People often criticise me for saying something, then they find a situation where it didn’t work.
Yup, that’ll happen.
That’s why we have a brain.
If we could find one thing that worked always, in every situation, we wouldn’t need a brain, we’d be robots.
Switch on the button and the machine does it automatically.
Same thing every time, no need to think.
In eastern philosophy that’s called ‘mind’.
The mind is lazy, it doesn’t want to think, it wants to go on autopilot.
It wants a formula.
Because formulas are less work.
Formulas don’t involve thinking.
Formulas mean we never have to question anything, never have to use our brain.
Never have to think for ourselves.
But as Bill Bernbach said “Principles endure, formulas don’t.”
That’s why the mentally agile have a huge advantage.
They can think for themselves, which means they can out think other people.
Not just kneejerk into formulaic thinking.
So I tend to assume bright people have brains and want to use them.
So anything I say comes from that context.
All I’m doing is letting you in on a good tip.
But it’s up to you to work out how and when to use it.
I assume you’ve got lots of other good tips too.
In fact, I assume your brain is a collection of good tips, and you’ll select the right one for the right situation.
Just like the gearbox in a car.
Let me give you an analogy.
I might say “What works really well on a motorway is to put the car in top gear and put your foot down.”
Then someone says to me “I tried that and it didn’t work, I got stuck.”
And I say “Stuck. You got stuck on a motorway?”
They say “No, on a muddy hill in the country.”
Well duh.
Then I say “Foot down in top gear won’t work on a muddy hill. You need to go very slowly in bottom gear for that.”
And they say “But you said go really fast in top gear. So what you said doesn’t work.”
And I’m thinking “It does. But not on a muddy hill, or a bend, or a crowded street, or backing out of the garage, plonker.”
See one answer won’t work in all situations, at all times.
I assume we all know that.
I assume a basic level of common sense on the part of the person I’m talking to.
I assume some things are so obvious I don’t need to mention them.
Of course, even the obvious can be questioned.
That’s what being creative is.
To question the things other people don’t question.
To find original, surprising ways round a problem.
But the point is, you have to question it.
Not just ignore it and steam ahead using a formula you learned.
That’s not using your brain.
That’s not being creative.
In fact that’s just the opposite.
That’s going on autopilot.
That’s sleepwalking.
And that’s not how you drive a car.
The brain is like a manual gearbox.
You have to look at the situation and choose the right gear.
The brain won’t do that for you.
It’s not an automatic.
Contrary to popular belief you can go forward in reverse http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7cHPBlmVjg
john p woods - 23 May 2012 9:28 am
The problem is that a lot of people aren’t using their brains to find the right answer.
They’re using them to delay ‘decision time’.
To avoid ‘stand up and be counted’ time, to escape exposure.
To circumvent ‘here’s why this is the right answer’ time.
To ensure another month’s salary.
To keep the boss happy and the client sweet.
They’re all looking for the right answer.
Trouble is, it’s to the wrong question.
Tom - 23 May 2012 9:30 am
Unfortunately, that’s the way a lot of people DO drive a car – on autopilot.
Ans sooner or later it ends badly.
John S - 23 May 2012 10:00 am
I recently read Stewart Lee’s book, How I escaped my Certain Fate.
In it it he uses a great phrase – Context is not a myth.
The book is largely a transcript and his thought process behind one of his shows.
He sets out to prove that something that sounds blasphemous out of context while in context is actually helpful.
He ends up vomiting into a certain orifice of Jesus, which out of context sounds different to the context he did it in.
Jim - 23 May 2012 10:13 am
Would that more clients and agencies read your blog, Dave, then there’d be fewer formulas, disguised as Corporate Identities.
Robin. - 23 May 2012 10:28 am
Having spent the best part of my career working on high-tech accounts I’ve always looked at the world this way:
There are those who believe software can solve all problems. And there are those who believe it takes insight and experience and humanity to reach resolutions.
Formulas (software) can answer 80% of most situations. For 20% you need to think.
George Tannenbaum - 23 May 2012 1:47 pm
consumers work on autopilot.
it takes a huge amount of thinking to break into that.
Riki - 23 May 2012 1:57 pm
Not often you see “plonker” in a blog post. The use was great here. A lot of your blog posts have a silent “plonker” on the end. Like adding “Hey Schmuck,” before Ed McCabe’s headlines.
Jeff - 23 May 2012 5:16 pm
Thanks Jeff.
Any comparison to my hero gratefully received.
Dave Trott - 23 May 2012 5:35 pm
People have to learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Comfort is a misnomer the mind sets up to fool itself into homeostasis.
Kev - 24 May 2012 5:43 pm
I get the feeling guys like Jesus got this all the time.
Peter - 24 May 2012 8:45 pm
That’s great Kev.
Dave Trott - 25 May 2012 10:15 am
Kev,
‘Comfortable with being uncomfortable.’ That’s the runners motto.
I’m gonna have my work cut out in the Bupa London 10k Sunday morning with this heat!
john p woods - 25 May 2012 9:34 pm
And gardening teaches you patience.
Seems like life has a lot to teach us.
I can’t recall whether it was Mr Arden or Mr Webster who said it but IMHO it rings true, ‘If you don’t have a life, how can you have a life in advertising.’
Maybe it should have read ‘…you shouldn’t have a life in advertising.’
The big question for me is, does today’s advertising still connect with the common man?
john p woods - 26 May 2012 7:03 am
I think the best way I’ve heard this point explained was by an ex poker pro who whilst giving advice to novice players used the caveat that his nuggets of wisdom were: “Tools Not Rules”
as everything is situation dependant especially in the high variance world of playing cards for a living.
Simon - 26 May 2012 9:06 am
‘Tools not rules’ is really good Simon.
I’ll nick that.
Dave Trott - 26 May 2012 2:36 pm
Focus on the process and the result will take care of itself.
john p woods - 26 May 2012 3:12 pm
Why thank you Dave…
Apologies to all for not writing back earlier.
Something got in the way.
Had to go to a dull training session in Silvertown.
No money, no petrol, too many expense forms to fill in.
Feeling totally resentful.
Groaning like a dog chewing his bone.
Know the feeling?
It was sunny on Monday
So…
Pushbike.
Start getting uncomfotable feeling.
Oh Gawd no!
I havent been on a bike for 4 years!
So…
Pump up the tyres !!!
Who can resist a bike with pumped-up tyres?
Just sitting there like a wild horse waiting to be ridden.
The temptation was too great
but can I manage 8 miles?
Leave early just in case.
Arrive an hour too early.
Told I can park myself and my horse in the lobby
by a young Spanish receptionist carelessly picking her fingernails.
Comply.
Found a bee trapped in the lobby doors.
Got a glass from the receptionist
to capture the bee and set him free.
This was important
because it made her feel uncomfortable
and got her off her posteria.
The seminar was very good.
On the way back I nearly get knocked off by a lorry
at the Woolwich Ferry?
So, considering life as fragile and precious I take an alternative route.
Right along the thames river
JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT !
16.5 miles back
Got home with a cooked Cardio.
Kev - 1 June 2012 10:07 pm
Nice story about the cycle ride to Silvertown Kev.
I found Chas & Dave in a pub in Silvertown.
I don’t know anyone else who even knows where Silvertown is.
Dave Trott - 2 June 2012 10:15 am
Lol!
Kev - 8 June 2012 8:33 am
Struth! Thanks for that Dave. I have been working on two ideas for films about control freaks and habits and I was worried I was on the wrong path and over thinking things. I’ve been going crazy over it. I’d noticed people do the same thing over and over, like they’re totally on autopilot and I was wondering how the heck do people break out of the zombi robots state, ruled by the brain, ruled by habits not living. it’s very interesting when you point out to a robot the problem, something snaps and they can freak out, (for me this is fab material for comedy).
I don’t shy from pointing it out to myself either, for one, i never do comments
Tim - 9 June 2012 10:14 pm
Tom,
That’s very Eastern, Buddhism and Taoism: “the zombi robots state, ruled by the brain, ruled by habits not living”
That’s what they call ‘mind’.
The problem is most of us think we are our mind, so it controls us, rather than vice versa.
To free yourself from mind, don’t fight it.
(Resitance causes persistence.)
All you have to do to loosen its grip is realise you are not your mind.
Just step outside it and watch what it’s doing, how its threshing around.
And keep doing it.
You may have to do it dozens of times a day at first, but every time you do it you loosen its grip.
Remember, the mind makes a great servant but a lousy master.
Dave Trott - 9 June 2012 10:56 pm