FRENCH ON HARD WORK
HEIDI
What is the most common thing you’ve had to tell someone in a performance review? (I mean bad news, something they needed to improve upon.)
NEIL
“You don’t work hard enough.”
HEIDI
I’ll be you 97% of the people in our industry believe they work really, really hard. What does working “hard enough” really mean? What does it mean to you?
NEIL
It means sweating blood to get to a great, ideally original, and craftable solution...then throwing it away and starting again because in 90% of cases, you can do better. Then continuing that process until your nose is scrunched up against the deadline.
HEIDI
What is the most common trait that you believe prevents creative people from achieving what they believe they want in their career?
NEIL
Laziness.
HEIDI
And the most common contributor to their success?
NEIL
Hard work.
HEIDI
It’s incredible how common this belief is, yet as you’ve just said, laziness triumphs. Where does talent sit in terms of its importance in contributing to success?
NEIL
Talent is a good start, that’s all. But without it, all the hard work in the world won’t help you.