21 Things I Believe

1. Listening beats talking.
2. “Why” is the very best question, (even when it hurts.)
3. Fighting starts when listening stops.
4. You have an amazing story.
5. You deserve my very best until you prove otherwise.
6. The best games are the ones where everyone wins.
7. People usually want to do the right thing. Sometimes they mess up.
8. When I get it wrong, I should apologize. (That’s better for you.)
9. When you get it wrong, I should forgive. (That’s better for me.)
10. We’re a lot more alike than we are different.
11. Any day that starts with coffee, a sunrise, and birdsong is good.
12. Any day that ends in the company of good friends is priceless.
13. I can do magic: when I share something I love, I turn a stranger into a friend.
14. When a true friend asks for help, my answer is always “yes”.
15. Martin makes fabulous guitars.
16. C.S. Lewis, Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett and Robert Heinlein made me wiser and kinder.
17. 5 minutes on a motorcycle beats any bad mood into submission.
18. There’s no place better than Phoenix in the winter or the Rockies in the summer.
19. Rock & Roll will never die.
20. Deadlifts make me feel better, not just look better.
21. Oh, that and a ketogenic diet.

And while we’re on the subject…

Most advertising sucks. It’s a waste of money and time and energy. Too many ads are designed to win awards, not win business. The only winners in that scenario are the ad agencies.

Most branding activities are essentially voodoo: vague promises wrapped in superstition and not supported by facts, science or experience.

If you want people to give you trust, give them trust.

Brain science, clinical psychology and human history can tell us how people really behave. Advertising theories only tell us how they should behave.

An awful lot of advertisers seem to hate their customers and their markets – and it shows in their work.

It’s a terrible mistake to assume your audience is stupid. Your marketing and branding should be designed to attract exactly the kind of people you like to be around.

Most advertisers treat their target markets as vending machines, not as people. That’s not just bad faith, it’s bad business.

I believe your life should be fun, your work should be rewarding, and your whisky should be scotch. (I guess that makes 24 things.)

What do you believe?