G&V | Value Series | Playful
Like any job, ours has its intense moments. Deadlines, decisions, difficult days — it can all get a bit heavy. But playfulness doesn’t mean avoiding responsibility or taking our work lightly. It means knowing when to pause, zoom out and reconnect with why we’re doing this in the first place.
One thing that keeps coming up when I think about our values is how easy they are to talk about, and how much harder they are to live. I’m guilty of letting seriousness take over, to the point where I can’t tell if I’m steering the work or it’s steering me. When that happens, I have to stop and ask: “Why did you start this?”
Almost every time, the answer is the same: “Because it’s fun, and we get to make cool stuff with great people.” That little reminder helps me reset. It’s simple but it works.
Playfulness isn’t something you can fake. It’s got to come from within. For me, it shows up as curiosity, a sense of wonder in the work. Yours might look different. Maybe it’s sparked by your surroundings or the energy of the people around you. Whatever it is, it’s worth finding your way back to it.
I’d love to know what that looks like for you. Genuinely. Send me a postcard with your answer if you’re into that kind of thing.
“Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious and immature.” — Tom Robbins
Maybe in our efforts to be responsible we lose touch with the thing that moves us forward. Maybe it’s time to take play a bit more seriously.
Damian Connop
Damian is Founder & Creative Director at G&V. If you'd like to connect and discuss how G&V can move your brand forward then please do get in touch.
