DIARY

May, 1999

An idea is born

Pieter has started to write the book The Honest Thief in Dutch. The initial idea was to write the book for clients and co-workers of CBB, the construction management company headed by Pieter. The message of the book had to be simple, powerful and entertaining. It should offer inspiration for those who are not in the habit of reading heavy-duty philosophy.

In short, it should be down to earth and offer a message that people can actually use. That Pieter would use his honest thief philosophy was without a doubt the basis from day one. His time in management school plus his work experience had shaped his thinking and made him more aware of the “how to” in reaching your goals. For Pieter it made sense to put this in writing to offer some inspiration for those in search of ideas on how to reach their own goals.

It took Pieter about 3 month to complete the book. He worked on it just about every evening to meet his deadline.

The first print was ready just before Christmas 1999.

The “gift” was well received, people liked the book and actually asked where they could buy some more. It made sense to print up more books and make it available to a wider audience. There was no great marketing plan and certainly no pressure to turn the book into a commercial success. Pieter thought that if people appreciate it, that is great, if they actually use the book that is even better. Although he had written a book he didn’t (and still does not) see himself as a writer. The fact that there were people eager to learn about the honest thief philosophy encouraged him to bring his message further.