Even though I don’t wear them too often, I have a collection of over 250 ties. No silly “character” or “theme” ties; cool, classy and striking stuff. Mostly, they are bought to “go with” a certain jacket or event, but many a time I pick up a tie or two on the spur of the moment because, for some strange reason, they call out to me.
One such tie is a somewhat discreet (well, for me) plaid of red, blue and white made by a company called Blick. But the aesthetic that drew me to this neck-worn accessory was not its front-facing pattern, rather an embroidered quote from Salvador Dali hidden in the silk lining behind two folded back panels. It reads:
“I don’t do drugs. I am drugs.”
Whenever I put it on--usually with a navy suit and powder blue shirt--I kind of chuckle to myself, as my very conservative exterior on that occasions is being turbocharged by a secret subversive interior message. (See photos above.)
I love this hidden quote, and ever since I read it, I have tried to implement its spirit in my day-to-day... particularly now as Play The Future embarks on a couple of exciting moonshot projects alongside its all-important USA launch on February 1.
Even as a non-drug-user, the words are intoxicating. “I don’t do drugs. I am drugs.” Despite its conceit, it’s not as cheeky as it first sounds. Frankly, it’s quite straightforward and logical, for what do “drugs” do?
- They make you feel good.
- They can expand your brain.
- They can become addictive.
Not terrible as business objectives, don’t you think?
What a treat if everything I did made my customers, my partners, my colleagues feel good.
What’s more, imagine if every product update, every speech, every meeting was a learning opportunity with concrete takeaway.
And finally, what better tribute to one’s hard work than if people demanded--better still, clamoured for--more!
If I, and everything I work on in 2017, can achieve just two out of these three, I’d be ecstatic.
So ecstatic, you’d think I was on...well, you know what ;)