A Lesson From a Study Taken Out of Context Causing Misunderstanding

A Myth Misquoted Misinterpreted and Misunderstood: The 7% Rule Fact, Fiction or Fallacy is part of a series of stories of when studies or stories are taken out of context, stories of when facts are not checked, causing them to be misreported, resulting in misleading people.

A Myth Misquoted Misinterpreted and Misunderstood: The 7% Rule Fact, Fiction or Fallacy: A Case Study:

7% of meaning is communicated through spoken word, 38% through tone of voice, 55% through body language. I’ve lost count of how many times I heard or read these words being quoted over the years, mostly back in the days when I first became self-employed and attended various workshops and presentations about communicating your ideas when establishing your WorkLife as a freelancer, consultant or business owner.

My approach was always to go with an open mind, which allowed me to learn new ways of doing and thinking. Afterwards, I would retain what I considered to be helpful to me in my WorkLife, and I would disregard anything I didn’t consider to be helpful. I was quick to disregard these words. I didn’t over-question or over-think them, I just dismissed them right off the bat because they simply just didn’t ring true for me.

This misquoted, misinterpreted and misunderstood myth came back into my mind recently, because of how many studies and stories continue to be taken out of context, and how so many facts are not being checked, causing them to be misreported, resulting in misleading people.

So, I went back to investigate what Professor Albert Mehrabian had actually said, and in what context.

This is what I discovered:

In 1967 the results of the two studies Professor Mehrabian had conducted into human communication patterns were published in professional journals.

In the first study, subjects had been asked to listen to a recording of a woman’s voice saying the word “maybe” three different ways to convey liking, neutrality and disliking. They were also shown photos of the woman’s face conveying the same three emotions (These facial expressions came to represent body language). They were then asked to guess the emotions heard in the recorded voice, seen in the photos, and both together. The result? The subjects correctly identified the emotions 50 percent more often from the photos than from the voice.

In the second study, subjects were asked to listen to nine recorded words, three meant to convey liking (honey, dear, thanks), three to convey neutrality (maybe, really, oh), and three to convey disliking (don’t, brute, terrible). Each word was pronounced three different ways. When asked to guess the emotions being conveyed, it turned out that the subjects were more influenced by the tone of voice than the words themselves.

Professor Mehrabian combined the statistical results of the two studies and came up with the now misquoted, misinterpreted and misunderstood study that communication is only 7 percent verbal and 93 percent non-verbal. The non-verbal component being made up of body language (55 percent) and tone of voice (38 percent).

The study has been widely circulated across mass media in abbreviated form. It has been suggested that because the figures were so easy to remember, that either people had forgotten what they really meant, or actually they had never known in the first place.

The fact is Professor Mehrabian’s research had nothing to do with communicating WorkLife ideas. Because it was based on the information that could be conveyed in a single word through different tones of voice and facial expressions. In this context, it’s easy to understand how the words have least importance and how communication is more about the tone of voice and body language.

In terms of WorkLife communicaions, how you communicate through your tone of voice and body language play an important part for sure, but in terms of communicating an idea, you absolutely need words. Words are the way you can construct an idea that matters. Language is everything.

Imagine for a moment, if you will, you’re interviewing for your ideal role at your ideal company, or you’re pitching your product or service to your perfect client. You’re required to give a 10-minute presentation as part of your interview or pitch, as to why you, your product or service are a good fit for the role and the company, or the client, in line with their core values, but only 7% of your presentation can be words! Case in point.

Words of Wisdom

So what does this mean in the context of how many studies and stories continue to be taken out of context, and how so many facts are not being checked, causing them to be misreported, resulting in misleading people? Does it mean you need to fact check everything? Well probably not, but it is good practice not to believe everything you see and hear. You could follow my approach of having an open mind to learning new things, while also paying attention to your initial instinct or gut reaction. Then retain what you consider to be helpful to you in your WorkLife and disregard anything you don’t consider to be helpful.

Back to My WorkLife and the Need to Communicate My Ideas

All of this pondering brought me back to the WorkLife stage I was at. I was in the process of developing online learning resources. I wanted to find a way to communicate the idea behind this work to a wider audience. I, of course, knew words would be fundamental in successfully conveying what I needed to say. Being able to reach people emotionally by tapping into their feelings and attitudes was also important in communicating how my work could help them at their particular WorkLife stage.

This led me to discover The Most Successful Email I Ever Wrote by Derek Sivers in his quest to effectively communicate the idea behind his mission to make people smile – while successfully growing his business. I loved what he did, and while I didn’t think I could match his brilliance in communicating in such a funny way, it did give me ideas of how I could reach people in the way I wanted to reach them by bringing who I am into my communication. As a writer, I already had the words to communicate the idea behind my work. To reach people emotionally, I needed to be open about my feelings and attitudes. I simply needed to do what Derek did – to be myself!

Book Wisdom

This brought me to the book Anything You Want  by Derek Sivers. He shares forty lessons learnt over ten years of experience as a new kind of entrepreneur. He was a successful independent musician who just wanted to sell his CDs online, then helped his friends sell their music too. Eight years later he sold his company for $22 million. The book is designed to be read in about an hour.

A lot of what Derek wrote really resonated with me, and I was once again back at the place and time when I first became self-employed. In particular around not believing and questioning things that didn’t ring true or sit right for me. Business myths that were perhaps misquoted and misinterpreted because they were misunderstood.

For example, in establishing yourself in business, there’s an expectation you need to write a business plan, with projected income, and everything else that goes with that. The thing is it’s really hard to know all of this, and I’ve always believed it shouldn’t be hard, it should be simple, because as Derek says: “The best plans start simple”. So despite what business advisors and banks have said and requested over the years, I just didn’t buy into it, and resisted it wherever and whenever I could. So, I read with great interest how Derek approached writing his ‘business plan’.

He was already living his dream life as a full-time musician, and he didn’t want anything to distract from that. He didn’t want to think about making it big, he wanted to keep it small. So he wrote down his utopian dream-come-true distribution deal from his musician’s point of view. In a perfect world his distributor would:

1. Pay him every week;
2. Show him the full name and address of everyone who bought his CD (because those are his fans, not the distributor’s);
3. Never kick him out for not selling enough (even if he only sold one CD every five years, it would be there for someone to buy);
4. Never allow paid placement (because it’s not fair to those who can’t afford it).

And that was it. That was his business plan.

He went on to share these words, which I consider to be:

Sage Wisdom

“When you make a business, you get to make a little universe where you control all the laws. This is your utopia. When you make it a dream come true for yourself, it’ll be a dream come true for someone else, too.”

Now that to me makes perfect business sense, and it makes perfect sense of why a lot of so-called business thinking has never rung true or sat well with me. I’ve always questioned it within myself, with friends, with business advisors and bankers; but until I read Derek’s book I could never put it into words, and certainly not in a way that would have made sense to anyone.

Epilogue

The lesson for me from all of this is that it’s important for me to question my initial reaction or gut reaction to something that doesn’t ring true for me or doesn’t sit well with me. It’s a simple lesson, but then again, as with business plans, the best WorkLife lessons are the simplest.

WorkLife Learning Assignment

I leave you today with a simple action:

When you see, read, or experience something that doesn’t ring true or sit well with you, ask yourself ‘Why?’ Then take time to reflect through self-feedback on what this brings back for you. The answer may come to you quickly or it may take time, but it will come, and when it does it will make perfect sense; and it will instil the importance of trusting your initial reaction or gut instinct.

Trusting your intuition is the ultimate act of trusting yourself in knowing what to believe. Let this be your guidance throughout the continuing chapters of your WorkLife story.

Today’s featured book is: Anything You Want by Derek Sivers

Afterword

I believe in challenging my own thinking. I like rethinking as an activity to consider if there are other ways to look at things. 

In the following story, I explore just that:

Body Language Speech Patterns and the 7/38/55 Principle in WorkLife Interactions How to Read the Situation In the Moment in All WorkLife Interactions is part of a series of people’s stories about how the ability to read the situation and the other side in the moment is key in all WorkLife interactions: from exchanges to conversations, conflict to cooperation, differences to understanding, refusals to negotiations, and much, much more.

Learn more about Professor Merhabian and Derek Sivers Their work informed this story.

WorkLife Book Wisdom Stories:

The intention of the stories I share is to inspire you through people’s stories of their WorkLife experiences. Through these stories, you will learn about people’s dreams and ambitions, along with the challenges, obstacles, failures and successes they encountered along the road of their WorkLife journey. And how they used the power of book wisdom to help them find the inspiration and guidance to navigate their path to live their WorkLife with passion, purpose and pride.

My hope is that these book wisdom stories will help you throughout the chapters of your WorkLife Story.

I believe stories are a powerful mechanism for teaching, a powerful medium to learn through, and a powerful way to communicate who you are and what you stand for.

.……………………………………………………………………………………………..

POSTSCRIPT

This story was originally published on 11/6/21 I needed to republish it to add updates and also to tell you 

… The Continuing Story …

The pandemic brought about a change in my WorkLife from delivering in-person individual coaching sessions and group workshops to creating resources to help people self direct their WorkLife learning.

In the last three years, I’ve published 30 books and over 200 stories.

Each book and each story is based on real life struggles and successes that people have encountered in their WorkLife. They also detail the exercises that helped navigate through these situations, which are set as assignments for readers to adapt to their WorkLife situations and learning needs.

I believe stories are a powerful mechanism for teaching, a powerful medium to learn through, and a powerful way to communicate who you are and what you stand for.

My inspiration for creating my work comes from a lifelong passion for learning. My work has taught me that the one thing in life that can never be taken away from you is your learning. 

School of WorkLife Guiding Statement: To create resources that are helpful, insightful and inspiring in helping people to pursue their WorkLives with greater clarity, purpose, passion and pride by creating continuous WorkLife learning programmes and resources that are accessible to everyone.

The resources I create will help you take ownership of self directing your learning in your own space and in your own time.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..

School of WorkLife helps you self-direct your WorkLife learning through resources that have been created to help you to take ownership of your learning in your own space and in your own time. 

What is Self Directed Learning? 

Self-Directed Learning is when an individual is motivated to take the initiative and responsibility on decisions related to their own learning. It is a series of independent actions and judgements free from external control and constraint. 

Resources to Help You Self-Direct Your Learning 

You may find the books below from The School of WorkLife Book Series helpful in meeting your learning needs as a self directed learner. Tap the book title to see a preview of what’s inside each book.

How To Embrace The Superpower of Self-Awareness

How To Fine-Tune The Superpower of Observation

How To Let Curiosity Be Your Driving Force 

Tap The School of WorkLife Book Series to view the complete collection of books. From here, you can tap on each individual title to see a preview of what’s inside each book.

Founder of School of WorkLife, Carmel O’ Reilly is a learning practitioner and writer. She creates resources to help people self-direct their WorkLife learning.  These include a Collection of Books which originated from her first book, Your WorkLife Your Way and a  Learn Through Reading Series of Case Studies.  which originated from her latest book WorkLife Book Club. 

That’s the power of writing (and reading, which is an integral part of the craft for writers). It helps you find, develop and tell the right story at the right time in all WorkLife situations – in day-to-day communication: WorkLife and feedback conversations, presentations, talks, and negotiations, at interviews, and when socialising and networking in building and maintaining good relationships. The practice of writing helps you to tell the stories that express who you are in an interesting and engaging way.

Lessons From a Chapter by Chapter Approach to Learning Through Reading

Chapter 1 (of 20), A Good Café on the Place St-Michael, will take you back in time to the story that began my French culinary experiences while reading A Moveable Feast, chapter by chapter. From there, each chapter will take you to the next chapter and culinary experience. 

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” Ernest Hemingway.

That’s a Wrap on I’m Taking Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast on A Moveable Feast Chapter by Chapter, accompanied by a Passionfruit Martini at 104Bar, Brick Lane. 

Afterword

With no more chapters of A Moveable Feast to read, and not wanting to let go of my experience of where each chapter took me – metaphorically through the words on the page, and physically through my walk to my destination to sit and read awhile over a glass/cup/plate, I decided to take the book on one final outing, to mull things over, to be able to say: That’s a Wrap.

Notes From That’s a Wrap on I’m Taking Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast on A Moveable Feast Chapter by Chapter

A WorkLife Book Club For One

Notes on A WorkLife Book Club For One

When I began to take Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast on a Moveable Feast Chapter by Chapter, I wanted to test if each chapter could have a positive impact on my WorkLife. Throughout my WorkLife, I’ve taken lessons from books as a whole, that have helped me to do better in navigating through struggles and successes. 

When I began what became a quest to discover great French cuisine to sit and read awhile, the question I posed to myself was:

Can I learn something from each chapter that I can apply to my WorkLife that will make a positive impact?

The Answer …

A resounding YES.

In each chapter, I learnt so much from Hemingway that I can apply to develop my skills as a writer. Each chapter, for me, was a masterclass in writing.

Each chapter was also a masterclass in thinking – in that, it evoked new thoughts and ideas while also reinforcing old thoughts and ideas. And it challenged my thinking in that it caused me to rethink things to consider if there are other ways to look at them. 

And each chapter was a masterclass in reading – in that it reinforced what I already knew – to be a good writer, I need to be an avid reader. Reading helped Hemingway develop his skills as a writer. I know it can do the same for me.

This brings me to:

Notes on the Next Stage of a WorkLife Book Club For One 

So, What’s Next? 

With no more chapters to read, that’s the next question I posed to myself.

The Answer …

I’m going to go back to taking learning from reading books as a whole, rather than breaking it down chapter by chapter. The reason is because although the answer to my first question was a resounding YES. At times, while chapters served to reinforce my learning/thinking/ideas – all of which is good, it’s perhaps not necessary. 

And also because I want and need to read more books.

And, so that’s what I’m setting out to do.

My intention is to read one book a week under two genres and note the learning that I take from each that I can apply in a way that can have a positive impact on my WorkLife.

The Two Genres Are:

1. Learning Through the Genre of Fiction Books

I believe that fiction can tell truths that nonfiction cannot, and in doing so, can open the way for truth to emerge in a way that can have a positive impact on my WorkLife.

2. Learning Through the Genre of Non-Fiction Books

I love non-fiction that reads like fiction.

I believe that fact can be stranger than fiction. and that this can open the way for truth to emerge in a way that can have a positive impact on my WorkLife.

When I was reading and making notes on the learning I took from Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast about how it connected and could be adapted to help me in my WorkLife learning, I learnt that while Hemingway was writing about real people, places and events, he considered the book a work of fiction based on reality, not a straightforward autobiography. There may be embellishments and passages left out; people may be misrepresented. But as a fiction writer, Hemingway knows fiction tells certain truths that nonfiction does not. He wants his text to enhance rather than detract from competing factual accounts of the same time, and in so doing, open the way for truth to emerge about people and events.

Source Coursehero

Let’s see where the next chapters of A WorkLife Book Club For One are going to take me …

Epilogue

I will continue to walk and explore, and as always, I will have a book (or two) in my bag. I will reflect on my discoveries from my experiences of where each book takes me – metaphorically through the words on the page, and physically through my walk to wherever I stop to sit and read awhile over a glass/cup/plate.

I also love being at home, in my own space, cosied up with a book, reading over a cup/glass/plate. I’ll also reflect on where those discoveries take me.

That’s a wrap on I’m Taking Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast on A Moveable Feast Chapter by Chapter.

Words of Wisdom 

But as Hemingway said, “There never is any ending to Paris.” The experiences I have taken from the journey A Moveable Feast has taken me on, haven’t ended and will remain with me long after I close the book on the last chapter

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Today I enjoyed a Passionfruit Martini at 104Bar, Brick Lane.

I think Hemingway would have approved.

Se souvenir de toi, Norma.

#FunFact1The Passionfruit Martini is not a true martini. The classic martini is a cocktail made with gin and vermouth and garnished with an olive or a twist of lemon. The Passionfruit Martini uses vanilla vodka for the cocktail’s base spirit. The drink was inspired by a visit to a club in Cape Town. In 2018, it was reported to be the most ordered cocktail in the UK.

#FunFact2 104baruk makes the best Passionfruit Martini in town, Shaken, Not Stirred. Though I might be a tad biased, as it’s run by family & friends. Though not really, because it truly is as good as it looks.

#FunFact3 Long before the cocktail scene hit Brick Lane; it was home to the world’s largest brewery Truman Brewery which is now East London’s revolutionary arts and media quarter.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

School of WorkLife helps you self-direct your WorkLife learning through resources that have been created to help you to take ownership of your learning in your own space and in your own time. 

What is Self Directed Learning?

Self-Directed Learning is when an individual is motivated to take the initiative and responsibility on decisions related to their own learning. It is a series of independent actions and judgements free from external control and constraint. 

Resources to Help You Self-Direct Your Learning 

You may want to self-direct your learning by starting your WorkLife Book Club For One, For Two, or for more people. Guidelines for Starting and Running Your WorkLife Book Club will help you do that. 

You may find the books below from The School of WorkLife Book Series helpful in meeting your learning needs as a self directed learner. Tap the book title to see a preview of what’s inside each book.

Your WorkLife Your Way

How To Be Autonomous in Your Development and Growth

How To Self-Coach, Direct and Lead Effectively

You can view the complete collection here: The School of WorkLife Book Series.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Founder of School of WorkLife, Carmel O’ Reilly is a learning practitioner and writer. She creates resources to help people self-direct their WorkLife learning.  These include a Collection of Books which originated from her first book, Your WorkLife Your Way and a  Learn Through Reading Series of Case Studies.  which originated from her latest book WorkLife Book Club. 

That’s the power of writing (and reading, which is an integral part of the craft for writers), it helps you find, develop and tell the right story at the right time in all WorkLife situations – in day-to-day communication: WorkLife and feedback conversations, presentations, talks, and negotiations, at interviews, and when socialising and networking in building and maintaining good relationships. The practice of writing helps you to tell the stories that express who you are in an interesting and engaging way.

Chapter 20 (of 20) There Is Never Any End to Paris

Chapter 1 (of 20), A Good Café on the Place St-Michael, will take you back in time to the story that began my French culinary experiences while reading A Moveable Feast, chapter by chapter. From there, each chapter will take you to the next chapter and culinary experience. 

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” Ernest Hemingway.

Chapter 20 (of 20) There Is Never Any End to Paris, accompanied by Tarte Tatin at Chez Elles, Brick Lane.

Notes From Chapter 20: There Is Never Any End to Paris

A WorkLife Book Club For One

Notes on Endings and Paris

When there were the three of us instead of just the two, it was the cold and the weather that finally drove us out of Paris in the winter time.

We went to Schruns in the Voralberg in Austria. 

Then instead of the two of them and their child, there are three of them. First it is stimulating and fun and it goes on that way for a while. All things truly wicked start from an innocence. So you live day by day and enjoy what you have and do not worry. You lie and hate it and it destroys you and every day is more dangerous, but you live today as in a war.

That was the end of the first part of Paris. Paris was never to be the same again although it was always Paris and you changed as it changed.

Words of Wisdom 

There is never any ending to Paris and the memory of each person who has lived in it differs from that of any other.

Paris was always worth it and you received return for whatever you brought to it. But this is how Paris was in the early days when we were very poor and very happy.

The three words that came to mind on finishing this chapter were ‘C’est la vie’ – ‘such is life’ or ‘that’s life’. When I looked at the meaning, I saw a question posed: Is ‘c’est la vie’ positive or negative?. The response was that it is usually used in a negative context, in a way of saying ‘that life is filled with negative moments’.

While I think there was a negative aspect to how Hemingway’s first time in Paris ended. At a much later stage of his life, as he remembered this time in Paris, his memories were nostalgic about those early days in Paris.

Epilogue

With no more chapters of A Moveable Feast to read, and not wanting to let go of my experience of where each chapter took me – metaphorically through the words on the page, and physically through my walk to my destination to sit and read awhile over a glass and a plate, I decided to take the book on one final outing, to mull things over, to be able to say: That’s a Wrap.

Unlike previous times when I wasn’t sure of the where and when of my next chapter of A Moveable Feast over a glass and a plate. This time I know, because I just crossed the road to 104BarUK (104 Brick Lane), to mull things over a cocktail. I think Hemingway would be suitably impressed.

… Let’s see where A Moveable Feast: That’s a Wrap story is going to take me …

The Continuing Story …

… I can now share where A Moveable Feast That’s a Wrap story took me …

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Today I enjoyed Tarte Tatin at Chez Elles, Brick Lane.

Se souvenir de toi, Norma.

#FunFact1 The tart is said to have been the creation of the elderly sisters Tatin. Caroline, the younger sister,  was the hostess and in charge of welcoming customers.  Stéphanie, the eldest, ran the kitchen. She was a fine cook but was, perhaps, a little forgetful. One day she placed the tart she had baked in the oven the wrong way round: the pastry and apples were upside down. Not knowing what to do and in a rush, she flipped the dessert onto a plate and served it straightway. It was an immediate hit. Accident or Invention -The Tarte Tatin was born. Source. Best of France.

#FunFact2 Brick Lane Music Hall puts on music and dance shows, pantomimes, and the like. But it isn’t where it should be. It is, in fact, 8km away from Brick Lane, residing in the Docklands. Having first opened in 1991 in a stable in the Old Truman Brewery, it was forced to move due to rising rents. Source Londonist.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

School of WorkLife helps you self-direct your WorkLife learning through resources that have been created to help you to take ownership of your learning in your own space and in your own time. 

What is Self Directed Learning?

Self-Directed Learning is when an individual is motivated to take the initiative and responsibility on decisions related to their own learning. It is a series of independent actions and judgements free from external control and constraint. 

Resources to Help You Self-Direct Your Learning 

You may want to self-direct your learning by starting your WorkLife Book Club For One, For Two, or for more people. Guidelines for Starting and Running Your WorkLife Book Club will help you do that. 

You may find the books below from The School of WorkLife Book Series helpful in meeting your learning needs as a self directed learner. Tap the book title to see a preview of what’s inside each book.

How To Live True To Who You Really Are

How To Motivate Through Self-Respect and Trust

How To Be Vulnerable and Courageous

You can view the complete collection here: The School of WorkLife Book Series.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Tagline: Carmel O’ Reilly is a learning practitioner and writer. She creates resources to help people self-direct their WorkLife learning

Founder of School of WorkLife, Carmel O’ Reilly is a learning practitioner and writer. She creates resources to help people self-direct their WorkLife learning.  These include a Collection of Books which originated from her first book, Your WorkLife Your Way and a  Learn Through Reading Series of Case Studies.  which originated from her latest book WorkLife Book Club. 

That’s the power of writing (and reading, which is an integral part of the craft for writers), it helps you find, develop and tell the right story at the right time in all WorkLife situations – in day-to-day communication: WorkLife and feedback conversations, presentations, talks, and negotiations, at interviews, and when socialising and networking in building and maintaining good relationships. The practice of writing helps you to tell the stories that express who you are in an interesting and engaging way.

Chapter 19 (of 20) A Matter of Measurements

Chapter 1 (of 20), A Good Café on the Place St-Michael, will take you back in time to the story that began my French culinary experiences while reading A Moveable Feast, chapter by chapter. From there, each chapter will take you to the next chapter and culinary experience. 

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” Ernest Hemingway.

Chapter 19 (of 20) A Matter of Measurements, accompanied by Confit de Canard, paired with a glass of St. Laurand at Chez Elles, Brick Lane.

Notes From Chapter 19: A Matter of Measurements

A WorkLife Book Club For One

A Note on Feedback

Scott asked me to have lunch with him. He said he had something very important to ask me that meant more than anything in the world to him and that I must answer absolutely truly. When he would ask me to tell him something absolutely truly, which is very difficult to do, and I would try it, what I said would make him angry, often not when I said it, but afterwards, and sometimes long afterwards when he had brooded on it. My words would become something that would have to be destroyed and sometimes, if possible, me with them.

Words of Wisdom 

It takes courage to speak up, and also to walk away. In the end it comes from who you are. If you remain true to yourself, you cannot be false to anyone else. (Adapted from my book, How To Use Your Voice To Express And Protect Your Identity).

It’s important to remember, when you ask someone for their advice, opinion, feedback, they’ll feel obliged to give it. You then need to figure out whether to take it on board or whether to think, well that may be good advice/feedback for someone else but in line with what’s important to me and knowing what I want to know about what I want to achieve in my WorkLife, that’s not for me right now. (Adapted from my book, Your WorkLife Your Way).

Epilogue

Unlike previous times when I wasn’t sure when I’ll read the next chapter of A Moveable Feast over a glass and a plate. This time I know, because I read the next chapter over dessert  at Chez Elles, Brick Lane.

… Let’s see where A Moveable Feast the next chapter story is going to take me …

The Continuing Story …

… I can now share where Chapter 20 (of 20) … There Is Never Any End to Paris story took me …

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Today I enjoyed Confit de Canard, paired with a glass of St. Laurand at Chez Elles, Brick Lane.

Se souvenir de toi, Norma.

#FunFact1 Confit de canard is claimed by the people of Gascony, France. Henry IV, King of France from 1589–1610 and a Gascon by birth, was said to have had confit de canard shipped to Paris by the barrel-load because nobody in Paris was making it at the time. Source The Nosey Chef.

#FunFact2 Brick Lane Market dates back to the 17th Century and continues to evolve. Today we have Sunday Upmarket and Backyard Market, both of which operate out of the Old Truman Brewery, with vendor-chefs serving up the best of street food representing cuisines from all over the world. I love their co-existence on the street that is THE place to go for a curry in London, where you can try traditional and authentic cooking that celebrates the cultural diversity of our city. Source WorkLife Book Club (my book).

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

School of WorkLife helps you self-direct your WorkLife learning through resources that have been created to help you to take ownership of your learning in your own space and in your own time. 

What is Self Directed Learning?

Self-Directed Learning is when an individual is motivated to take the initiative and responsibility on decisions related to their own learning. It is a series of independent actions and judgements free from external control and constraint. 

Resources to Help You Self-Direct Your Learning 

You may want to self-direct your learning by starting your WorkLife Book Club For One, For Two, or for more people. Guidelines for Starting and Running Your WorkLife Book Club will help you do that. 

You may find the books below from The School of WorkLife Book Series helpful in meeting your learning needs as a self directed learner. Tap the book title to see a preview of what’s inside each book.

How To Live True To Who You Really Are

How To Motivate Through Self-Respect and Trust

How To Be Vulnerable and Courageous

You can view the complete collection here: The School of WorkLife Book Series.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Founder of School of WorkLife, Carmel O’ Reilly is a learning practitioner and writer. She creates resources to help people self-direct their WorkLife learning.  These include a Collection of Books which originated from her first book, Your WorkLife Your Way and a  Learn Through Reading Series of Case Studies.  which originated from her latest book WorkLife Book Club. 

That’s the power of writing (and reading, which is an integral part of the craft for writers), it helps you find, develop and tell the right story at the right time in all WorkLife situations – in day-to-day communication: WorkLife and feedback conversations, presentations, talks, and negotiations, at interviews, and when socialising and networking in building and maintaining good relationships. The practice of writing helps you to tell the stories that express who you are in an interesting and engaging way.

Chapter 18 (of 20) Hawks Do Not Share

Chapter 1 (of 20), A Good Café on the Place St-Michael, will take you back in time to the story that began my French culinary experiences while reading A Moveable Feast, chapter by chapter. From there, each chapter will take you to the next chapter and culinary experience. 

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” Ernest Hemingway.

Chapter 18 (of 20) Hawks Do Not Share, accompanied by Soufflé au Comté, paired with a glass of Provence Rosé at Chez Elles, Brick Lane.

Notes From Chapter 18: Hawks Do Not Share

A WorkLife Book Club For One

Notes on Love, Friendship, Ruinous Relationships, Addiction and Mental Health

Zelda had a very bad hangover. They had been up on Montmartre the night before and had quarrelled because Scott did not want to get drunk. He had decided, he told me, to work hard and not to drink and Zelda was treating him as though he were a kill-joy or a spoilsport.

Scott was very much in love with Zelda and he was very jealous of her.

He was always trying to work. Each day he would try and fail.

‘You’ve written a fine novel now,’ I told him. ‘And you mustn’t write slop.’

Zelda did not encourage the people who were chasing her. But it amused her and it made Scott jealous. It destroyed his work, and she was more jealous of his work than anything.

But when he was drunk he would usually come to find me, and drunk, he took almost as much pleasure interfering with my work as Zelda did interfering with his. This continued for years but, for years too, I had no more loyal friend than Scott when he was sober.

Scott did not write anything anymore that was good until after he knew that she was insane.

This chapter reminded me of The Ballad of Reading Gaol by Oscar Wilde in which he depicted the loves, losses, betrayals and tragedies that all men suffer in their lifetime. He spoke of men because he was imprisoned with other men, but of course, what he wrote could also be said of women. 

One of the themes of the poem is emotional turbulence, and that, for me, connected to this chapter. In particular:

Stanza Seven 

Yet each man kills the thing he loves

  By each let this be heard,

Some do it with a bitter look,

  Some with a flattering word,

The coward does it with a kiss,

  The brave man with a sword!

I was also reminded of the following line which I read or heard somewhere, which helps summarise my thoughts on this chapter. I paraphrase from memory:

Words of Wisdom

Addiction is the only prison where the key to get out is on the inside.

Epilogue

Unlike previous times when I wasn’t sure when I’ll read the next chapter of A Moveable Feast over a glass and a plate. This time I know, because I read the next chapter over my main course and a glass of wine at Chez Elles, Brick Lane.

… Let’s see where A Moveable Feast the next chapter story is going to take me …

The Continuing Story …

… I can now share where  Chapter 19 (of 20) A Matter of Measurements story took me  …

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Today I enjoyed Soufflé au Comté, paired with a glass of Provence Rosé at Chez Elles, Brick Lane.

Se souvenir de toi, Norma.

#FunFact1  The most expensive soufflé is sold for US $2,500 and is prepared by Executive Chef Richard Farnabe and Alexandre Petrossian, at Petrossian in New York (as of 16 September 2016). An egg soufflé filled with quail eggs, royal reserve caviar, topped with gold leaf and flambé Hennessey Richard. Source Just Fun Facts.

#FunFact2 Chez Elles serves French bistro dishes in a rustic-chic restaurant with a Gallic ambience and occasional jazz in Brick Lane – a part of town famously known for its curry houses.

#FunFact3 Brick Lane’s name evolved from the 16th century when the ground in the area was discovered to be full of clay, useful for creating bricks and tiles. After the Great Fire of London, demand for bricks increased. A kiln was installed at the northern end of the road, and bricks were transported down the length of the street to Whitechapel Road. Source Londonist. 

.…………………………………………………………………………………………………

School of WorkLife helps you self-direct your WorkLife learning through resources that have been created to help you to take ownership of your learning in your own space and in your own time. 

What is Self Directed Learning?

Self-Directed Learning is when an individual is motivated to take the initiative and responsibility on decisions related to their own learning. It is a series of independent actions and judgements free from external control and constraint. 

Resources to Help You Self-Direct Your Learning 

You may want to self-direct your learning by starting your WorkLife Book Club For One, For Two, or for more people. Guidelines for Starting and Running Your WorkLife Book Club will help you do that. 

You may find the books below from The School of WorkLife Book Series helpful in meeting your learning needs as a self directed learner. Tap the book title to see a preview of what’s inside each book.

How To Motivate Through Self-Respect and Trust

How To Be Vulnerable and Courageous

How To Overcome Self-Sabotage

You can view the complete collection here: The School of WorkLife Book Series.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Founder of School of WorkLife, Carmel O’ Reilly is a learning practitioner and writer. She creates resources to help people self-direct their WorkLife learning.  These include a Collection of Books which originated from her first book, Your WorkLife Your Way and a  Learn Through Reading Series of Case Studies.  which originated from her latest book WorkLife Book Club. 

That’s the power of writing (and reading, which is an integral part of the craft for writers), it helps you find, develop and tell the right story at the right time in all WorkLife situations – in day-to-day communication: WorkLife and feedback conversations, presentations, talks, and negotiations, at interviews, and when socialising and networking in building and maintaining good relationships. The practice of writing helps you to tell the stories that express who you are in an interesting and engaging way.

Chapter 17 (of 20) Scott Fitzgerald

Chapter 1 (of 20), A Good Café on the Place St-Michael, will take you back in time to the story that began my French culinary experiences while reading A Moveable Feast, chapter by chapter. From there, each chapter will take you to the next chapter and culinary experience. 

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” Ernest Hemingway.

Chapter 17 (of 20) Scott Fitzgerald accompanied by Cashel Blue Cheese, Plum Chutney & Oatcakes paired with a glass of Banyuls ’Tradition’ NV., at Vinoteca City, Bloomberg Arcade.

Notes From Chapter 17: Scott Fitzgerald

A WorkLife Book Club For One

Notes on Physical Description of Characters and Characteristics 

Scott was a man then who looked like a boy with a face between handsome and pretty. He had very fair wavy hair, a high forehead, excited and friendly eyes and a delicate long-lipped Irish mouth that, on a girl, would have been the mouth of a beauty. His chin was well built and he had good ears and a handsome, almost beautiful, unmarked nose. This should have not added up to a pretty face, but that came from the coloring, the vary fair hair and the mouth. The mouth worried you until you knew him and then it worried you more.

This, for me, was yet another masterclass in writing. A masterclass in physical description that led into characteristic description in a way that piqued my curiosity about what Hemingway meant about Fitzgerald in the last sentence. I was hooked and wanted to know more.

Notes on Self-Criticism and Self-Championing

Words of Wisdom

He spoke slightingly, but without bitterness of everything he had written, and I knew his new book must be very good for him to speak without bitterness, of the faults of past books. He wanted me to read the new book, The Great Gatsby, as soon as he could get his last and only copy back from someone he had loaned it to. To hear him talk of it, you would never know how very good it was, except that it had the shyness about it that all non-conceited writers have when they have done something very fine, and I hoped he would get the book quickly so that I might read it.

I believe we need to be our own greatest critic and greatest champion. I believe this needs to be done in a way that demonstrates humility. Through Hemingway’s description of Fitzgerald, in this moment, he personified this. Because of my beliefs in how this needs to be, I liked learning this about Fitzgerald. I also liked learning about Hemingway’s thoughts and beliefs on this.

Notes on Success

Scott told me that he had heard from Maxwell Perkins that the book was not selling well but that it had very fine reviews.

Scott was puzzled and hurt that the book was not selling well, but, as I said, he was not at all bitter then and he was both shy and happy about the book’s quality.

It saddens me to read this. But it doesn’t surprise me. So many great works of so many great people throughout history weren’t recognised or appreciated for their greatness. 

I read that for the rest of his life, The Great Gatsby experienced tepid sales and that it took decades for the novel to gain its present acclaim and popularity. 

I also read that at the time of his death, Fitzgerald believed his life a failure and that his work was forgotten.

And I read that by the 21st century, The Great Gatsby had sold millions of copies, and the novel is required reading in many high schools and college classes. The work continues to be cited by scholars as relevant to understanding contemporary America. 

Source Wikipedia. 

This, indeed, is a worthy accolade. It saddens me that it took so long to come. And it saddens me that Fitzgerald didn’t experience the success he deserved in his lifetime.

Epilogue

I’m not sure when I’ll read the next chapter of A Moveable Feast over a glass and a plate. 

 It most likely will be another spontaneous happening. It may take a little planning to keep the French theme going, or as I walk and explore and discover, it may not. …

The Continuing Story …

I can now share where Chapter 18 (of 20)… Hawks Do Not Share  took me …

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Today I enjoyed Cashel Blue Cheese, Plum Chutney & Oatcakes paired with a glass of Banyuls ’Tradition’ NV., at Vinoteca City, Bloomberg Arcade.

Se souvenir de toi, Norma.

#FunFact1 When Louis & Jane Grubb set out to make Cashel Blue in the early 1980’s, their ambition was to create a farmhouse cheese that “truly represents the outstanding quality of Tipperary grass-fed milk.” Today, 40 years later and in the hands of the 2nd generation, Cashel Blue is still made by hand on the same 200 acre farm; Beechmount, in Co. Tipperary, Ireland. Source Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers 

#FunFact 2 Bloomberg Arcade is built on a site of rich Roman history, the true extent of which was revealed during the construction of Bloomberg’s European Headquarters on Queen Victoria Street. More than 14,000 Roman artefacts were uncovered during the excavation, some of which are now on display just metres away at London Mithraeum Bloomberg Space. Here, you can experience the restored Roman Temple of Mithras and enjoy contemporary art commissions responding to the site’s unique history. Source Bloomberg Arcade.

#FunFact3 Talking about Roman History … “The Roman Empire was fuelled by wine, enjoyed by soldiers and Caesars alike. You don’t need a refined palette, fast cars and fat pay-checks to enjoy it. Wine is for everyone.” Source Vinoteca. I concur and so did Hemingway. He wrote “In Europe then we thought of wine as something as healthy and normal as food and also as a great giver of happiness and well being and delight. Drinking wine was not a snobbism nor a sign of sophistication nor a cult; it was as natural as eating to me and as necessary, and I would not have thought of eating a meal without drinking either wine or cider or beer.” 

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

School of WorkLife helps you self-direct your WorkLife learning through resources that have been created to help you to take ownership of your learning in your own space and in your own time. 

What is Self Directed Learning?

Self-Directed Learning is when an individual is motivated to take the initiative and responsibility on decisions related to their own learning. It is a series of independent actions and judgements free from external control and constraint. 

Resources to Help You Self-Direct Your Learning 

You may want to self-direct your learning by starting your WorkLife Book Club For One, For Two, or for more people. Guidelines for Starting and Running Your WorkLife Book Club will help you do that. 

You may find the books below from The School of WorkLife Book Series helpful in meeting your learning needs as a self directed learner. Tap the book title to see a preview of what’s inside each book.

How To Embrace The Superpower of Self-Awareness

How To Overcome Self-Doubt Through Self-Appreciation

How To Recover From Rejection and Build Strong Resilience

You can view the complete collection here: The School of WorkLife Book Series.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Founder of School of WorkLife, Carmel O’ Reilly is a learning practitioner and writer. She creates resources to help people self-direct their WorkLife learning.  These include a Collection of Books which originated from her first book, Your WorkLife Your Way and a  Learn Through Reading Series of Case Studies.  which originated from her latest book WorkLife Book Club. 

That’s the power of writing (and reading, which is an integral part of the craft for writers), it helps you find, develop and tell the right story at the right time in all WorkLife situations – in day-to-day communication: WorkLife and feedback conversations, presentations, talks, and negotiations, at interviews, and when socialising and networking in building and maintaining good relationships. The practice of writing helps you to tell the stories that express who you are in an interesting and engaging way.

Chapter 16 (of 20) An Agent of Evil

Chapter 1 (of 20), A Good Café on the Place St-Michael, will take you back in time to the story that began my French culinary experiences while reading A Moveable Feast, chapter by chapter. From there, each chapter will take you to the next chapter and culinary experience. 

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” Ernest Hemingway.

Chapter 16 (of 20) An Agent of Evil, accompanied by Hereford Grilled Rump Steak and Dauphinoise Potatoes paired with a glass of Syrah Gamay ‘Diane’ 2021 (a winter rosé), at Vinoteca City, Bloomberg Arcade 

Notes From Chapter 16: An Agent of Evil

A WorkLife Book Club For One

Notes on Mystery

Words of Wisdom

‘We need more true mystery in our lives. The completely unambitious writer and the really good unpublished poem are the things we lack most at this time. There is, of course, the problem of sustenance.’

Hemingway was sharing words spoken by Evan Shipman, who he considered to be “a very fine poet who truly did not care if his poems were ever published.”

For me, there is so much truth in those words. I’ve encountered so many people in my WorkLife – people I’ve encountered in person and people I’ve encountered through their work – featured in books/publications/exhibitions … who quite possibly (and for which I am very thankful) I’ve only encountered because of “the problem of sustenance” – they took on paid work to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads, a means of living to support themselves and perhaps a family … 

In a sense, this gave them freedom because once they had taken care of “the problem of sustenance”, they were then free to create without any external demands or influences on their work. This, I believe, is where true artistry and creativity lie. This, I believe, is where people from all walks of life and across all professions achieve their greatest accomplishments. All of this creates a sense of mystery because it doesn’t have to conform to external expectations. I love that.

Epilogue

Unlike previous times when I wasn’t sure when I’ll read the next chapter of A Moveable Feast over a glass and a plate. This time I know, because I read the next chapter over a cheese course and a glass of wine at Vinoteca City, Bloomberg Arcade.

… Let’s see where A Moveable Feast the next chapter story is going to take me …

The Continuing Story …

… I can now share where  Chapter 17 (of 20) Scott Fitzgerald story took me  …

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Today I enjoyed Hereford Grilled Rump Steak and Dauphinoise Potatoes paired with a glass of Syrah Gamay ‘Diane’ 2021 (a winter rosé), at Vinoteca City, Bloomberg Arcade 

Se souvenir de toi, Norma.

#FunFact1 The first mention of the dish Gratin dauphinois was on 12 July 1788 when it was served with ortolans at a dinner given by Charles-Henri and Lieutenant-general of the Dauphiné, for the municipal officials of the town of Gap. Source Wikipedia. 

#FunFact2 Vinoteca are redefining the wine bar. Sourcing exceptional wines. From grape to glass, every sip has an epic origin story waiting to be told. Stories that take you places. Igniting people’s passion for wine in a crazy-classy way without the stuffiness. (I concur) Source Vinoteca.

#FunFact3 As part of its commitment to London, Bloomberg reopened a lost portion of a Roman Road (Watling Street) now home to nine independent restaurants, public art and a pedestrianised haven in the heart of the Square Mile.  Source Bloomberg Arcade.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

School of WorkLife helps you self-direct your WorkLife learning through resources that have been created to help you to take ownership of your learning in your own space and in your own time. 

What is Self Directed Learning?

Self-Directed Learning is when an individual is motivated to take the initiative and responsibility on decisions related to their own learning. It is a series of independent actions and judgements free from external control and constraint. 

Resources to Help You Self-Direct Your Learning 

You may want to self-direct your learning by starting your WorkLife Book Club For One, For Two, or for more people. Guidelines for Starting and Running Your WorkLife Book Club will help you do that. 

You may find the books below from The School of WorkLife Book Series helpful in meeting your learning needs as a self directed learner. Tap the book title to see a preview of what’s inside each book.

Your WorkLife Your Way

How To Live True To Who You Really Are

How To Let Curiosity Be Your Driving Force  

You can view the complete collection here: The School of WorkLife Book Series.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Founder of School of WorkLife, Carmel O’ Reilly is a learning practitioner and writer. She creates resources to help people self-direct their WorkLife learning.  These include a Collection of Books which originated from her first book, Your WorkLife Your Way and a  Learn Through Reading Series of Case Studies.  which originated from her latest book WorkLife Book Club. 

That’s the power of writing (and reading, which is an integral part of the craft for writers), it helps you find, develop and tell the right story at the right time in all WorkLife situations – in day-to-day communication: WorkLife and feedback conversations, presentations, talks, and negotiations, at interviews, and when socialising and networking in building and maintaining good relationships. The practice of writing helps you to tell the stories that express who you are in an interesting and engaging way.

Chapter 15 (of 20) Evan Shipman at the Lilas

Chapter 1 (of 20), A Good Café on the Place St-Michael, will take you back in time to the story that began my French culinary experiences while reading A Moveable Feast, chapter by chapter. From there, each chapter will take you to the next chapter and culinary experience. 

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” Ernest Hemingway.

Chapter 15 (of 20) Evan Shipman at the Lilas, accompanied by Creme Brûlée and Hot Chocolate at Café Rouge, St Paul’s Churchyard.

Notes From Chapter 15: Evan Shipman at the Lilas

A WorkLife Book Club For One

Notes on Books

From the day I had found Sylvia Beech’s library I had read all of Turgenev, what had been published in English of Gogol, the Constance Garnett translations of Tolstoi and the English translations of Chekov. 

I loved being brought back to when Hemingway had first discovered Sylvia Beech’s library and to her generosity in sharing her books with those who appreciated them. I loved how Hemingway took me, the reader, through the time that had passed since that first meeting, through the books he had read.

Notes on Reading 

Words of Wisdom

To have come on all of this new world of writing, with time to read in a city like Paris where there was a way of living well and working, no matter how poor you were, was like having a great treasure given to you. You could take your treasure with you when you traveled too, and in the mountains where we lived in Switzerland and Italy, until we found Schruns in the high valley in the Voralberg in Austria, there were always the books, so that you lived in the new world you had found, the snow and the forests and the glaciers and their winter problems and your high shelters in the Hotel Taube in the village in the day time, and at night you could live in the other wonderful world the Russian writers were giving you. At first there were the Russians; then there were all the others. But for a long time there were the Russians.

I loved being reminded of the wonder of writing and reading. I’ve always loved reading, but when I was writing my last book, I spent a year writing far more than I was reading. That was OK. It needed to be done. But I wanted and needed to get back to reading more because, as a writer, reading is an integral part of my craft.

Taking Hemingway’s, A Moveable Feast on a Moveable Feast chapter by chapter has helped so much in getting back on track with my reading and flexing my reading muscle. As I write about my experiences, it’s helping me, as a new writer, to flex my writing muscle too. I am learning so much from Hemingway and from the experiences of taking the book to cafés and restaurants – the food, the drink, the ambience, the location, and the walk that gets me there and back. I can relate to Hemingway saying there is a way to live well and work and feel as though I have a great treasure given to me when I have time to read in a city like London. All of this doesn’t have to cost a lot – the food and drink and making time to read, when along with books, time is the greatest treasure, is truly wonderful.

When I finish this book, I plan to continue the practice of taking books on a journey – through the streets of London and further afield, hopefully. I know I too, will live in the new world I explore and discover by day, and I will also live in the other wonderful world that the writers from many different places will take me to.

Epilogue

I’m not sure when I’ll read the next chapter of A Moveable Feast over a glass and a plate. 

 It most likely will be another spontaneous happening. It may take a little planning to keep the French theme going, or as I walk and explore and discover, it may not.

The Continuing Story …

… I can now share where Chapter 16 (of 20)… An Agent of Evil took me …

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Today I enjoyed Creme Brûlée and Hot Chocolate at Café Rouge, St Paul’s Churchyard.

Se souvenir de toi, Norma.

#FunFact1 The world record for the largest creme brûlée topped out at 26 feet in diameter, weighed 1,600 pounds and was estimated to have two million calories. Source Mobile Cuisine  

#FunFact2 With the advent of printing, St Paul’s Churchyard quickly became the centre of the book trade in England. Originally it was dominated by foreign booksellers. Richard III’s only parliament of 1484 passed the act, which encouraged them to do business in London. Despite other protectionist measures, the king personally intervened that printers and booksellers were exempt from these. Source Wikipedia

#FunFact3 In 1964, Martin Luther King gave a sermon at St. Paul’s Cathedral to a congregation of over three thousand. Aside from being an activist, Martin Luther King was also a Baptist minister, and he spoke about three different approaches to life in a sermon now known as The Three Dimensions to a Complete Life. Source London Pass 

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

School of WorkLife helps you self-direct your WorkLife learning through resources that have been created to help you to take ownership of your learning in your own space and in your own time. 

What is Self Directed Learning?

Self-Directed Learning is when an individual is motivated to take the initiative and responsibility on decisions related to their own learning. It is a series of independent actions and judgements free from external control and constraint. 

Resources to Help You Self-Direct Your Learning 

You may want to self-direct your learning by starting your WorkLife Book Club For One, For Two, or for more people. Guidelines for Starting and Running Your WorkLife Book Club will help you do that. 

You may find the books below from The School of WorkLife Book Series helpful in meeting your learning needs as a self directed learner. Tap the book title to see a preview of what’s inside each book.

Your WorkLife Your Way

How To Be Autonomous in Your Development and Growth

How To Self-Coach, Direct and Lead Effectively  

You can view the complete collection here: The School of WorkLife Book Series.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Founder of School of WorkLife, Carmel O’ Reilly is a learning practitioner and writer. She creates resources to help people self-direct their WorkLife learning.  These include a Collection of Books which originated from her first book, Your WorkLife Your Way and a  Learn Through Reading Series of Case Studies.  which originated from her latest book WorkLife Book Club. 

That’s the power of writing (and reading, which is an integral part of the craft for writers), it helps you find, develop and tell the right story at the right time in all WorkLife situations – in day-to-day communication: WorkLife and feedback conversations, presentations, talks, and negotiations, at interviews, and when socialising and networking in building and maintaining good relationships. The practice of writing helps you to tell the stories that express who you are in an interesting and engaging way.

Chapter 14 (of 20) The Man Who Was Marked For Death

Chapter 1 (of 20), A Good Café on the Place St-Michael, will take you back in time to the story that began my French culinary experiences while reading A Moveable Feast, chapter by chapter. From there, each chapter will take you to the next chapter and culinary experience. 

“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” Ernest Hemingway.

Chapter 14 (of 20) The Man Who Was Marked For Death, accompanied by Poulet Breton at Café Rouge, Saint Katherine Docks.

Notes From Chapter 14: The Man Who Was Marked For Death

A WorkLife Book Club For One

Notes on Awards

At the time the Dial, an American literary magazine edited by Schofield Thayer, gave an annual award of, I believe, a thousand dollars for excellence in the practice of letters by a contributor. This was a huge sum for any straight writer to receive in those days, in addition to the prestige, and the award had gone to various people, all deserving, naturally. Two people, then, could life comfortably and well in Europe on five dollars a day and could travel.

This quarterly, of which Walsh was one of the editors, was alleged to be going to award a very substantial sum to the contributor whose work should be judged the best at the end of the first four issues.

It was not long after I heard rumours of this alleged award that Walsh asked me to lunch one day at a restaurant that was the best and the most expensive in the Boulevard St-Michel quarter.

‘There’s no use beating about the bush,’ he said. ‘You know you’re going to get the award don’t you?’

‘Am I?’ I said. ‘Why?’

‘You’re going to get it,’ he said.

‘I don’t think I deserve it,’ I said. 

I feel conflicted about awards.

Because today there’s an award for everything, and when there’s an award for everything, there’s an award for nothing.

In my work as a WorkLife coach, I help people to manage, develop and transition their WorkLives in a manner that is meaningful and fulfilling to them. I don’t need or want to win an award in recognition for this. That’s because I am simply doing my job. A job for which I am being paid to do. The greatest award or reward for me is the knowledge that I have played a part in helping my clients achieve their wants and needs.

For that reason, I have never applied or entered to win an award for the numerous award ceremonies within my industry. I frequently receive email invites to do so, which to me are just marketing ploys in which I have no interest.

The following quote from It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want To Be, by Paul Arden, connects my thinking and beliefs about Awards to what I believe was Hemingway’s thinking and beliefs on the subject.

Words of Wisdom by Paul Arden

“Awards create glamour and glamour create income.

But beware.

Awards are judged in committee and consensus of what is known.

In other words, what is in fashion.

But originality can’t be fashionable, because it hasn’t as yet had the approval of the committee.

Do not try to follow fashion.

Be true to your subject and you will be far more likely to create something that is timeless.

that’s where the true art lies.”

Notes on Conflict

In my work as a learning practitioner and writer, I create resources to help people self-direct their learning in the areas that are most important to them. 

To direct my work, I created the following Guiding Statement: To create resources that are helpful, insightful and inspiring in helping people to pursue their WorkLives with greater clarity, purpose, passion and pride by creating continuous WorkLife learning programmes and resources that are accessible to everyone.

This is where I experience conflict about awards.

I believe my work is helpful to people in enabling them to self-direct their learning. I would like to reach more people with my work. Winning an award would give me the visibility I need to reach more people. 

This, for me, connects to what Hemingway said about the annual award of, a thousand dollars for excellence in the practice of letters by a contributor. 

An award could open up so much for me by way of gaining recognition for my work.

But, as with Hemingway, I would need to believe that I am truly deserving of the award. For me, it doesn’t feel right to put myself forward for an award. I feel it needs to come from someone else who believes I am deserving of an award. 

Even writing this, I feel conflicted on the subject of ‘Awards’. 

And as much as I want to reach more people with my work. I think, for now, anyway, I will strive to do that in a more holistic way, I.e. sharing helpful content and endeavouring to build a following in that way, as opposed to building a following through winning an award.

Epilogue

I’m not sure when I’ll read the next chapter of A Moveable Feast over a glass and a plate. 

 It most likely will be another spontaneous happening. It may take a little planning to keep the French theme going, or as I walk and explore and discover, it may not.

The Continuing Story …

… I can now share where Chapter 15 (of 20)… Evan Shipman at the Lilas took me …

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Today I enjoyed Poulet Breton at Café Rouge, St Katherine Docks.

Se souvenir de toi, Norma.

#FunFact1 Café Rouge was the favourite hangout for Bridget and friends in ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’, the novel that helped make them a household name!” Source Cafe Rouge

#FunFact2 Central London’s only marina, St Katharine Docks, the area that once bustled with clippers, cargo ships, and dock workers is lined with the gleaming yachts and luxurious flats, offices, shops, bars, and restaurants. Source Foxtrail  

#FunFact3  The inner gatefold photograph for The Rolling Stones album Through the Past Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2) was taken at St Katherine Docks by Ethan Russell in May 1969. Source Wikipedia  

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

School of WorkLife helps you self-direct your WorkLife learning through resources that have been created to help you to take ownership of your learning in your own space and in your own time. 

What is Self Directed Learning?

Self-Directed Learning is when an individual is motivated to take the initiative and responsibility on decisions related to their own learning. It is a series of independent actions and judgements free from external control and constraint. 

Resources to Help You Self-Direct Your Learning 

You may want to self-direct your learning by starting your WorkLife Book Club For One, For Two, or for more people. Guidelines for Starting and Running Your WorkLife Book Club will help you do that. 

You may find the books below from The School of WorkLife Book Series helpful in meeting your learning needs as a self directed learner. Tap the book title to see a preview of what’s inside each book.

Your WorkLife Your Way

How To Live True To Who You Really Are

How To Build Your True Personal Brand Identity  

You can view the complete collection here: The School of WorkLife Book Series.

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Founder of School of WorkLife, Carmel O’ Reilly is a learning practitioner and writer. She creates resources to help people self-direct their WorkLife learning.  These include a Collection of Books which originated from her first book, Your WorkLife Your Way and a  Learn Through Reading Series of Case Studies.  which originated from her latest book WorkLife Book Club. 

That’s the power of writing (and reading, which is an integral part of the craft for writers), it helps you find, develop and tell the right story at the right time in all WorkLife situations – in day-to-day communication: WorkLife and feedback conversations, presentations, talks, and negotiations, at interviews, and when socialising and networking in building and maintaining good relationships. The practice of writing helps you to tell the stories that express who you are in an interesting and engaging way.