How to win friends

I recently picked up How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie again. It’s one of those books to revisit every year. 

Here are a few reminders from the book that I think are particularly relevant to you: 

• You must have a good time meeting people if you expect them to have a good time meeting you. 

• Think about a dog. You can make more friends in two months becoming genuinely interested in other people than you can in two years trying to get other people interested in you. 

• Talk to people about themselves and they will listen for hours. 

• Always make the other person feel important.

• Never say, “You’re wrong.” Show respect for other opinions. 

• Bait your hook to suit the fish. You might like strawberries and cream. But fish like worms. So when you go fishing, put worms on the hook, not strawberries and cream. Talk about what they want. 

• Make people feel important and do it sincerely. 

The book describes one popular magician in Las Vegas who credited his success to his genuine interest in people. Before he went on stage, every night, he said out loud: “I love my audience. I love my audience.” When is the last time you said “I love my audience?”

Keep showing up!

~Angela