How To Think And Do Differently? Resign On A Cake Silly!

Having spent the best part of the past two decades in media and public relations, it’s accurate to say I’m skeptical.  Like customs officers to whom you’re trying to lie, or me whom you’re trying to fool – there’s not much I’ve either not seen or heard of.  And it takes a lot to get me excited. It just does.

Professionally, clients always ask for and expect creativity.  It’s what PR types like me are paid everyday to do.    And to make things more complex, the fees they’re expecting to pay for not only the creativity, but the execution are well --- how do I say this respectfully --- are not exactly plentiful.

Just last week, I was asked to come up with a BFI.  In the creative world, BFI is an acronym for “Big F$%^*#g Idea” .  You get the picture.

I thought particularly hard about what I could say that would make sense given expectations, time, resources required, practicality and budget. “Flawless execution”, is what I told the client my BFI was – and I meant it.  I won the business and am now executing flawlessly and fully to the client’s satisfaction.

The bottom line?  Sometimes the solution’s right under our noses – and we’re so busy looking for complexity and complicated answers to such simple questions, that we well – fail to see the trees for the forest.    

In the midst of trying to see the trees for the forest, here’s one guy who not only did that, but thought differently too.

Twenty for hours ago, no-one had ever heard of Chris Holmes, an officer on the Border Force in Cambridgeshire, England.   Sick and tired of his boss, he quit – on a cake.  Yes, on a cake – you read that right.  You see, he’s likely got his priorities right.  He’s just become a father as well as has just set up a cake making business called Mr. Cake.  Obviously, he wants to devote his time and energy to fatherhood and cake-making --- and for good reason.

In resigning on a cake, he’s obviously thinking and doing differently – and very simply and I like that a lot.  

Here’s his resignation letter – or more accurately – a picture of it on the cake he baked. 

And that got me thinking a little more about thinking differently – here’s some stuff to bear in mind ---

1.        Fashion is garbage – it’s style that matters.  Never wear something because everyone else is.  If you want to be different, then be your own role model.

2.      Keeping down with the Jones’ is not a bad thing at all – In other words, don’t do what the sheep do

3.       Keep in touch – look up an old friend or business associate for no specific reason.  Yeah, I get it – we’re all busy – but that the worst excuse for not being in touch with lots of people.  Grind out a text while you’re standing in line at the grocery store or while you’re on the john.  The old adage of “It’s not what you know, but who you know" is as true as it ever was

4.       Think for yourself – feel like a vodka tonic when everyone else’s drinking beer?  That kinds stuff happens to me all the time.  Go ahead – order the vodka tonic.  Heck with what the others say

5.       Offer to help someone – it’s the small stuff.  Offer to take your kids to school.  Help your spouse make the bed.  Help a client with something in which you’d never get involved.  Put your hand up to do something different.    Flex a different part of your brain.  You’ll be glad you did.

In other news, I’ve now lost 20 pounds – that’s the good news.  The bad?  I had my eye-glasses stolen from the gym at which I work out last night.  Trust me, not being able to see clearly sucks!  Amazing how much we take for granted even when we try to count our blessings!