Chances are good that if you’re not reading these words on your phone, it’s likely sitting within arm’s length. (Cue you making a sideways glance to ensure your phone is still where you left it.) Like Linus and his blanket, we’re all tied to our wonder devices.

Did you ever stop to consider why you keep it so close? Take a moment to think about it. I’ll wait.

My guess is you began with practical reasons:

• It’s easy to communicate and coordinate with friends, family and colleagues

• I need the maps and language translation when I travel

• I use it to buy stuff on the spot when I need it

Then you went to more emotional reasons:

• My friends are on social media. I like to see what they’re up to.

• It’s where I have all my photos and videos

• I use it to keep track of my health goals

And you ended up landing on some of the more…casual reasons:

• I use it to play games

• The internet

• When I’m bored I watch cat videos

Okay, I totally get that last one. I love cat videos too.

But there’s one main motivation influencing why you love your phone so much, the thread that weaves through all of the reasons you’ve just thought about.

Your phone eliminates friction.

You don’t have to remember phone numbers or email addresses. You don’t have to visit that grocery store or restaurant. You don't have to ask your friends one by one how they’ve been and have a conversation about it. And the games and cat videos mean if you’re waiting in line or in a crowd you don’t have to talk to other people if you don’t want to.

However, when you eliminate friction you also eliminate missteps, chance and serendipity.

For example, I still go grocery shopping in person. I think it’s fun. I like looking at and holding the packaging. I bump into friends and neighbors shopping at the same time and we’re able to catch up if it’s been a while. I get to discover new products. And if I’m really lucky I get a snack in the form of a free sample.

Why bring this up? Because these same tendencies often surface in creative work.

If a company is a fast follower or challenger brand, their number one objective should be getting out of the big dog’s shadow. Don’t tell me you’re different. Show me.

This means experimenting. Doing the work. Adding positively disruptive friction for people you’re trying to grab the attention of rather than thinking about sterile and detached SEO and algorithms. That’s machines talking to other machines.

And, most importantly, remembering that people are the ones making buying decisions.

A quick word about people: They’re messy. They’re unpredictable. They’re busy living their lives. And unless those people happen to work for you (i.e. getting paid by you), chances are really, really good they’re not thinking about your product unless they are buying it, using it or running out of it.

Think about your favorite ad. Chances are good you like it because it breaks the rules. Maybe it doesn’t even show the product.

• Apple’s Think Different campaign broke the rules regarding who technology is for and why.

• Nike’s Just Do It campaign broke the rules about athletic excellence by making it available to everyone.

• Old Spice broke the rules by positioning deodorant as fun and a bit sexy with “The Man Your Man Can Smell Like” campaign.

You get the idea. We all have our favorite.

This wasn’t work that was focus grouped and A/B tested to death. If anything, the test was asking questions like: Is this inspirational? Does it make someone laugh? Will it make a viewer want to connect not because of negative self image but instead tapping into fun, unrealized potential?

The bottom line is technology should work for people, not the other way around. Life has friction and that’s okay. It’s part of what keeps us human. Let’s speak to that and leave the phone alone from time to time. Don’t worry. It’ll be just fine.