I have to confess that at first I was really scared. I remember myself at the beginning of this week at 8:30 am in the car, on my way to my first day of "work". I literally felt butterflies in my stomach and part of me was wishing that I was going to school to follow my daily routine and not to a whole new place, with new people and a whole new culture; I was afraid to step out of my comfort zone. But as Neale Donald Walsch says “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
Stepping out of my comfort zone is something I constantly struggle to do. Anyways, I'm super aware of all the benefits that getting outside this zone has. This internship is a great opportunity to take that step and induce anxiety. I am certain that besides from all the benefits I'll receive from this experience, I will be more comfortable with taking risks, my confidence level will increase, I'll learn one of the most greatest lessons in life, I'll start to enjoy the unknown and become comfortable with uncertainty. All of my second-thoughts, the butterflies in my stomach, my anxiety and my fear will be paid off by a huge feeling of accomplishment.
Stepping out of my comfort zone is something I constantly struggle to do. Anyways, I'm super aware of all the benefits that getting outside this zone has. This internship is a great opportunity to take that step and induce anxiety. I am certain that besides from all the benefits I'll receive from this experience, I will be more comfortable with taking risks, my confidence level will increase, I'll learn one of the most greatest lessons in life, I'll start to enjoy the unknown and become comfortable with uncertainty. All of my second-thoughts, the butterflies in my stomach, my anxiety and my fear will be paid off by a huge feeling of accomplishment.
I spent this last week at the creative area of the Ogilvy. I was incredibly welcomed at the company. I first met the creative director, Aldo, and I was lucky to have a conversation with him, which allowed me to create my first bond/connection in the company and it was very different and interesting. I was then introduced to all the "creatives" and I started working with two of them - they were beyond nice and welcoming. They took the time to explain to me the basic concepts of advertising, how the company worked and what their job looked like. I really liked their culture and I ended up feeling really comfortable there. I spent most of the time THINKING, literally. The job consists on thinking on ideas to advertise certain companies and customers. Ogilvy receives a "brief", which describes the customer's wants/needs and it's specifications for a certain brand/product. The "creatives" receive this information and their job is to brainstorm ideas and try to be as innovative and creative as possible.
At first, it was kind of weird for me to spend time in silence, just thinking. I believed that it was kind of "egging around" and that we weren't being productive. Then I realized how important this stage was and I felt much more comfortable sharing my ideas. We spent hours thinking on ideas for Bimbo, Pizza Hut, cancer, and other known brands. After some moments of silence, one of us broke it with a "Huh! I've got an idea!". It was great to share all of ideas, no matter how crazy they were, and watch them wrap up and make sense at the end of the day. I felt part of the work and it was super satisfying to see that my ideas and comments were being valued.
Already, I've started to notice how the magic that is located outside of my comfort zone is starting to happen. I'm super happy and excited about my internship and I feel very lucky to be part of the culture of Ogilvy - the company in which my parents met.
Precisely, the book "Creative Confidence" has accompanied me in the first week of this incredible journey in the CREATIVE area of Ogilvy.
"With creative confidence, we become comfortable with uncertainty and are able to leap into action."
"Go out in the world and proactively seek expriences that will spark creative thinking. Interact with experts, immerse yourself in unfamiliar environments and role-play customer scenatios. Inpiration is fueled by deliberate, planned course of action."