It's Okay to Care. It's Even Better To Get Excited!

I once used the word 'fabulous' to describe something that happened at the large Fortune 500 global company I worked for, in trying to describe a new product launch or design feature or something else that easily could have disappeared from the press release story I was crafting if I didn't craft creatively. I was a corporate editor and I wrote frequently for the enterprise portal. During this particular episode of awakening (I'll call it an awakening because 1. I can, 2. I'm a nice person and 3. It's so very, very true), I was eager to share a story about how our company had made news for a certain new development and was actively being promoted in trade and popular press for our engineering accomplishments. My manager at the time scolded me for having an 'over-the-top artsy writing flair' that was not valued in such a 'traditional, conservative' corporate setting, providing me with a quote that I will never forget, "This is (insert company name). We are not fabulous."

It saddened me then and it still releases fresh nuances of how different people can be in the same setting. Not in a good way, either. For example, I was thrilled that I could be a part of something as great as making technological and engineering advancements that better the world and at the same time can appear as pretty darn cool to the average reader if explained in a way that didn't bore the reader to death or make them feel stupid for not understanding the intricacies of an engine block. I was also excited to be sharing the enthusiasm for a particular project because I was able to see first hand the developers and engineers who stood behind such advancements. They were a strange breed indeed, yet I worked to really understand their perspective and how what they were doing would translate to the customer who may find their thoughts and inventions rather enticing. Fabulous advancements, I thought.

As a marketing communications professional, there is little more depressing than someone telling you that you are getting too passionate about something that no one cares about. As a marketing communications professional, IT'S YOUR JOB TO CARE!!!

But sometimes this idea is lost in the muck. And it's so bad when that happens. But it makes it so much better to enjoy when it's celebrated. Just imagine if everyone cared just a little bit more. How exciting would that be? When was the last time you were surprised by how excited you were to be, well, excited?

I daresay we need a little more excitement in this small world after all.