Posts Tagged ‘ inspiration ’

stark raving gratitude // ode wk 7

Without a doubt- this week’s ode comes easily. It’s to my school and the talent within it that makes it feel so electric.

Within the last two weeks:

  • Jessica Collins, strategist got snapped up by the Martin Agency
  • Katie Chapin was selected as 1 of 8 graduates nationwide to participate in the WPP Fellowship
  • 1st year strategist Gautam Ramdurai was chosen to represent us at Cannes for the Roger Hatchuel Academy next summer
  • a team consisting of Melissa Cabral, Kendall Beveridge, Jacob Abernathy, Alyssa Collis, Brad Getty, and Sarah Daily just flew back from New Orleans to present their goosebump-inducing NOLA Can Save Us campaign to city officials and Trumpet.
  • Digital titans like BBH Labs, the Barbarian Group, and AKQA are lecturing & collaborating with our students
  • Another integrated campaign led by Ashleigh Edwards, Jennie Anderson, Maggie McClurken, Chris Trumbull, Colin Eagan, and Lauren Perlow, and the idea has a strong chance of going live in Europe…(and if so, it will revolutionize the way we travel.)
  • And two much-beloved gentlemen in the c/o 2010 recently proposed to their long-time girlfriends.

What’s absurd (in the good way), is that I know I’m still forgetting other recent updates on success. The realization that the people accomplishing these feats are the very same people I get to learn from and be inspired by on a daily basis, is  exhilarating // humbling // catalytic . I am breathing the same oxygen as these aforementioned genii and buying Cheez-Its from the same vending machine as them.

There’s so much to celebrate and congratulate. And what’s beautiful, is that there’s still a full 7 weeks left in the semester, which means that’s 49 more days to see these awesome payoffs.

I feel like a little ant that managed to crawl up the trunk of tree to sit and watch someone planting row after row, crop after crop, seed after seed. Sitting there, taking it all in; the realization that even more  wonderful things are about to bloom for people who truly deserve them.

The Brandcenter attracts an intriguing breed of students, and thankfully we also have the faculty in place who make sure we bend towards the sun.

**Apologies if I left anyone out from the student campaign teams, let me know in the comments. I definitely want to give full and proper credit to the ones who are unleashing the awesome into the world.**

It struck me that I only have 15 more weeks left of university. Knowing it will inevitably fly by- I wanted to do something that would help me remember the bits in the midst of the blur. I decided to write an ode, for each week. As a way to teach myself to find the awesome, the simple, the beautiful or the unexpected. 15 snapshots of where my head//where my heart was in the last quarter before the jump-off. I have no clue what will stick out as something I feel compelled to write about – but I’m enjoying the mystery involved.

2010
03/07
CATEGORY
Odes
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New Math dot com

I found New Math today while skimming through Noah Brier’s blog. I had to clip this image- struck me as one of those thoughts I’ll need to refer back to as the job hunt process kicks into high gear. Sometimes I look at it and feel humbled- other times I look at it and feel exuberantly optimistic- I like that tension.

http://www.morenewmath.com/

http://www.noahbrier.com/

2010
03/07
CATEGORY
Inspire
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someone finally told me to wear sunscreen

One golden 15-week semester remaining before I graduate from the VCU Brandcenter.

Which means over the holidays I’ve been putting together a Life-Wish List of what I think will be the best way to enjoy The Next 105 Days.

This process of assembling my Life Wish List includes getting back in touch with the good people in my life that I was often thinking about, however, there never seemed to be enough compartments in iCal for me to sit, talk, and really truly listen to them. (And then of course, wheedle them for advice.)

One of the things that the good John Manley told me over the course of a great conversation about what really matters, was to look up the Wear Sunscreen commencement speech. Which I did. I vaguely remember the hullaballoo when this song was widely circulated around ’97, but its advice is timeless. Here it is for you, in case you’re also about to cut & run towards what you want:

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of ’99: Wear sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.

I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they’ve faded.

But trust me, in 20 years, you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.

You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don’t worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts. Don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don’t waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long and, in the end, it’s only with yourself. Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how…

Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees. You’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary.

Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else’s.

Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don’t be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room. Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them. Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents. You never know when they’ll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They’re your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on.

Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you’ll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you’ll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair or by the time you’re 40 it will look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.”

Mary Schmich 1997

And here is the interesting backstory on the urbanish lore that surrounds this speech: Wear Sunscreen

And best of luck to you. We don’t know each other, but there’s a chance we might end up working together someday. Or competing against. At any rate, I hope we both get delightfully tangled up in the things we believe in, the things we want, the things we aspire towards.

-kp

2010
01/09
CATEGORY
Industry
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see the full picture: fear in its many forms is actually fantastic

After attending All Day Buffet’s Feast workshop last Friday, I spent this weekend mulling over some of the powerful stories and ideas that were discussed.

Ishita Gupta, Co-Founder of fear.less & Clay Hebert, President of Tribes Win presented How to be Fearless in a Fearful World and Embrace What Scares You

Saber tooth tiger fearThere are all kinds of different “fears,” that affect your career, your personal life, your health and for a few, even the fear of surviving. Clay and Ishita describe that last fear as “saber-tooth tiger fear,” i.e the feeling that the wrong move/inaction will actually lead to death or severe injury. They shared stories across the whole range of fears, and here are the three that I remembered the most. I hope you find them interesting and inspiring:

i. fear as a test of accountability
daunting workloadIshita and Clay shared how they profiled a prolific Creative Director and graphic designer, who was already somewhat of a high-strung type, but absolutely brilliant. Despite being top-caliber talent, he only wanted to work somewhere feeling terrified every day that he was going to get fired.

Why?

Because the safe, cushy assignments made him feel like he would stagnate.

You know those type of projects that are so complex and overwhelming that you don’t even know where to start first? He lived for those; he felt more comfortable taking those beasts on than he did working on the projects he could coast on.

 

He’d rather fail in front of others knowing he tried, than keep a low profile and just do what was expected.


Maybe the edge intrigues us because we all crave a challenge. Easy street can never fulfill us the way a proper challenge will. His story made me uncomfortable with being comfortable– and it was something I really appreciated hearing.

 

ii. fear as a career catapult

interviewing Hugo ChavezClay and Ishita talked about the excellent metaphor of “going to the balcony,” as they described the story of William Uri, who was charged with negotiating with Hugo Chavez for an intense 30 minutes. They described how he was nervous, knowing he had to get this right- so he walked out to the balcony to look out at the city and clear his head and organize his thoughts. Then, after the scheduled 30 minutes , Hugo was so impressed with William’s poise that he asked him to come back for hours more of discussion. So now he always “goes to the balcony” before any fearful, stressful situation.


iii. fear as adrenaline

mile 16They also described a woman who didn’t consider herself a true athlete- but really wanted to get healthy. She started by asking herself to run 10 minutes, which inevitable turned into longer. She has worked her way up to four marathons now. Her point of view is that mile 16 is always the hardest for her. So in her career or her personal life- whenever she recognizes stress or a great challenge ahead, she calls it her “Mile 16” and knows she will survive it just as she did in the past.
iv. fear is really a runt and you are a worthy adversary

take fear head onIt seems like most everyone has the most positive things to say about Tony Hsieh. And who would have thought he has a tremendous fear of public speaking even though he successfully runs one of the most personable and appreciated companies (pre-Zappazon deal)

He conquered his huge fear of public speaking, by first conquering his slightly smaller fear of singing karaoke.

 
That was one of the grand themes from Clay and Ishita – Even the biggest fears can be conquered by a series of the littlest steps.


And some of the powerful quotes that Clay and Ishita shared:

“Fear is blank sheet of paper. We’re always asked to produce. Arm yourself. Arm yourself with resources. Don’t become a victim of paralysis that comes from the blank page.”

“If you’re ever intimidated by the establishment, realize that they’re on the [same scary-trying-to-make-it- journey] as you” – Platon
* Paraphrased from memory.

“99% of the fear we feel is fake. It’s what we create. Today almost all the fear in our lives is fake. If you live in a country where the police don’t shoot people randomly, what exactly are you afraid of? We invent all these absurd fears.
Our fear is really just anxiety. Nebulous; can’t put our finger on what exactly we’re afraid of, which why we’re stressed all the time.” – Seth Godin

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those mind doesn’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” – Doctor Seuss

“Pain is a teacher, it comes to teach us something.” Immaculee Ilibagiza.

“If you have to live on a credit card for 4 months to figure things out, so what. Is that really the worst thing that could happen to you? “Is that really saber-tooth tiger fear?”

“Our brain is hard-wired for saber-tooth tiger fear. When that fear for surviving is gone, we replace it with these mundane anxieties that don’t really mean anything.”

They wrapped up their chat with a few great pieces of advice from Loretta Rae a self-proclaimed shy person who wanted to get over her fear of networking and attending meet-ups.

She did this by committed to “Take a Chance Tuesdays.” Once a week she does something to break her routine, and monitors those results. She logs what she did and what she learned and why she’s glad she did it and shares that information.

Her thoughts were:
There’s too much focus on external validation – you must gauge personal creative success internally
Create the work you really care about
Satisfy those deep creative urges
Put ego aside
Get out of your own way
Know for whom you’ are creating- if it’s for yourself don’t worry about how others respond
What exactly is fear.less?

Imaculee
Their manifesto begins with:
“Fear is intense.

Fear is universal.

Fear consumes.

Nobel Peace Prize winners feel it. Artists feel it. Entrepreneurs feel it. Students and activists feel it. You feel it. (We feel it too.)

That doesn’t mean we have to live with it.

fear.less is a movement borne from our right to live without fear. It’s where human potential meets the courage to act.”

Ishita and Clay are in the process of releasing a free online magazine for their community of 3,000+ fans to read for inspiration. You can get in on it by submitting your email address.

And here is an interesting piece on how Ishita and Clay stood out in a room full of innovators from Seth Godin:

2009
08/10
CATEGORY
Inspire
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cure for soggy summer days

On a rather soggy Monday, I made it over to the SoHo Apple Store, where the Art Directors Club was hosting a chat from Keetra Dean Dixon – an ADC Young Guns winner.

It was absolutely worth braving the weather and post work lethargia. I tried as best I could to capture some of her insights and inspirations, but really it’s best to see her work for yourself here: http://www.fromkeetra.com/

A bit on Keetra’s backstory:

She grew up in Alaska and her mom was a seamstress and her father was a metalsmith, so making things by hand is more of a fundamental need than her occupation.

What I thought was really interesting, is that while in school created One a Days (not vitamins!), meaning she promised herself to make something every single day and share it.

OneADays usually ended up as gifts for friends, but the discipline to constantly create paid major dividends as her career took off. It helped her crank out style board after style board and always feel prepared to pitch, pitch, pitch when she went on to work at Brand New School.

She splits half her time on client work (Rockwell Group) and personal work.

Some of the intriguing things that sprouted from her One a Days series.

The Great Slumber Pillow: She described it as a combination of comfort and fear. Keetra makes it a point to bring humor and play into most everything she touches.
The Great Slumber

Produced for the Artist Pillow Collective
RestYourHead


Anonymous Hug. (You should have heard the ripple of chuckles when she presented this. She talked about how it’s become so stigmatized to be emotional and really we’re all craving comfort and touch in so many ways.
Anonymous Hug
055Hug4

Arguably one of the coolest things I’ve seen. She hand-built a photo-booth, but then hid within another booth with her computer linked to the camera. People would unsuspectingly go through the motion of having their picture taken, while Keetra quickly would photoshop other images, phrases and anything that came to her mind in that split second onto their pic. She got to listen to their surprised gasps and laughter when her mashup photo spit out into their hands.

SouvenirsUnexpcted

She also shared some goals and guides she had set for herself which included:

(Note: I tried as best as could to speed type this on my phone – apologies to Keetra if it’s not 100%)

-Make the Work I Wish I Was Making

-To do that, define the type of work I want to make, then Share It, Share It, Share It.

-To be courageous- that Vulnerability and Fear should never stop me

-Choose to believe in my own opinion as much as I believe in others

-Invest in the fantastic

– Make with Wonder

-Keep learning to teach myself

-Do, Think, then Do Again

-Think, then Do, then Think Again

I loved her definition of Critical Thought that she based her thesis on:
She wrote her thesis on Criticality and Wonder.

“Critical thought discourages passive acceptance of standardized opinions. Critical thought is a structure and Wonder is the motive.”

Some of the takeaways I left with:

1. When she was early 20s, she burned out, took a break from it all, learned from it and came back hungrier to create. Burnouts aren’t the finale- that they teach you to be more mindful of balance and pace.

2. One A Days weren’t assigned; it was just something that she carved out time for herself. And now she has this amazing body of work along with the required projects. I love the discipline required to do that. It’s always easy to assume brilliant people make brilliant things because it’s their nature – when really it’s that they commit fully to the process more so than their peers.

3. I really admired her personal project & work balance. Seemed like she had a really clear sense of which projects to accept, and which ones to pass (however tempting) in order for her to have time in her own studio. I love to read, but can’t remember the last time I really got lost in a book. I guess I can’t say I really love it if I haven’t found a way to squeeze it in…

4. It’s rare you meet someone as talented and humble as Keetra. She’s one of those people with really great energy. Extremely talented and forever a student wondering and imagining. She’s one of the most playful people I’ve met in a long time- made me realize maybe we’ve been taking things and ourselves too seriously for too long.

For me I realized that even if I’m tired or busy, it matters so much to seek out creative opportunities. Breaking up the routine and being in the room with so many curious people can pretty much cure anything.

2009
07/30
CATEGORY
Inspire
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