I’ve been getting called Don Draper a lot recently.
That’s probably a compliment. Never mind that it’s a guy with two different identities, who’s largely alone in the world– it’s also someone that people identify with (maybe for those same reasons).
One of the reasons we identify with these people is because the ad men of that time were smart, clever, and wanted to make their mark on the world.
I think the ad men of today are on the web.
Smart people see and go after opportunity, and one of the greatest opportunities to prove yourself is here, where no one will stop you and startup costs are low. Where you can build anything you want, because space is unlimited and people are practically begging to be amused by something new.
Just as interesting: When you want to jump from your old project to the next, no problem, you can just go and do that. Jumping ship on the web is a low-cost, high-reward endeavour.
I’m re-reading Paul Arden’s first book, where he talks about his experiences in advertising, saying it’s the perfect place for the talented. On the web today, the greatest thing is that the cost of failure is low, so it’s even better. You can try, over and over again, without people even needing to know.
If you aren’t constantly experimenting and working on new projects, I’d say you probably aren’t achieving your potential. Lots of people have new ideas, but almost no one follows through. No one cares about your idea unless it’s real.
Want people to care? Make it real.
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