.floatimg-left-hort { float:left; } .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 12px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} When I was a boy, I used to get these terrible cramps in the calf of my leg, which would knot in a spasm.

My mother called them growing pains.

I can remember the first time she suggested walking on it. I thought she was insane. But she was right. I needed to work the knot out by getting back up on the leg.

Sometimes as creative adults we get brain cramps as we try to work things out. The same knotted feeling. We usually cramp up when we’re faced with a new truth. Or maybe a truth we don’t really want to see or that isn’t playing out the way we want it to.

We see this as we work with clients at McLellan Marketing Group. Every once in a while, what we recommend or what we uncover during our branding process isn’t what the clients expected – and they cramp up. It’s our job to help undo the knots. We know we need to get them to try out the new ideas. They need to walk around on the fresh thoughts and see how they hold up.

They don’t want to do it. It seems counterintuitive. They want to protect the status quo. But our role is to encourage them to slowly stand up and test the new ideas by walking on them for a bit.

Many times, after they take the risk, they are surprised by their reaction. They see new possibilities. They get fresh perspective. They were ready to take the next step all along.

A good lesson for all of us. Test-drive the new ideas. Slowly at first. It’s going to be uncomfortable. It’s new territory. But walk around on them a little. See if maybe they take you to a different and new place.

Think of them as growing pains.

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at www.drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2010 Drew McLellan