I’ve spent a lot of time lately stump-talking about the necessity for careers to be defined inward out instead of outward in. You aren’t a copywriter or lawyer or bookkeeper. You are Lisa and Stuart and Jonathan, with ambitions, ideas, and talents that make you uniquely Lisa and Stuart and Jonathan.
Sure, it’s easier at cocktail parties. “What do you do for a living?” needs some kind of reply. But once we define ourselves by our career titles, it places a whole set of generalizations on us. Most of them are half truths. And all of them are limiting.
This was the presentation I gave at the PSFK Conference last month. I talk briefly about how I got into advertising and spent 15 years falsely defining myself as an adguy. Then I introduce a bunch of brave souls who looked inward to make a living being who they are.
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As a former ballerina and someone who lived my dream at an early age and now is in advertising, this made me miss my pointe shoes. I, too, have always been a storyteller, Eric, sometimes through dancing, sometimes through advertising. But I think often of how much I miss how the music carries you. Beautiful work you are doing. Certainly, you will be remembered as a person who cares.
Awesome speech. Thank you for this.
Thank you for continuing to inspire me, Erik. You’re on to such big things. And of course, it’s all because of your spine. Your wife!
Words fail me. I’m moved to tears during the first watch of your video. I want to be our friend and give you a big hug. That the emotional connection. I’ve already tweeted from my business and my personal accounts. I want to see what you mean by “Come write a guest blog post”.
In a nutshell, I’m going to steal your strap-line: I’m going to say “I am what I do” for the rest of my life. To me this is one hell of a profound connection. In 1995, I said “I am who I am because of where I come from” rather than “I am who I am despite where I came from”.
Your video has moved me on to another level.
Thank you, from across a sea, a tide of connectivity,
Paul
As always Eric, inspiring.
Thanks for that.
Erik, super inspiring. Thanks for mentioning me!
Jeff
Wonderful talk. You tell stories as if your life depends on it. Hope someday to match your skill. Thanks for sharing.
Nice job man. Can’t wait for the book.
Thank you for the mention, Erik. You were awesome. Inspiring. AUTHENTIC!!!
I was at a commencement last night and the student speaker said (over and over) “You are what you think.” Her reference was to positive thinking, of course. How a person thinks (as long as they can think) matters very little in the big scheme of things.
Thinking is for ideas.
We are what we practice.
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