Last night I tuned in to the finale of Celebrity Traitors. Beware – this post contains spoilers!!
Admittedly I am not usually a fan of reality TV, and I don’t feel inclined to watch “regular” Traitors. I tuned in because there were some high calibre celebs in the mix and I wanted to see how it would all unfold… Are they the same as we see them in their professional spaces? Who will get along with who? And, do I still like you after seeing you in a different environment? The answer to that question is – I only went off one of the celebs during their time in the mansion!
That said, I’m not actually here to discuss the outcome (well I kind of am) but more about the personalities and how relatable these celebrities are.
I’m actually really pleased that Alan Carr went on to win. And the fact that Joe Marler got so far into the game. Early on Joe mentioned that he was struggling to articulate himself to what he felt were more eloquently spoken celebrities. Those used to talking to camera and commanding a space. I felt quite connected with him in that moment. Although he had picked out Jonathan Ross as the traitor, he was having trouble getting people to listen to his point of view, and rally the troops as it were. And to be honest, I get that. I struggle to speak up and be taken seriously. I don’t command a room. And yet by the end of the game, Joe’s true strengths of getting on with the job with commitment and humour came to the fore. Something we can all learn from.
And now to Alan, who was a self confessed sweaty mess who can’t lie, going on to win. The ultimate doubter in his own abilities, something I can relate to as well. Someone who wasn’t taken seriously due to his humour and style, yet going from strength to strength, gaining confidence in himself as he went. I felt he deserved to win.
So why is this all relevant to a blog post about freelance graphic design I hear you ask?!
What I found most interesting about this social experiment was how relatable I found these two particular men. They were both overlooked throughout the process and yet saw off most of the competition (well all in Alan’s case!). They both had qualities that were unexpected, and surprised themselves over. Who would have thought Alan Carr would trot across a high level rickety bridge (my favourite line of the whole series: “I feel like a winner, and a eunuch” upon jumping off a ledge in a harness). They pushed themselves into situations that weren’t necessarily in their comfort zones and exceeded expectations. They learned to believe in their instincts and saw off those who were potentially considered more intelligent, or those who could talk a good game.
I have often felt that those in the background doing a project with humour and hard work are often overlooked, and this was the same here.
So when it does come to recruiting me, I may not talk a good game. I may not articulate what is going on in my head, and I may have a Joe like sense of humour, and these can be seen as negatives. But it doesn’t mean I can’t deliver. It means that I know my own weaknesses and own them. I know I can deliver on your graphic design job, and I know that I can get on with your team. And I know that even if I’ve never walked across a rickety bridge specifically, I will give it a go with surprising results.
I may not look much from the outset, but I’ve been working with some teams for years, and other client relationships are just starting up, and feel although I may not be able to talk a good game, my portfolio does the talking for me.
So if you are in need of some freelance graphic design support you would be in safe hands with me. I would be faithful (see what I did there?!) to your brand, be up to the challenge and may even surprise you. Of that I am sure.