Just before Omicron became omnipresent Paddy and I were having our weekly coffee.
“I’ve been wondering about something in connection with your ‘Thought For Today’ postings,” Paddy said.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“I’m curious why you never attribute any of them,” Paddy replied.
“Because,” I explained, “they’re not quotations. They reflect my take on certain things I’ve read, heard or observed.”
“I’m not sure I follow you,” he said.
“You may recall that I took the Dale Carnegie Course when I was a teenager.”
“I do,” Paddy acknowledged.
“I learned more about life in the fourteen weeks of that course than in all my previous years. I took notes during every session based on the instructors’ comments and the talks other class members gave. Everybody gave at least two talks each night, so I had lots of notes. When I realized how valuable they were I began to jot down instructive observations whenever and wherever I found them.”
“So,” Paddy said, “you must have hundreds of them.”
“Thousands,” I corrected him. “At first I kept them in a file labelled ‘Stuff.’ After I had a secretary, I had them typed and filed in binders under about 125 headings.”
“How long have you been posting them online?” Paddy asked.
“About ten years,” I told him.
“Why do you think they’re worth posting?” he challenged.
“Two reasons,” I explained. “First, some wise person once said, ‘the example teaches,’ and Dale Carnegie, even more wisely, added, ‘and almost nothing else does.’ Each ‘thought’ is an example of a lesson I learned. Second, a poignant one-liner can be more effective than a long lecture.”
“Speaking of examples,” Paddy said, “can you give me one about how your take on something turned into one of your thoughts?”
“Sure,” I said. “In the late 80’s I was chairman of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, which meant I was constantly being interviewed on radio, TV, and in the press all across Canada. At the same time, I frequently wrote columns on tax and financial matters and had published a few books. I was also a regular commentator and fill-in host on CFRB. So at that time I had a pretty high public profile. One day I answered my phone and the conversation went something like this:
Mr. MacInnis, I just received my CA designation and I have a question.
Go ahead.
How do I become as well-known as you are?
You work your ass off for thirty-five years.
But, you didn’t have to do that.
I didn’t have to phone someone and ask them how to become well-known.
Thank you. I think I’ve just been given the best piece of advice I’ve ever had.
“That conversation inspired the thought: It’s good to have a style, provided it’s your own”
“Got it,” Paddy said, then asked “Why don’t you put them in a book?”
“I have, Paddy; twice, as a matter of fact. HarperCollins published a book of them in the mid-90s, complete with relevant anecdotes. Its title is ‘Life is Like a Taxi Ride.’ And about ten years ago I did an update called ‘Simple Realities.’ ”
“Where can I get them?” he asked.
“Taxi is out of print,” I said, “but I’ve been told it can still be bought online. Realities is available on Amazon.”
“One more thing,” Paddy said, “Are you sure there are no direct quotations? ”
“It’s possible some of the very short ones are verbatim, but I doubt it. In both Taxi and Realities I specifically requested that if anyone recognized a direct quotation they get in touch with either the publisher or me. No one has.”
“OK,” Paddy said as he donned his coat and toque. “see you next week.”
Of course, we’re still waiting for next week.