Whatever you think, think the opposite - Paul Arden

 

 

 

 

Whatever you think, think the opposite, Paul Arden, penguin

 

 

 

 

BEAT THIS.

 

A young man worked as a runner in an advertising firm. one day he said to his manager, ‘I’m leaving. I’m going to be a drummer.’

The manager said, ‘I didn’t know you played the drums.’

He replied, ‘I don’t, but I’m going to.’

A few years later that young man played in band with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce, and it was called Cream, and the young man’s name was Ginger Baker.

He became what he wanted to become before he knew he could do it.

He had a goal.

 

 

 

 

No onE but No.1

 

It is fashionable for so-called thinking people to try to lose their ego.

Well, they should think a bit harder. Presumably we were given egos for reason.

Great people have great egos; maybe that’s what makes them great.

So let us put it to good use rather than try to deny it.

Life’s all about ‘me’ anyway.

 

 

 

 

WHAT IS A GOOD IDEA?

 

One that happens is.

 

If it doesn’t it isn’t.

 

When a client asked how much it would cost to get permission to photograph the Eiffel Tower for use in an advertisement, the bureaucrats representing the City of Paris said ₤10,000.

The client didn’t think that was such a good idea any more.

So they didn’t use it.

I wanted it for this book, but I don’t think ₤10,000 is such a good idea either.

So I didn’t ask.

 

 

 

 

STEAL.

 

Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic.

 

 

 

 

SOMETIMES THE CLEVER THINGS NOT TO BE TOO CLEVER

 

Take a picture of a glass, turn the camera out of focus and use a distorting lens.

Then ask people, ‘What’s that?’

They will answer, ‘It’s a picture of a glass.’

 

Take another picture of the same glass. Don’t put it out of focus and don’t distort it. Make it normal.

Then ask people, ‘What’s that?’

They will answer, ‘It’s a glass.’

 

 

 

 

An INTERVIEWER with a wooden leg said to Frank Zappa, ‘With your long hair, from where I am sitting you could be a woman.’ Frank Zappa replied, ‘From where I am sitting you could be a table.’