again.

That’s what gets the calls from the clients and people who care as much about what they put out as why they are putting things out.

Of course it’s not easy, but it’s worth it … or at least worth more than churning stuff out you wish didn’t have your name attached to, even if others are OK with it.