David Angelo has been extremely successful. He is one of those Mad Men-style advertising icons who has managed to bridge the gap between old school and new winning him numerous awards.
His agency, David & Goliath is appropriately named because his philosophy is all about facing fears and helping challenger brands beat the big guys.
After a successful run at one of NYC's most prestigious shops and at the top of his game, David quit to spend more time with his family. While he was taking care of his family he pondered and worried about what the future would hold. Despite the critics who told him he was crazy for quitting, David stuck with his gut feelings and stayed the course.
In that moment of uncertainty, Kia Motors approached him and offered his dream job. It was the chance to build his own agency and become Kia's go-to agency of record. Since then D&G has created some memorable moments for the Kia brand and other clients.
Three key traits have made David Angelo extremely successful. Do a quick self-evaluation and see if you have any of these in common:
1. You Embrace Fear
One of David's favorite quotes is "Do what you fear, watch it disappear." This philosophy is woven into the values and mission of D&G and their team. Successful people like David believe that you need to conquer fear by facing it.
Fear is natural and healthy, but the most important thing is how we respond in that moment. Fear is a liar. It tries to tell us we're not good enough or can't handle what's thrown at us. Adversity will come, that's a given, but what we do about it when it comes is up to us.
2. Follow Your Instincts
You might call this intuition, inspiration or revelation. But we all have an inner compass that knows what we need. Not all gut decisions work out but logical ones are just as inconsistent. David's choice to quit his high-paying job was the best choice for him at that time. Self-awareness is key. "Knowing thyself" is a trait of greatness.
3. Doing Your Best
This may sound over-simplified but it's beautifully simple and simply beautiful. When was the last time you failed? Can you honestly say you gave it your best effort? If so, I wouldn't count it as a failure.
We try stuff that might not work all the time. These "experiments" are how we learn and grow. Author Seth Godin once reminded me what David Angelo has already figured out, "You can't have success without failure." I would add, you only fail when you don't give your best.
Let me know what you think by leaving a comment or tweet me @BryanElliott.
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