On Wednesday night, I found myself staring at a picture of Susan Boyle.

I thought to myself, here is a woman, whom out of nowhere, captured the hearts of millions of people around the world and single-handedly shocked the music industry.

Why? Because she was an underdog.

She was someone everyone could relate to. An underachiever with a hidden belief that she had what it took to make a name for herself. She just needed an opportunity.

But it was the circumstances surrounding her discovery, as much as her talent that, I believe, made her famous.

There is no doubt in my mind, that had she waltzed on stage cocky as could be, she wouldn’t have reached the heights she has today. Because people would’ve expected her to be great.

Instead, she was quiet. Shy. Reserved. Humble. And people laughed at her.

She obviously knew she could sing. She was 47 at the time of her Britain’s Got Talent audition and had been involved in her local church choir for years. She wasn’t some overprivileged and jumped up 13 year old wank stain who had found fame on YouTube. She didn’t feel entitled.

And that’s what made her so fucking amazing.

A potent blend of talent and humbleness. She didn’t feel like she had to create a fanfare. She likely didn’t even want it. She let others do the talking for her, because she was that good.

And that’s what I want from my career.

I hope I have enough talent to allow me to last in the creative industry for many years to come. But most importantly of all, I want to be forever humble. I know fuck all when it comes to advertising compared to say, David Droga, or Dan Wieden, so I’m certainly not going to act like it.

I believe everyone can achieve great things. Even the most unassuming of people can be wildly successful. Just like Susan Boyle.

The people that suffer the most are those who have over-inflated egos. Those who have made themselves out to be better than they actually are. Because with great expectation, comes even greater disappointment.

I’d much prefer to undersell myself, and over deliver, than suffer the opposite fate.

As I wrote that night for a Daihatsu ad, “The most unassuming things have the potential to surprise you the most.”

It is simple really. Be unassuming, be humble, but blow them away.