It was about six or seven years ago and it was one of those days where the sun shines so brightly that you think it might just last forever.

I was in my 2nd year at University and, along with a rag-tag team of friends, was participating in a charity 6-aside football tournament.

Somewhere towards the start of the event I noticed that an acquaintance of mine (playing for another team) was doing something a bit weird between the games.

Every time there was a stoppage in play, I looked over and – if he wasn’t playing – he’d be doing it.

He had a small tube of something that looked like either glue or paint. He’d then pour a small amount of it onto a piece of cloth and wipe it on the front of his boots.

What the hell was he doing?

As it turned out, when I asked him later on, he was applying glue to his boots.

A ‘special type of glue’ that he’d created.

One that was supposed to allow him to keep control of the football easier.

Of course, he’d overlooked the fact that it would be really hard to kick a ball that was stuck to his boot.

It didn’t work at all. As you probably expected.

And this was from a guy who ended up graduating with a first degree in Architecture.

He’d just got himself so wrapped up in his theory that he’d failed to see how ridiculous it was.

And, that’s easy to do. It’s great to think in a very ‘blue skies’ manner – but the most successful creatives should always keep in touch with their inner realist.

Unless you’re an abstract painter, I suppose.