NORTHERN PLANNER

I watched 'When We Were Kings' last night for the first time in ages.

Another time I'll go on about the importance of knowing the past and where you came from, but not today. What I took out of watching that fight was the way Ali transcended mere technical brilliance, he was so good you didn't even see the great footwork, the jab that was, literally faster than the blink of an eye – just artistry. But the romance would have impossible without the craft.

There are lots of example of great exponents of their chosen discipline who go beyond mere technical brilliance. Watching Ed Moses float over hurdles, Einstein's, watching a ball fall from a McEnroe drop-shot like a rose petal, The Brazil football team, Mozart, and whatever else doesn't just make you admire, but make you feel.

Inspiration quite literally means 'breathed upon', Homer described it as coming direct from the Gods. It's a strange thing, as it stands outside of skill. A painter could spend a lifetime creating technically amazing paintings that inspires no one, while someone can have a in incredible idea for a film (or an ad) without a clue how to make it.

When they both come together, it transcends description, it takes your breath away. But in the end, inspiration is pretty much impotent without hard work, practice and knowledge, but expertise can survive pretty well without inspiration.

I think that means there's little point poncing around an agency waiting for an idea to appear from nowhere – it really doesn't happen often. So called inspiration is usually the result of lots of hard work, it's merely connections finally forming. That also means that iinspirational ideas need nurturing- they're rare.

Also, we should celebrate the solid people that never let us down, the ones that always produce something good, something that works. Celebrate the doers, not just the stars.