the adventures of adgirl

She’s easily my favourite (m)ad woman – an advertising lady that I look up to and am very much inspired by.

Sally Hogshead, defined by “radical ideas and passionate action, expertly shaken and stirred with a tangy slap of inspiration”. I could go on and on about how much I adore her work, her tweets, her FB – all of it is pretty darn awesome, but instead, I’d like to share her latest braincandy that, well, made me exhale.

She calls them Hog-isms, on topics ranging from sledgehammers, to applause, to inventing option C. The way she writes is sooo me. It’s like music to my ears, honestly.

Here is the newest one, but issues 001 and 002 are also yours for the taking.

hogisms_issue_003 – DOWNLOAD PDF

My favourite Hogism from this issue is:

STOP MAKING YOUR LIFE’S TO-DO LISTS

START CREATING YOUR LIFE’S HAVE-DONE LISTS

I actually started writing have-done lists in 2006 when I graduated university and made another personal decision, which at the time felt major. Now, every late December/early January I write a one-pager I like to call “20_ at a Glance: Progress, Development, and New Experiences”. It helps me put things in perspective. Every time I write a new one, I read it, along with the others I’ve compiled since ‘06, and figure out what went wrong, what went right, what I learned, and what needs to be done next. I also take a moment to feel proud of my decisions and accomplishments.

My 2009 was quite eventful – I landed a new agency gig, I found my dream apartment, I started this blog, I shot my first video interview (which is now kind of embarrassing – not for the interviewed but for me – but hey, we all have to start somewhere!), I attended and reviewed a bunch of industry events, I developed close bonds with some pretty intriguing people, I expanded my network like WOW, I acquired some kick-ass skills, and I fell in <3 with Twitter…  HA!

Wait, that seems much shorter than the lists I made from 2006-2008. Why?

I know why.

2009 was different from the years before. It was a different me. It focused more on love than career. Probably because I was caught up in the “age” factor. Probably because I was in love.

It feels so natural to shift focus to career again. It reminds me of me, circa 2006-2008. Not to say love isn’t good – it’s lovely, you know that (I hope) – but knowing how to balance the two in a way that feels right is key, and that balance is different for everyone.

I’m glad I learned what balance feels the most natural to me. I highly recommend you do the same.

Alright, back to Sally! (Though there are so many other gems in this Hog-ism that I’d like to break down, but… I might just save that for another Nightly).

The second Braincandy I want to share tonight is:

Meet Your 7 Fascination Triggers