Again, thanks to my wonderful Beta, InconspicuousBunny.


No one really knows how seriously Brian takes his job. Most people think he's that good at what he does just because he has some kind of natural talent, just because he was cut out that way. But they don't know shit.

They don't see him researching thoroughly each new client until he knows all the facts by heart. They don't see him struggling to come up with a new slogan while pacing the floor nervously in the loft. They don't see him desperately trying to meet a deadline, living on coffee and sleep depraved until he resembles a walking zombie.

They certainly don't see him trying to absorb whatever new information there is about the advertising world. They don't see him studying all the new trends that people might like, and all the new tricks that people might respond to. They don't see him attending every new seminar, every significant conference about advertising (wherever they may be held) so that he doesn't fall behind the rest of the ad men in the world.

I've seen him working for several days in a row barely stopping to eat or to get a couple of hours of sleep. I've seen him meticulously preparing for his latest presentation until there is no margin for error. I've seen him staring for hours at whatever new boards he has come up with, looking thoughtfully at them from all angles, trying to find whatever is it that's not working until he passes out from exhaustion on the sofa. I've seen him changing those boards again and again until he feels happy with them, and I've seen him screaming at the guys on his art department because they always manage to fuck them up again.

No one knows how much time he spends in front of the mirror, rehearsing the next presentation he has to make until he is comfortable enough, until he achieves the right amount of confidence. No one knows how badly he sleeps the night before a meeting with a client because his mind can't seem to stop going over what he has to do and say the next day. No one's seen him prepare thoroughly for a meeting, choosing the perfect suit for each client and then making sure that his appearance is perfect and flawless. No one's seen him so focused on what he needs to do that he forgets his car keys and has to come back when he realises he doesn't have them.

People admire Brian because they know he's the best in what he does. They admire him because they think he was born like that: confident, talented and learned. They admire him because he can work miracles for his clients, and almost always in the first try.

And of course he is the best, and of course he is confident, talented and learned, and of course he can work miracles for his clients. But all of that is NOT completely effortless.

I certainly know better. I've seen his dedication, his intelligence put in action, and the way he expands his inherent talent through hard work. That's why I admire Brian even more. Because he's not just a man that has it easy just because. On the contrary, he makes things easy himself by working his ass off.

That's what makes his incredible achievements even more amazing.

And that's another reason why I love him so much it hurts…

… not that I would ever tell him so.


I hope you liked it! :-D