One day I opened the fridge at home and noticed that the pickle jar lid read, "CHILLING IMPROVES FLAVOR." That gave me an idea. I punched a hole in the lid and made it into a necklace, which I wore to school the next day as a declaration of my hip nature. Although employing such a device was a social risk, it was well received. My classmates nicknamed me "Vanilla Ice", and because I had created an identity, I fit in.
This experience was vital fodder for my life as a creative. It taught me that no matter the surroundings, a little creativity and lighthearted fun could make any situation better. In fact, several Crips approached me after school one afternoon asking, "Why you flamin', bro?" The question was a nod to the fact that I was wearing the color red — a symbol of their rival gang, the Bloods, and a perceived affront to them. I told them I meant nothing by it. They weren't convinced. So the next day I wore all blue, and when the same gentlemen approached me, they acted as if we were longtime pals. Color meant something to them. To me it was just an inspirational stepping stone to a laugh.
Where do we get such inspiration to inspire others? It's everywhere. We have all felt the power of great sources of inspiration. Think of teachers or mentors throughout your life, YouTube videos that you passed around last week, or even sitting with a child cutting out construction paper to glue a mobile together. Whatever the source, tap it and go back often.
If you find people critical of your work or questioning your passion, maybe you haven't burned out or sold out, but rather, you've let the well run dry and it's time to refuel. If you find a dearth of inspiration, it's not because it doesn't exist; it's because you're not looking for it and cultivating it.
Though the messages you craft day-to-day may not always inspire people to action, you can still ensure that their overall brand experience is enjoyable. When I was a missionary in Korea, a Buddhist monk once tried to get me to pray to Buddha. He set a pillow at my feet, asked me to kneel, and proceeded to show me how it was done. While I was respectfully curious, he failed to adequately inspire his audience. That said, when he saw that I wasn't interested in doing a god swap, he took me out to eat dog soup — a Korean delicacy that he knew the States didn't offer — and believe me, the friendly gesture was not lost on me. It gave me a favorable impression of the monk, and was an experience bark I'll never woof forget.
Another of my faves is a print ad done for a Columbia camouflage jacket by Borders Perrin Norrander in Portland. To me, it's simply brilliant. Besides the fact that it appropriately suggests caution around vegetables, it reminds me that smart headlines are alive and well, which as a writer in today's advertising landscape bears remembering.
Take whatever inspires you and do something you're excited about creatively — whether in the business or out of it — and you'll be amazed by the greatness that is within you. The longer you wait, the longer the rest of us have to wait to be inspired by you.
