I suppose no matter how successful someone is, there is an innate tendency in most of us to think we are not. I, for instance, can count innumerable flaws within myself, and can easily recite failures galore. I'm a tortured soul, as my wife says. All too often I worry that I might be one of those referred to in the following quote:
"How many people there are that could be described as mere channels for food, producers of excrement, fillers of latrines, for they have no other purpose in this world; they practice no virtue whatsoever; all that remains after them is a full latrine."
Leonardo DaVinci, from Leonardo, the Leonardo DaVinci biography by Serge Bramley
So to avoid hyperventilation or semi-suicidal thoughts, I try to recall favorite sayings like the following that reside in my filing cabinet's treasure trove of inspirational comments. Once again reviewing these two speech excerpts I heard years ago makes me feel a bit better. It's corny, but true.
“Fear is the darkroom where all our failures are developed.”
Joey Reimann, from a speech given to the Utah Advertising Federation, December 1991
“I wake up to find I’m still alive. 500 points. I have clean clothes to wear. 500 points. I have good food to eat. 500 points. I have a great wife. 500 points. I have a job. 500 points. I have a place to lay my head on consecutive nights. 500 points. Before I even get out of bed I have 3,000 point! Why shouldn’t I be positive?!”
Tony Marsalla, Motivational Speaker
Over the years I have kept track of what I judge to be inspirational quotations from leaders, past and present, in the ad business (mostly). I have roughly 250 pages worth, a healthy handful of which are taped to my office wall. Rather than let them simply molder in a file, I thought I'd pass a few along in hopes you might find them as motivational as I have. Even if you're not associated with the MAD MEN society, there still may be something of value. Here goes:
“Train, eat your vitamins, say your prayers, and believe in yourself.” Hulk Hogan
"Talent alone doesn't really count for much. Success comes from focusing single-mindedly, with the intensity of a laser, on your craft, on your goal. It's not complicated; you just decide what you want to do, where you want to go, what you want to acheive, and then don't let anything or anyone distract you."
Andy Berlin “An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all.” Oscar Wilde “Merely to let your imagination run riot, to dream unrelated dreams, to indulge in graphic acrobatics, is not being creative. The creative person has harnessed his imagination. He has disciplined it so that every thought, every idea, every word he puts down, every line he draws makes more vivid, more believable, more persuasive the product advantage.” Bill Bernbach
“There is no such thing as a me-too product, just me-too advertising.”
Tom McElligott
“Shake the Etch-a-Sketch in your head, start over constantly, and come at the problem from wildly different angles. Don’t keep sniffing all four sides of the same fire hydrant. Run through the entire neighborhood.”
Luke Sullivan
