How a Computerless Copywriter Almost Always Beats Controls

Wild true story.

Years ago, I was traveling through China when I accidentally left my laptop in the seat back pocket of the airplane after a long red-eye fight.

It was about 2 am and I was exhausted.

So my dumb ass didn’t realize I had left the laptop until I was well off the bridgeway and walking to baggage claim.

Unfortunately, when I tried to go back for the laptop, I was stopped by security …

Then I spent the next 45 minutes in a tiny little room with China’s airport police, trying to communicate with them (unsuccessfully) about how I left my laptop on the plane and needed it — desperately — for work.

No surprises, I didn’t get the laptop back.

So I ended up using a friend’s (slow, clunky, dying) laptop to do my work for the rest of the trip.

And since I didn’t have my own laptop to use as I normally would, I was forced to sit, observe, and think deeply on different marketing ideas I had.

In a lot of ways, the experience opened up a new world to me for going “deep” on ideas.

I spent a lot of time writing, journaling, and thinking through things.

Instead of just “churning out” the first idea I had and calling it a day.

Two sayings come to mind when I look back on this experience:

“A knife is only as good as the one who wields it.”

And

“The best camera is the one you have with you.”

See … a lot of folks think new gear, courses, etc. will get them to where they need to be.

But the truth is that it’s the work, the thinking, and the mindset — especially when limited — that get you there instead.

During this experience, I had to learn how to use my brain (the “tool”) and the most primitive form of written communication — pen and paper — to get my ideas out.

Yes, tools and courses are important … and I do swear by them.

But I know if I had to, I could use my pen, paper, brain to write campaigns and advertisements.

It’s the difference between someone who “can’t write because they don’t have their computer,” and someone who just uses the computer to write because it’s the most efficient thing.

Subtle shift. Super important.

That’s all I got for you today.

David Patrick