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Written by Rachel Smith
If time machines existed, almost every person would take the opportunity to travel back and give their former self some advice.
Yes, it is important to make mistakes because it gives us something to learn from and build on, but let’s be honest – if you could save yourself weeks, months or even years of hassle due to following the wrong path or pursuing a fruitless endeavour, you would do it.
The most important piece of advice I’d give a young Rachel is to always look at the bigger picture – from both a personal and business perspective, keeping sight of the end goal at all times is integral to staying motivated.
If you are embarking on a project that you aware will have plenty of pitfalls, hurdles and other obstacles, it is vital not to fixate on them when it inevitably happens. I dread to think of how many potentially amazing plans have been cancelled due to a bump in the road being blown out of proportion.
If Henry Ford had given up after his first two cars failed, we would not have had the Model T, which set the standard for affordable, mass-production cars everywhere.
If Walt Disney had thrown in the towel when his first animation company went bankrupt, we may not have had animated motion pictures, we certainly would not have had Mickey Mouse, and the modern theme park may not have existed,
If Beethoven had quit composing when his hearing began to fail, we would not have had his glorious 5th symphony, let alone his 9th – and the 1992 film about a giant St Bernard would have needed a different name.
I’m not comparing myself to any of the above – heaven forbid – but the advice is universal and applies to every person in every sector and walk of life; if everyone gave up on a task due to a setback, there would be no such thing as innovation.
Being innovative is at the heart of good content and PR, and at the heart of any campaign is the end goal; this is what drives the strategy, the creativity, the production, and the analysis, and it is ever-evolving.
So, the advice I would give my young self? Always step back, look at the big picture, and use this as your motivation to succeed – you’ll be glad you did.