My Friend Mark!

Some Twain wisdom for your Friday...

We are unanimous in the pride we take in good and genuine compliments paid us, in distinctions conferred upon us, in attentions shown us. There is not one of us, from the emperor down, but is made like that. Do I mean attentions shown us by the great? No, I mean simply flattering attentions; let them come whence they may. We despise no source that can pay us a pleasing attention--there is no source that is humble enough for that.

- "Does the Race of Man Love a Lord?"

My Friend Mark!

More on recognition from Mark himself...

It is a talent by itself to pay compliments gracefully and have them ring true. It's an art by itself.

- "I Was Born for a Savage" speech, 1907

My Friend Mark!

Some more words of wisdom from my friend Mark Twain!

Do not offer a compliment and ask a favor at the same time. A compliment
that is charged for is not valuable.- Notebook, 1902-1903

My Friend Mark!

Some more words of wisdom from my friend Mark!

The happy phrasing of a compliment is one of the rarest of human gifts and the happy delivery of it another.
- Mark Twain's Autobiography

My Friend Mark!

Some more words of wisdom from my friend Mark!

Praise is well, compliment is well, but affection--that is the last and final and most precious reward that any man can win, whether by character or achievement.
- Affection speech, 1907

My Friend Mark!

This week's words of wisdom from Mark Twain...

An occasional compliment is necessary to keep up one's self-respect. The plan of the newspaper is good and wise; when you can't get a compliment any other way, pay yourself one.
- Notebook, 1894

My Friend Mark!

This week's words of wisdom from Mark Twain...

I have been complimented many times and they always embarrass me; I always feel that they have not said enough.
- Speech, September 23, 1907

My Friend Mark!

I can live for two months on a compliment! - Mark Twain

One of my all time favorite authors is Samuel Clemens who is better known by his pen name… Mark Twain!

Born in Missouri in 1835, many consider Mark Twain to be the father of American literature.

He gained widespread fame and celebrity for books such as “Innocents Abroad,” “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.”

Mark Twain passed away in 1910 but his wit, satire and words live on today. His perspective on recognition and praise is amazing and can teach everyone some very basic lessons on how to live and work with one another!

For the last several years, my colleagues and I have finished many a presentation with Mark Twain’s famous comment “I can live for two months on a compliment!”

My good colleague Louise Sa has gathered a number of Mark Twain Nuggets and I’ll post one a week under the heading “My Friend Mark!”

I hope you enjoy and learn from them!