“I have written this book because 100 years from now, there probably will be no other trace that I have lived on earth. Our great grandchildren will most likely not know our names, they will have minimal interest in our having lived, or in what we did during our stay on this earth.” Herb Peyton, Founder of Gate Petroleum and author of New Boy, his autobiography.
The United States is full of great American success stories. From native sons who grew up in poverty to immigrants who came here with very little, they have built businesses that have provided them with livelihoods and enriched their communities. Unfortunately, many of their inspiring stories will be forgotten because they have never been written down.
2020 is upon us. Many people have resolved to lose weight, get in shape, and take better care of themselves. Some have resolved to write the books they have been thinking about for years. Lots of great businessmen and businesswomen would like to leave their marks in the form of books and literature, but they don’t know how to go about it. There are several ways to organize a business-oriented autobiography. Here are three straightforward ways to do it.
On the morning of Thanksgiving in 2019, my family and I watched “Won’t you
be my neighbor?” It’s a documentary about Fred Rogers, the creator and star of
Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood on PBS. On Thanksgiving afternoon, I went
to the movie “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.” Tom Hanks plays the
part of Fred Rogers.
Both movies were very good. One of the most powerful scenes
in the feature film has Mr. Rogers in a restaurant with a writer named Lloyd
Vogel. (In real life, the name of the journalist was Tom Junod, who wrote an
article about Mr. Rogers for Esquire.) In that scene, Mr. Rogers asks Mr. Vogel
to think about all the people who helped to make him what he was.
As the camera pans around the restaurant, some of the faces
are familiar. In fact, several of the people who were interviewed for the
documentary appeared in the restaurant scene. For example, Mrs. Rogers and the
actor who played Mr. McFeely on the television show were in that scene.
Whenever a film is made about a real person or about something
that actually happened, one has to wonder how accurate the movie was. Parts of
the feature film about Mr. Rogers are made up, including the restaurant scene. However,
in real life there was an event where Mr. Rogers very publicly encouraged
people to be thankful for the people who had helped them in their lives.
In 1997, Mr. Rogers was presented with a Lifetime
Achievement Award at The Academy Awards. In his short speech, he asked members
of the audience to think for ten seconds about all the people in their lives
who had helped them in some way. As the camera panned around the room, some
audience members wept. Ten seconds of
sincere gratitude can affect a person that way.
This is the time of year when people make plans for the
coming year and formulate their New Year’s Resolutions. Giving thanks can be
just as powerful as making a New Year’s resolution. Naturally, the list of
people to be thankful for includes friends and family members. For people in
business, it can also include the clients and customers who have contributed to
one’s success. Thanks can also be given for the mentors and advisors who have
been helpful.
Like Mr. Rogers, I believe there’s something very powerful
about being thankful. Being habitually and intentionally thankful can have a
very positive impact on one’s life and on one's business. My morning routine includes making a list
of three things I am thankful for. I encourage others to make thankfulness part
of their routines as well.
I’m Danny Murphy, but not Danny Murphy the famous baseball
player. Or the famous soccer player. Also, I’m not the Dan Murphy who owns most
of the liquor stores in Australia. I’m Danny Murphy, the writer. Actually,
there are over a dozen Danny Murphys who are writers.
I’m the one who works with clients like Dick Erickson,
Founder of Sun Tire, to document their Great American Success Stories. Then I
help them to present their stories in the form of books, videos, and through
social media. For example, Dick’s forthcoming book is titled Rubber Meets Road:
Business Isn’t Rocket Science.
