Sometimes I Steal

Sometimes I steal and I’m proud of it.  Furthermore, I feel no need to go for confession to a local synagogue or church.  I am a bold thief. 

And what have I done with what I’ve stolen down through the years?

I've used this stuff in some amazing ways and added joy to my life and others. 

“Wait just a minute,” I can hear some say.  “You’re better for it?”

Absolutely.

“And what, pray tell, have you stolen?” comes next.

Okay, you might want to sit down for this one. 

~Once I stole a certain directing style from Jim in college.

~I stole some turn-of-a-phrase concepts from my friend Harold.

~I stole some leadership tips and techniques from Bob once.

~Oh yeah.  One time, this is really cool, I stole, are you paying attention, I stole some integrity concepts and life-style role model moves from Jim.

You see, I’m a habitual thief.  If I see an idea that I can take and apply, when you’re not looking I’ll steal it. 

Now, I came by this naturally, and along the way I've had a little help from some other fellow thieves. 

I recently was vindicated for this thieving habit.  Daniel Coyle wrote a little book called The Little Book of Talent.  He titled a chapter with this audacious name:  

Tip 3 - STEAL WITHOUT APOLOGY

So don’t blame me. 

There are others who have nurtured this nature in me.

Pablo Picasso said:  “Good artists borrow.  Great artists steal.”

Daniel goes on to encourage us to borrow ideas, techniques and styles from others and use them until our own style and characteristics begin to emerge. 

And honestly, you can blame part of it on my family.  I was the last boy of five boys, and four sisters, (Lynn came along after me) and I stole a good bit of lots of different stuff from them.

So have others who came late in their family tree.

~Andy, the young one of The Bee Gee’s

~Youngster Michael Jackson,

~Young Nick Jonas

~Mozart was a later sibling

~J.S. Bach too

~Yo-Yo Ma - also

They all were the babies of their families.

So, I suppose you could say I’m a thief and I’m right proud of it.

In college I learned some of my humor from the likes of Mike Ross, Tom Cook and a whole host of others. 

As a drummer I stole from Gene Krupa, Joe Morello, Buddy Rich, Sandy Nelson, and Lloyd Graham.

Want to be great at your craft?

Steal

          Mimic

                    Copy

… And then make it your own.

P Michael Biggs

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