Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
In 1925, Ted Giesel went to Oxford to pursue a Ph.D. in English. Giesel’s biography states that while his notebooks include notes on lectures, they reveal a much greater propensity for doodling. One day a classmate looked over at Giesel’s notebook and said, “You’re crazy to be a professor. What you really want to do is draw. That’s a very fine flying cow!”
The classmate, Helen Palmer, would become Giesel’s wife – and 30-some-odd years later, Giesel himself would become known to the world as our beloved Dr. Seuss. The books Seuss wrote and illustrated continue to inspire children of all ages, all over the world.
Our future is in his last book
In his final book, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, I see my future and that of my children, my staff, colleagues and yes, my clients. It doesn’t matter if we’re children or CEOs; Seuss’s words and art provide inspiration to move mountains and realize our greatest ambitions:
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along. You’ll start happening, too.
You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.
You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Let’s inspire those around us
Whether we’re business owners, marketing professionals or educators, we rely on others, including and especially young people, to help us succeed. And just like Seuss’s classmate, we have tremendous potential to inspire others to greatness.
Seuss spent 30 years in advertising before he found his ultimate calling in children’s books. He was famous as an ad man, too. No matter how long it takes to reach our ultimate goals in work or in life, opening doors not just for ourselves but for others is also a major life accomplishment – for us and those we encourage.
In early January, I took my eldest daughter Jordan to Florence, Italy, where she is completing her last year of college at Studio Arts College International (SACI). A budding young Seuss? I don’t know, but I am thinking, Oh – the places she’ll go!
Have fun along the way – it pays
Another famous advertising man, Bob Bernstein of Kansas City, started his agency with $100 and a $2,500 loan. Oh, the places he went. In time the agency became one of the United States’ six largest independent ad agencies. Bernstein was known for walking the halls and asking employees if they were having fun. “If you’re not having fun, you’re doing something wrong,” he would say. He knew something about fun and why it was important. For the past 40 years, Bernstein has also helped to keep kids happy and entertained. He created the McDonald’s Happy Meal.
Let’s have some fun right now
The first three people to post a Seuss-styled limerick in the comments below will receive a copy of Seuss’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go! – compliments of Perfect Image. Come on, entertain us. Write and rhyme about anything you like. Do it for your child, grandchild, or more important – for yourself.
When you need to really go places with your print marketing, contact Perfect Image. We are More than a printer – and we’re packed and ready to go with you.
