Today, New South Wales has hit its highest number of infections since the pandemic hit. Victoria has reached its 200th day in lockdown. Only a few states have maintained some sense of normalcy, and people - myself included - are struggling to cope with the reality that is our “new normal”. Europe is burning, Afghanistan is facing some of its darkest days in over 10 years, and my beloved homeland New Zealand is facing its own battle with the Delta variant.
Yet, I am also confronted with the fact that this year marks a monumental moment in my career. The juxtaposition is not lost on me. At a time when we are all so lost, it feels wrong to discuss success, to look back and reflect on the work it has taken to get here. Yet, here I sit, at my dining table turned work from home office, feeling proud of the work I am privileged to do on a daily basis.
Ever since I started in this wild west of an industry I’ve been proud, passionate, and driven (some would say to a fault). I’ve always strived to be the best I can be, work with the best talent in the industry, and foster upcoming creatives. It’s that passion for storytelling that has kept me going through many different hurdles I never dreamed I would meet in my lifetime. I’ve dedicated myself to my work, to push the boundaries, and to never stop questioning how to make our industry better. (And do better we can, don’t even get me started on sustainability in the marketing space).
To me, goals are the only way that I can motivate myself through the ups and downs of advertising. The late nights, weekend work, and back to back meetings are all worth it when you can see that goal so close that you can almost grasp it. And once you’ve got it, there’s always another in sight.
For many years, goals were the only things that mattered to me. I think I drove my housemates insane with how focused I was on reaching my dirty 30 goal. As an executive at Publicis, I wouldn’t stop talking about how I wanted to be a Content Manager. Then an Account Director. A senior strategist. The head of a division. Managing Director.
What’s next? Well, that’s in my sights, and I’m gearing up for our next challenge at Resolve. FY22 brings hope of a new way of working, and hopefully some flights peppered in there too.
People are the biggest asset to any business, and my success is built on the people I have the pleasure of working with every day. To those of you who have helped me navigate the never ending journey of learning that has led me to this year, I thank you sincerely for continuing to take my calls even as you were working toward your own goals.
I implore everyone reading this to reflect on how hard they have worked to get where they are today. It’s okay to feel proud during these unprecedented times. Success means many things to different people, so whether it looks like that promotion with a corner office, or the ability to be surrounded by your family, chase that goal and never let it slip out of your reach.
Remember, the dark days we are facing today are just a small part of the bright future we all have yet to meet.
Oh, and just so you know, success to me at the moment means rolling out of bed before 8.50am and changing into something other than sweats for our daily work from home WIPs.
Gorgia Brewer is proud to be the Managing Director of Resolve. She is still driven by goals, and is more passionate about her work than ever before. To get in touch with GB, you can reach her at gbrewer@mediaprecinct.com.au