It amazes me that ad people bitch. But man do they bitch. They bitch a lot.

It amazes me because we are trained to be creative problem solvers. Bitching does not solve problems. And it doesn’t demand much creativity.

I saw Phil Lockwood do a presentation on why he left Xylem and started Distill and it hit me: when you’re frustrated with something, it’s like the Universe telling you “Hey, over here! Yeah, right here! Here is a huge opportunity to innovate and create something that will make you and a lot of other people very happy!” Angels sing when you’re frustrated. But you can’t hear them unless you’re listening.

Phil’s presentation focused on the differences in business model for both agencies. Xylem had multiple business partners and 100+ employees. Distill has one full time employee, Phil. Xylem had a complex tax structure. Distill’s is very simple. Xylem took on high risk projects. Distill doesn’t. As I watched his presentation I thought to myself, “Every time I’m frustrated, I’m facing a problem I haven’t learned how to solve. If this problem frustrates me, it probably frustrates others. If I can learn how to solve this problem I can solve it for others.” When you solve people’s problems, you’re in business.

I sat down with Phil to talk more about frustration and he hit me with another insight: frustration is essentially competition with yourself. When you’re frustrated, there is a side of you that is angry, a side that wants to bitch. That’s the side you’re competing with. Your goal is to overcome that side of yourself and use it as energy to help you find a solution. Seen in that light, frustration is almost exhilarating.

The next time you get frustrated, ask yourself “Is Fernando right? Is frustration the crucible for innovation? Do I believe I can turn being pissed off into an opportunity?” Turn your frustration into a creative brief. Attack it like a junior straight out of school at his first job. Prove something not to a creative director, but to yourself.

To love, life and advertising,

Fernando

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