Here is a detailed briefing document reviewing the main themes and most important ideas from “It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be” by Paul Arden:

• Executive Summary:

Paul Arden’s “It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be” is a provocative and unconventional guide to success, framed through the lens of creative advertising. The core message is that ambition and desire are far more important than innate talent or conventional qualifications. The book champions a mindset that embraces risk, challenges norms, learns from mistakes, and actively seeks criticism. It argues against the pursuit of mediocrity dictated by conventional business practices and encourages individuals to push beyond perceived limitations, not just for the benefit of their work, but for their personal growth and influence within their organizations. The book emphasizes the importance of clear communication, strategic thinking, and understanding underlying motivations (both client’s and one’s own) to achieve impactful and memorable results.

Main Themes and Key Ideas:

1. Ambition Trumps Talent: This is the central tenet of the book, echoed in the title itself. Arden argues that “Nearly ail rich and powerful people are not notably talented, educated, charming or good-looking,” but rather “aecome rich and arful by wanting to icli and powerful.” The desire to be great is presented as the ultimate driver of success.

• Quote: “Talent helps, but it won’t take you as far as ambition. Everybody wants to be good, but not many are prepared to make the sacrifices it takes to be great.”

1. The Power of Vision and Goals: Having a clear picture of where you want to be is highlighted as a significant asset. The book encourages setting ambitious goals, even those that seem unachievable based on current abilities.

• Quote: “Your vision of where or who you want to be is tlie greatest asset you bave.”
• Quote: “FIRSTLY you need to aim beyond what you are capable of. You must develop a complété dis­ regard for where your abilities end. Try to do the things that you’re incapable of.”

1. Embracing Mistakes and Criticism: Failure and being “wrong” are presented as essential components of the creative and successful process. Seeking criticism rather than praise is advocated as a way to improve and uncover truth.

• Quote: “The person who doesn’t make mistakes, is unlikely to make anything.”
• Quote: “DO NOT SEEK PRAISE. SEEK CRITICISM… if, instead of seeking approval, you ask, ‘What’s wrong with it? How can I make it better?’, you are more likely to get a truthful, critical answer.”
• Quote: “Start being wrong and suddenly anything is possible. You’re no longer trying to be infallible.”

1. Taking Responsibility: Regardless of external factors, taking full ownership of outcomes is crucial. Blaming others prevents the ability to act and improve.

• Quote: “IF YOU are involved in something that goes wrong, never blâme others. Blâme no one but yourself… If you accept responsibility, you are in a position to do something about it.”

1. Generosity with Ideas: Hoarding knowledge and ideas leads to stagnation. Giving away ideas forces replenishment and attracts more in return.

• Quote: “Give away everything you know, and more will corne back to you.”
• Quote: “The problem with hoarding is you end up living off your reserves. Eventually you’ll become stale. If you give away everything you hâve, you are left with nothing. This forces you to look, to be aware, to replenish.”

1. Maximizing the Present Opportunity: Don’t wait for the “perfect” brief or project. The current task at hand is the opportunity to demonstrate ability and learn.

• Quote: “DON’T LOOK FOR THE NEXT OPPORTUNITE THE ONE YOU HAVE IN HANDIS THE OPPORTUNITE”

1. Effective Communication and Presentation: The book stresses the importance of clear and impactful communication, prioritizing the message over cleverness for its own sake. It also advises on how to present ideas effectively, suggesting rough layouts can be more engaging and that presentations should be memorable “shows” rather than dry speeches.

• Quote: “Do not put your cleverness in front of the communication.”
• Quote: “Instead of giving people the benefit of your wit and wisdom (words), try painting them a picture. The more strikingly Visual your présentation is, the more people will remember it.”

1. Understanding Client Motivations (Beyond the Brief): Recognizing that clients have personal aspirations and political considerations beyond the stated brief is essential for success.

• Quote: “Find out what the client’s real objective is. Ail clients aspire to status.”

1. Persistence and Doing the “Impossible”: “Don’t take no for an answer” and the idea that “When it can’t be done, do it” are recurring themes. New or unconventional ideas often need to be created and presented to exist and gain acceptance.

• Quote: “A NEW idea can be either unfam- iliar, or silly, or both. It can’t be judged by description. It needs to be done (made) to exist.”

1. Challenging Convention and Seeking External Inspiration: The book advises against following trends or seeking validation through awards. It suggests looking outside one’s immediate industry for genuine originality.

• Quote: “DO NOT TRY TO WIN AWARDS… Originality can’t be fashion- able, because it hasn’t as yet had the approval of the committee. Do not try to follow fashion.”
• Quote: “To be original, seek your inspir­ ation from unexpected sources.”

1. Individual Impact on Company Success: The book empowers individuals at all levels to make a significant difference within their organizations by taking initiative and pushing for excellence.

• Quote: “Décidé you are going to make the company great; at least décidé you are going to make a différence.”

1. Reframing Perceived Negatives: Being fired is presented as a potentially positive career move, and even mistakes in printing are highlighted as fortuitous examples of the book’s message.

• Quote: “GETTING FIRED CAN BE A POSITIVE CAREER MOVE. BEING fired often means that you are at odds with your company. It means the job isn’t right for you.”

Most Important Ideas/Facts:

• Success is driven by the intensity of your desire and ambition (“It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be”).
• Your vision for yourself is your greatest asset.
• Mistakes and criticism are essential for learning and improvement.
• Taking total responsibility empowers you to change outcomes.
• Generosity with ideas leads to replenishment and greater creativity.
• Focus on making the current opportunity the best it can be.
• Effective communication prioritizes the message over perceived cleverness.
• Understanding the client’s true motivations is key to successful outcomes.
• New ideas often require you to “do it” yourself before they are sanctioned.
• Challenge norms and seek inspiration from unexpected places to achieve originality.
• Individuals, regardless of position, can significantly impact their company’s success.
• Being “wrong” or unconventional opens possibilities that being “right” (based on past knowledge) does not.

“It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be” is a short but impactful book that serves as a pep talk for anyone seeking to achieve more. It challenges conventional wisdom about talent, education, and risk-taking, instead emphasizing the transformative power of ambition, resilience, and a willingness to defy expectations. It provides practical, albeit sometimes counter-intuitive, advice for navigating creative and business challenges, urging readers to take ownership, embrace the unconventional, and prioritize impactful communication over playing it safe. The book’s direct style and use of advertising as a metaphor make its lessons broadly applicable to anyone looking to stand out and make a difference.

Contact Factoring Specialist, Chris Lehnes

Study Guide: It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be by Paul Arden

Quiz

Instructions: Answer each question in 2-3 sentences based on the provided text.

1. According to the author, why might someone with only moderate academic success in school be more likely to “make it in life” than someone considered conventionally clever?
2. What is the author’s perspective on seeking praise for your work, and what does he suggest doing instead?
3. When something goes wrong on a project, who does the author suggest should take responsibility, and why?
4. What is the potential negative consequence of hoarding or being secretive with your ideas, according to the text?
5. How does the author suggest you approach a current project that seems boring or uninteresting?
6. What is the author’s advice regarding emphasizing negative aspects or knocking the competition in advertising?
7. What is the suggested benefit of showing a client a rough or scribble layout instead of a highly polished one?
8. According to the author, where should you seek inspiration for original advertising ideas, and where should you avoid looking?
9. What does the author mean when he says that “creativity with a precedent” is a common maxim for some clients?
10. What strategy does the author suggest for improving your “strike rate” when pitching new business to a client?

Essay Format Questions

Please consider the following questions for essay responses, drawing insights from the provided text. Do not provide answers to these questions.

1. Arden argues that “It’s wrong to be right” and “It’s right to be wrong.” Discuss the reasoning behind this seemingly counterintuitive stance and its implications for innovation and progress as presented in the text.
2. Analyze the various ways in which Arden suggests navigating difficult client relationships and getting ideas accepted, including addressing their aims, dealing with rejection, and presenting work.
3. Explore the author’s perspective on the role of mistakes, failure, and risks in the creative and professional process. How does he differentiate between “failure” and a lack of initiative?
4. Discuss Arden’s views on the concept of “creativity” and how its definition can differ between creative professionals and clients. How does this understanding impact the pitching process?
5. Examine the importance of presentation and “spin” as discussed by Arden, particularly in the sections “Play Your Cards Right,” “It’s Not What You Know,” “It’s Who You Know,” and “Don’t Give a Speech. Put On a Show.” How do these concepts relate to personal and professional success?

Glossary of Key Terms

• Mediocrity: The state or quality of being only average or of moderate quality; not very good.
• Excellence: The quality of being outstanding or extremely good.
• Ambition: A strong desire to do or achieve something.
• Achieve the Unachievable: Aiming beyond perceived capabilities and disregarding limitations to pursue ambitious goals.
• Covet (ideas): To desire or want to possess ideas belonging to others, or to be possessive and secretive with one’s own ideas.
• Accentuate the Positive: To emphasize or dramatize the good or strong points of a product or service.
• Eliminate the Negative: To avoid focusing on or publicizing the shortcomings or the competition.
• Precedent: An earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances. In the context of creativity, it refers to wanting something similar to what has been done before.
• Strike Rate: The percentage or number of times a desired outcome is achieved, specifically in the context of winning new business pitches.
• Layout: The arrangement of elements (like text and images) on a page or screen, especially in advertising or publishing.
• Suppliers: Individuals or companies that provide goods or services, such as photographers, directors, or printers, who contribute to a creative project.
• Awards: Prizes or recognition given for achievement, particularly in fields like advertising, often based on industry consensus or fashion.
• Creative Pitch: A presentation given to a potential client to persuade them to hire an advertising agency or creative team.
• Slogans: Short and memorable phrases used in advertising or associated with a brand or campaign.

Answer Key for Quiz

1. The author suggests that conventionally clever people often rely on their past qualifications (facts) and may not possess the same level of desire to succeed (ambition) as those who failed at school but are driven by imagination and a continuous strive for improvement.
2. The author advises against seeking praise, as people are likely to say nice things rather than be critical. Instead, he suggests actively seeking criticism by asking “What’s wrong with it? How can I make it better?” to identify areas for improvement.
3. The author believes you should accept total responsibility for something that goes wrong if you were involved, regardless of others’ failings. Taking responsibility puts you in a position to address and potentially fix the problem.
4. The negative consequence of hoarding ideas is that you end up living off existing reserves and eventually become stale. Giving away ideas forces you to actively seek new ones and replenish your creative well.
5. The author advises making the current project, no matter how boring it seems, the best you possibly can. This allows for satisfaction, potential learning, and even the opportunity to create an alternative version that meets your creative standards.
6. The author suggests avoiding knocking the competition because it often serves to publicize them rather than winning sales for your own product or service. He also notes that it is generally an easier approach than highlighting your own positives.
7. Showing a rough layout encourages the client to use their imagination and become more involved in the process. A polished layout can lead to clients focusing on minor details rather than the core idea.
8. For original ideas, the author suggests seeking inspiration from unexpected sources, such as outside the world of advertising. He notes that relying solely on other advertising often leads to imitation rather than true originality.
9. “Creativity with a Precedent” refers to a client’s desire for creative work that they recognize from experience and that is similar to what has been successful before, rather than something completely new or unseen.
10. To improve your strike rate in pitching, the author suggests finding a simple, memorable slogan that encapsulates what the client wants to feel about their company and making it a central, repeated element of your presentation.

Publication Information:

• Title: It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be
• Author: Paul Arden
• Publisher: Phaidon Press Limited
• First Published: 2003
• ISBN: 978-0-7148-4337-7
• Description: A concise guide offering insights into making the most of oneself, using the creative processes of advertising as a metaphor for business practice. Described as a “pocket ‘bible’ for the talented and timid to make the unthinkable thinkable and the impossible possible.”