Today someone is going to tell you that the amazing idea you just came up with is not a good idea.  Don’t give up.

Today someone is going to tell you that in a focus group somewhere in the world, someone didn’t respond to the work you’ve spent the last year creating. Don’t give up.

Today someone is going to invite us to a new business pitch that will have a timeline that’s too short to do good creative work. Don’t give up.

Today someone will walk over to your personal workspace with bad news. Don’t give up.

Today someone will call in sick – and that rush project you spent all night working on will suddenly have 4 extra days. Don’t give up.

Today the product you’ve been working on will fail its primary study endpoints and die. Don’t give up.

Today an FDA advisory panel will vote 0-12 against your product causing a two-year delay. Don’t give up.

Today the client you’ve spent the past 3 years building a relationship will be transferred to a different brand – and the new guy doesn’t like you. Don’t give up.

Today you will be booked in back to back meetings and still be expected to create amazing new work. Don’t give up.

Today someone will quit. Don’t give up.

Today someone will be searching the Internet and find that someone else has created a campaign that is exactly like the one you’re proposing to a client tomorrow. Don’t give up.

Today you’ll get contradictory direction. Don’t give up.

Today someone will tell you that the client wants to stop working and go back to an ad that you created 4 months ago. Don’t give up.

Today you probably won’t have time to get lunch. Don’t give up.

Advertising is tough. Everyday there are new challenges to overcome. Everyday there are new things to learn. New problems to solve. New people to meet.  

And yet, that’s also what makes it so much fun. Because, just when the crap is hitting the fan, people come together to do amazing things. Miracles.  They don’t give up.

Today I’ll see a video that was created for a client that makes me jealous.

Today someone will create an idea that takes my breath away.

Today we’ll win a piece of business that will make it all worthwhile.

Today someone will get promoted.

Today we’ll solve a problem that yesterday seemed impossible.

Today is another day when we can make a difference.

We’re trying to do the hardest thing in the world. Improve the overall creativity for an entire industry.  It’s not easy. I never said it would be. But it’s worth the fight.

And every day I have to remind myself of one thing.

Don’t give up.

R

11.14.13

(PS – Today is world diabetes day)