The joy of being uncomfortable.

New ways of thinking create a sense of discomfort. So next time you are asked to come up with or judge ideas, don’t settle for that concept that feels right. You’ll be disappointed in the long run.

Push. Be nervous. Take a chance.

Find the one that makes you a little uncomfortable—the one that stands out. You’ll know it. When you think back about the presentation, it will be the one you think of first. When you tell your spouse over dinner, you’ll gauge his/her reaction to see if it really is too far out there.

Remember, new ideas are, by definition, different. That’s what makes them special.

There is a risk to being different. You might stand out. You may attract attention. You could be talked about.

Just a word about almost all of Quiznos advertising and any number of youth-oriented ads. Being different just to be different is annoying. Be unique with a sensibility about your target. Be smart, clever, even vulgar. But weird is still weird. Don’t be weird.

It is a fine line between insightful and silly. Trust your gut. And remember to be happily uncomfortable.