Things I wish I'd worked out at 20. Better late than never.
I was in a meeting with Chris and Ben from Drinkaware yesterday and realised that about half way through that I had started to morph into a 3rd rate Anthony Robbins or a 154th rate urban Lao Tze (always trying to reference that Philosophy degree:-). I thought I jot down a few of the things they were unfortunate to hear me spewing under the general idea of things I wish I’d worked out earlier in my life. It’s clearly not exhaustive, in no particular order and I am aware some of this is paraphrased so apologies for not citing the references;
· Celebrate your successes and learn from your mistakes but don’t dwell too long on either. Sail a steady course through the middle of all your experience and keep learning as you go.
· Trust your instincts. You have them for a reason. Try and marry them to data where possible, they make a beautiful couple. Alone they can make unreliable friends.
· Don’t try to be something you are not. For me the greatest qualities people can have are honesty, humility, humour and passion.
· The smartest people are not necessarily the people managing the organisation.
· Hire people who are smarter than you and will push you to improve. If you are the smartest person in the room you are probably in the wrong room.
· All of the people I know who have been successful have been prepared to work hard for it.
· The purpose of formal education should be to give you the tools and appetite so that you can spend the rest of your life learning.
· As a manager at any work function it’s invariably always a good idea to leave if people start drinking shorts.
· 99% of all things you worry about do not happen so try not to worry.
· The 1% of things that do happen invariably you can’t change so don’t worry about them.
· Ask for help if you need it as most people are hardwired to be good – see www.horsesmouth.co.uk
· Never tell people not to do something. Show them the arguments and trust them to make their own decisions. The best advice is to surround yourselves with good friends who look out for you when doing something inadvisable.
· If you work with Americans it is useful to express yourselves through sports and war metaphors if you want to be understood.
· Irony isn’t lost on all Americans.
· No one can adequately explain double-irony.
· Marketing isn’t that complicated. Think of the problem you are trying to solve for people and message that with a multi-million pound TV and SEM budget.
· In Marketing never let any work be criticised for it’s production values. Your idea’s should be the focus of attention, anything else is just lazy.
· There is no such thing as a selfless act.
· Be generous with your ideas and time. You will get it back.
· Remain inquisitive.
· Everything is possible.
