first it was Humpty Dumpty, I had to have all the merchandise, everything with the egg on it.
Then Jack and the Beanstalk, I wanted every book and film.
Soon followed Greek Mythology, I loved all the stories/myths of the Odyssey, Perseus, and the Minotaur.
Then my gaming craze, every game had to be limited edition, I would lay them out as tributes to my devotion to gaming.
Alien vs Predator, and Rocky/boxing followed.
This cycle of obsessions came from my autism, which I was diagnosed with at the age of 3, having asperger's syndrome.
This can come at an advantage/disadvantage.
The advantage being I grow a vast knowledge, living, breathing this thing I am obsessed by.
The disadvantage socially, that my obsession is all I talk about, caused me to disconnect with people, even get bullied for it. My school years were not very nice.
But when I figured out what I was naturally good at, and followed it, my obsession became my career, and everything fell into place.
I would lie if advertising got me into Watford, it was Watford that got me into advertising.
And when I mean got me into it, it made me obsessed with Watford and what it taught, its history,
the great people that have left the course, the work they made, inspires me to live up to the name.
Even when I was down on my luck, I would pull out my dog-eared "How to come up with ideas" booklet, and read over and over again Tony's teachings of how to come up with perfect strategies.
I kept every booklet, and have them in my Watford bookcase in my flat.
Every time I look on the website, or read an article about the course, it would pump me up to do better in my craft.
This obsession grew with my 'Tony I want in!' blog, for two years I noted down my progress of getting onto the course, that taught Tony's attention, that devotion got me into Watford.
Fast forward now, that obsession has turned into a placement at one of the top agencies in the UK, it has also sprouted into me helping Tony with new students every year.
I can see why Tony works tirelessly to create a new generation of talent, year by year, it's rewarding.
And I found out how rewarding that could be today through a tasty treat in the agency post.
For the past couple of months I was coaching a potential creative get into Watford.
Setting him briefs everyday, giving him feedback,
pushing him to come up with a book fit to get on the course.
There was failure, setbacks, he didn't get in on the first interview, but he showed true character and kept going, and in the face of failure he came out of his second interview with success, and got into Watford.
I was very proud, and over the moon in my email to him, that he sent me a gift of cupcakes to AMV BBDO, I have them on my desk now.
Just admiring this gift from the future Watford.
I would be lying if I didn't have aspirations of being a teacher in advertising one day, to live up the legacy of Tony, but at the same time, through coaching, and helping young talent, those skills contribute to being a creative director, and having a hand in building the next generation of talent, while directing great work is a dream job/goal.
What I have really learnt from having this obsession of Watford is I have entered a family, a family of creatives that appreciate my love for this industry/course. Who are keen to succeed like me.
'Family' is something Tony preached at our grad party, to keep a look out for our classmates, because in the future we could be working together shaping this industry, whether it being the heads of an existing agency, or even our own start-up.
And Watford is a family of people who didn't fit in, big dreamers who inspire to do big things, who asked too many questions, who want to make bread into surf boards and go rock pool fishing in the milky way. The weird and different is here on this course.
It's a change from the past when at school I was a outcast, bullied for being obsessive, for not being cool, in the social clique, I am now respected and appreciated for my obsessive love for this course and the industry, for being different, for all the reasons I was bullied.
I guess the moral of this post is, if you have an obsession for something, pursue it, keep persuing it, until it becomes a career, until people actually appreciate you for it, until you get love back for what you love.
For me it was from Watford with love.
P.S. The lad I helped get into Watford 18/19 was kind enough to write me a glowing report card on my performance as a tutor!
