From Running to Writing: The Power of Action
Lessons from marathon training, Super Bowl storytelling, and the evolution of learning
Today I want to talk about Action. It's something that doesn't come naturally to me. Staying in thinking mode is easier because it keeps me safe from risks, messiness, and failure. But training for the half marathon these last few months taught me something crucial: Action was the driver that got me to the finish line. Through action, I moved forward—both figuratively and literally—reaching every goal I set. Through action, I laid out my clothes for the next morning. Through action, I drove myself at 4 AM to meet my running group before dawn broke.
When things got tough and the miles started climbing, my running buddy said something that stuck with me: "You can't think about the miles." She was right—thinking about them (how many I had done, how many were left) would have just meant my mind getting in the way, letting all the questions and doubts rise to the surface. Instead, I stayed focused on the task before me, placing one foot in front of the other, going interval by interval, mile by mile.
Going back to my default mode of thinker versus doer, this is where Action becomes crucial. I think about what my experience would have been like had I not befriended Action—I wouldn't have been able to do anything at all. So now I'm asking myself: where else in my life can I move from thinking mode to action mode? Writing is the perfect example. You can't imagine the number of excuses I've come up with this past year to avoid writing. But now I know the formula works. I just have to put in the work and be consistent, starting today.
When I started as an advertising copywriter over 15 years ago, the process was simple: pitch a client, hopefully win the pitch, get the brief, work on creative deliverables, and present two or three creative ideas. Sometimes the client would like one idea and we'd produce it. More often, they'd want a mashup of all three or none at all, sending us back to the drawing board.
Nowadays, with the abundance of available data, advertising has shifted from a creative-led profession to a performance-led one. Has this evolution happened at the expense of creativity? I want to think not. I prefer to believe these constraints have forced creatives to think even more outside the box. But after watching this weekend's Super Bowl ads, I had to wonder.
At its core, advertising is storytelling, and for me, there was one clear winner this year – Nike. Their ad was powerful, direct, and emotionally resonant. Beautifully shot and produced, it brought to life the struggle of female athletes and how they continue to push their sports forward. On the other hand, the ads with flying mustaches and eyebrows turning into birds left me feeling pretty, um, cringy.
I was particularly interested in seeing how AI would feature in this year's conversation. The Intelligence Age spot for OpenAI, executed in a pointillist graphic style, was visually engaging. But comparing AI to the discovery of fire and electricity felt more disturbing and less exciting to me. Personally, I would have preferred a gentler reminder of this transformation. While the innovation is exciting, the implications for humanity can't be ignored. It will be interesting to see how this spot impacts OpenAI's customer acquisition in the coming months. In contrast, Google's Gemini AI took a more human approach, telling the story of a father's parenting experience. It felt warmer and sweeter, though still somewhat tinged with disconnection and isolation. The big question continues to be: how do we come to terms with the invading presence of technology in our lives and fight to stay engaged, leverage it to our advantage, while we preserve our humanity?
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While I typically use TikTok for memes, comedy, and the occasional Zara haul, I discovered story about Professor Leah Barlow, who welcomed students to her African American studies class via TikTok. Her channel grew to over 250K followers, inspiring the creation of Hillmantok University—named after Hillman College, the fictional HBCU from the 1980s sitcom "A Different World." College professors and online creators from various fields have joined forces to offer free education through TikTok, with courses ranging from AI for creatives and Brand Building to Real Estate and Civil Rights. I was particularly inspired by a gardening course that made me want to start my own gardening journey. With all of the issues happening with education including cost and topic censorship, could its future lie in crowdsourcing knowledge and sharing it for free?
Thinking will not overcome fear but action will.
W. Clement Stone