IT’S NOT HOW GOOD YOU ARE…

It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be by Paul Arden is one of my favorite books.

I’ve read it countless times and will probably read it many times again in the future. It’s a great jump start whenever I feel like I’m in a creative slump …. and it’s a perfect jolt of inspiration to start the new year.

Paul Arden, a legendary advertising guru, shares insightful “gems” from his illustrious career. He encourages readers to think broad and remember that: everyday there are new media channels, new opportunities to design and new ways to connect with audiences.

Paul Arden reminds creative professionals that work should not simply “look good”, it must also serve a purpose. Before studying design I earned an MBA and worked in the corporate world for a number of years. Leveraging those skills permits me to identify desired outcomes, do competitive analysis and design visual assets that help brands position themselves in the marketplace and connect with target audiences.

Compliments are always nice, they make us feel good! However, Arden points out that they also encourage repetitive behavior since most of us end up doing the “same” thing to get the “same” result that yielded the compliment. Criticism may be difficult to swallow at times, but it makes us better in the long run and it challenges us to try new things.

I’m looking forward to lots of new creative projects this year. What are your plans for 2016?

Source: Quotes