Positively Negative

Let’s face it, this industry is full of ups and downs. You may have delivered a dynamite concept yesterday but today you have two clients that are upset and someone noticed a spelling mistake in an ad that was just published. And it’s only 9:30 am and you’re over all of it. It’s times like these where we have to learn to take the good with the bad. Easier said than done right? How do we keep creative on days like that? After all, we are working with deadlines. It all comes down to mindset (and some effective time management). We need to embrace the bad and recognize that there is some good in that. Let me explain.

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When I began research for my book The Frankenstein Condition, I found myself confronted by the “Great Wall” of self-help books. Not unlike the one in China, it seemed to snake around the perimeter of the store. I would stand, paralyzed by the sheer number of books. My fingers twitching as I glanced from left to right. It was so hard to find a book that resonated. Something that spoke to me. 

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After sucking it up and spending some time looking through the selection and actually reading a few I came to a conclusion. These books fit two main categories. Either they are too medical or scientific or they’re filled with unicorns and happy singing gnomes. OK, not literally but HEAVY on the “everything is fine” “don’t worry be happy” side of things. 

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The medical or psychological ones are usually written by doctors or psychologists/psychiatrists. The books are thick and feel too much like a textbook. Even the fear of a test looms after each chapter. How much would it suck to fail a quiz on Self-Help?

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The second category is the one that I want to focus on here. Overly happy. A map of the wonderful world over the rainbow. Singing gnomes, prancing unicorns, and, of course, puppies. Don’t get me wrong, a positive outlook is very important. I certainly support an optimistic view of life. The problem is it can be just as destructive as the darkness that you might find yourself in. Either extreme is harmful. There is no “The Subtle art of Staying F*cked Up” or “How to Lose Friends and Infuriate People”. 

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The problem with saying “everything’s OK” is that it isn’t always ok. They will give you tricks to suppress the anger or turn your frown upside down (which if you think about it, means you would be upside down and falling, head first… doesn’t seem too positive to me), but avoidance or blindness doesn’t erase the situation. In fact, when something bad does happen it can feel like a punch to the gut. You didn’t see it coming. Or worse yet, you suppress the negativity until you explode. Bits and pieces of you all over some poor unsuspecting barista who spelled your name wrong on a damn cardboard cup.

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We need to be realistic. There will always be bad days. There is no good without bad. There is no dark without light. We can’t define a sweet flavor without knowing what sour tastes like. And no matter what, some days are just better than others. Some days you’ll be creative and productive, some days you won’t. Both are okay. If you are in a constant state of bliss, it makes adversity that much more difficult to deal with when it eventually comes along. 

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Batteries need both positive and negative charges to work and so do we. I’m not saying to seek out negativity, but embrace it when it comes and take what you can from it - clarity, resilience and awareness. Or, just take a break. That’s okay too.