What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

The best advice I’ve ever been given wasn’t actually advice in the conventional sense, but a former colleague once pointed out something that has become ingrained inside my brain.

They said that I have a habit of giving people lemons when they ask for oranges.

Obviously at first, I took it as criticism—like I wasn’t meeting expectations or following briefs properly. But after obsessing over the statement for a couple of months, I decided it was actually a lesson about staying true to my instincts.

Disclaimer, I don’t give lemons to be contrary. I give them because by that time, I’ve done the research, followed the strategy, and I know that sometimes lemons are what will truly make the difference—even if it isn’t apparent just yet.

But that insight has definitely shaped how I approach my work.

It’s about trusting your expertise, staying grounded in strategy, and helping others see the value in an unexpected solution.

That realisation was kind of a turning point for me.

It also taught me that the right people will value strategic lemons and trust me to turn them into lemonade.

So now oranges vs. lemons is something that reminds me to stick to my gut / vision and to seek out and work with people who can truly appreciate the process alongside the end-result.