This is a story about creativity
Having fun
Following your dreams
And achieving a breakthrough
It’s very easy and works every time
My story illustrates the importance of fresh ideas
People love them
But new ideas require a little creative thinking
Creativity is fun
Being original requires bravery
If you want to think freely and move forward
Here’s my advice…
Point 1. Do something different
Stand out from the crowd
Do something people will enjoy
Something they will appreciate
Just because it’s different
Use your creativity
This is my story…
After graduating from University, finding my first job was difficult
I needed a breakthrough to get started
So I moved to Sydney and found it
In a strange place…
A dirty paddock
My light bulb moment came walking, nearby my home. I lived in a very unglamorous old slaves quarters for men
As I wandered through the paddock, an interesting object appeared before my eyes
I stood there transfixed by an old style enamel kitchen sink
Standing there, I wondered how it could help me find a job?
Ahhh, I had an idea…
Point 2: To receive a breakthrough, be imaginative and enjoy being silly.
So I picked up the heavy sink and took it home
Cleaned and polished it
Saturday came
I saw a job advertised in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper
Of course, the company required experience
I had none
It was a very highly paid job too. A prime position
I thought to myself…
“What have I got to lose?”
So, I went for the job
But rather than using the normal approach, as 99.9% job seekers do, I did things differently
I used my creativity
Sitting on the bus I received many odd looks from people
They probably wondered, “Why does that guy have a kitchen sink on his lap?”
People stared as I carried the kitchen sink down the main street of Sydney, at peak hour, in bright yellow pants
It was heavy
Serious faced business people were rushing around in dark suits
I was quietly amused by the silliness of life
The recruitment office was a beautifully opulent marble skyscraper
Dripping in wealth
Filled with very serious, stern professionals
I wondered if this normally conservative company had ever received an application like mine?
I was excited
To be going against the mainstream gives me adrenalin
Creative people are odd, without even trying
Here’s what is needed to follow a crazy original idea you might have…
Point 3. You need courage in the face of enormous potential embarrassment
Back to the story…
On the sink, where the hot tap should have been, there was a wide hole
So I rolled my brief resume and cover letter and slotted the papers into the hole
My cover letter was simple
It read…
“EMPLOY SIMON BRUSHFIELD AND HE’LL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING – INCLUDING THE KITCHEN SINK”.
I greeted the receptionist
And placed my large kitchen sink on her desk
“Here is my application for the graphic design position”
The office fell about with laughter
Suddenly, a boring day in the office had changed
From seriousness to silliness
Point 4: People enjoy something out of the ordinary, to give them inspiration and amusement in life.
But I was serious.
I asked the receptionist, “Can you please make sure my application receives the attention of Mr Bob Dewey?”
The giggling receptionist made a phone call to her boss.
I was sent directly to Mr Dewey’s office. He was the recruitment executive controlling the job.
With no experience and as a fresh graduate, I spent 30 minutes talking with the decision maker of a high profile recruitment company in Sydney.
He was intrigued
Creativity and Originality was the key
Word quickly spread around the office. And other executives came to meet the weirdo in yellow pants with the kitchen sink. Just to shake my hand and say…
“We’ve never seen anything like this before!”
The whole office was entertained
At the close of the conversation, the top man in the company guaranteed me an interview
I had risked embarrassment
And my stunt worked perfectly
Creativity is exciting
With zero experience, I got down to the last 3 applicants
The whole job seeking process was turned into great fun
I had found my break through
Designing in the creative department for Mr Rupert Murdoch’s News Limited
Final Point: Breakthrough’s happen when we relax, put ourselves on the line and follow our unique creativity.
Here’s my advice…
Live life following your crazy ideas
People will celebrate them
Rise above boredom and stand out from the crowd
Discover innovative ways of doing things
You’ll have so much fun
Plus, you’ll get what you want.
People need your creativity for inspiration
They need your originality and leadership
What’s your story?
Please leave a comment below
For further ideas on how to stand out from the crowd, you might like to read the book ‘Made to Stick’ by Chip & Dan Heath
If you’re interested to purchase or know more about Simon Brushfield’s original paintings click here
Great post Mr Brushfield,
We must be careful not to be too serious when we create huh? Too much pressure to succeed can inhibit exploration.
If we don’t explore then we will never find what we weren’t looking for… and that is a tragedy. To be stuck in same old, same old, never learning and never growing.
Keep searching and keep finding. Gold is often found in unusual places.
Creativity demands some kind of surrender.
Geoff Talbot
Blogging and Commenting In Only Seven Sentences
Hi Geoff, thanks for your thoughts. Yes, lets not take ourselves or our creativity too seriously. Exploring is great fun, especially with a creative outlook, and people love the freshness new ideas bring. Go for Gold! Simon
Hello Simon!
I enjoyed this article wholeheartedly, yet it’s what I call “a video moment!” Just imagine the entire journey on film! I was laughing, smiling and proud of your brave creativity. It’s the kind of unique quality I admire in friends I had the honor of knowing and sharing my quirkiness with as a young aspiring artist. In those days, walking out into crowds meant assuring we were getting noticed. Strange stares cameras flickering and adding followers to our then “flash mobs,” were a regular occurrence. One more thing, thanks for being”you.” What a boring world it would be without all the color we add! Stay well friend.
Sincerely,
Adriana
Hi Adriana, thanks so much for your input and understanding. Yes, it would be a boring world if everyone was the same. Share the quirkiness.
Just brilliant
I will be smiling about this all day.
Oculus Mundi recently posted…
Really enjoyed the article – “The importance of standing out in a crowd.” It gave me a lot of ideas. But am I bold enough? I’ll have to process that and enjoy the fun in the meantime.
Errol
Hi Errol, sure you’re bold enough. Go for it man. You will be guaranteed to have heaps of fun and you’ll grow in confidence too. Tell me how it goes…
Simon, I found myself nodding and smiling throughout this post. Just recently I heard a businessman talking about how few people attempt to snag things that seem out of their league like this job opening. I love how you set yourself apart and made yourself unforgettable.
Oh I love this post. Sometimes it just takes the right amount of creativity and originality to get what we want. Good thing it worked out for you.
Mark Murray recently posted… lisping solution
What a creative way to nab a job. Now I know what to do the next time I apply for a position.
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