Harry King Is My Role Model

Let me introduce you to my favorite fictional career role model, Harry King.

Harry King is a character in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, fantasy fiction series that could probably be called parody, but it really doesn't quite do it justice.  Harry King, introduced in the book "The Truth" is one of the best role models you can have.



Young Harry grew up a bit of a scavenger and seller of odd throwaways and junk, but as he grew he started a career taking away the contents of chamberpots.  Then dog leavings.  Then junk.

Harry found quickly there was money in what people didn't want.  They'd pay you to take away things you could sell elsewhere.  Waste goes into sellable compost, dog muck can be used by tanners.  Junk of course is easily recyclable.

Decades later he's wealthy, happy, and famous, running an empire of recycling in a city of roughly Renaissance-era technology.  He looked at the world differently and looked for opportunity.

Harry King is a great role model to select out of various nonexistent people.  In fact, if you think about it, you probably know a few Harry King types yourself – who saw the world differently, saw opportunities, and took them.

So next time your career or job is dead-ended, next time you're not sure where to go, start thinking about how you can turn trash into treasure, how you can look at the lowest possibilities and see the highest potential.  Look at things differently.

Go find your chamberpots to empty.  Who knows what can follow?

- Steven Savage

  • http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/TaleOfTheRockPieces.html Ivan Stoikov – Allan Bard

    At first I couldn’t remember who Harry King was, though I’ve read and love the book! He’s actually one of my favourite characters too! ;) As well as the three witches! And the cat Gribo! They helped me for some of my characters from my books…;).
    I was inspired from Harry King for one of my favourite characters from my Tale Of The Rock Pieces and The Opposite Of magic – Eridan or the Steel One, he was a former nobleman (Mountaineer – the only human race that could train wizards), but became a very rich and successful dealer so that he could help his enslaved people… he combined all the good and evil sides of both good and eivl…;) that’s why I like him so much… Best wishe to all fans of Terry Pratchett!