I'm a writer and as one, my eyes focused in on, "You have to be interested in people if you want to be a successful writer of stories." Dale Carnegie published How to Win Friend and Influence People in 1936 and as of today, it's sold over 30 million copies and is still widely read. I found it on the shelf of Fahrenheit 451 Book. I'd heard about the book before and decided to purchased it. The self-help book has a wealth of quotable sections. There were many times I sat up straight in my seat and smiled in agreeance. I wrote multiple notes on sticky pads and attached them to their appropriate page.
Going back to that first quote, you must be interested in people in order to be a successful storyteller. Why? Real life encounters with people is what fueled famous writers like Ernest Hemingway,
"Write about what you know and write truly and tell them all where they can place it...Books should be about the people you know, that you love and hate, not about the people you study about."
If you're not a writer, the book still has insightful and thought-provoking information. Here are the lessons I learned from How to Win Friend and Influence People.
5 Important Lessons Learned from How to Win Friends and Influence People
- How to influence people. "So the only way on earth to influence other people is to talk about what they want and show them how to get it...Arouse in the other person an eager want...Before you persuade ask: How can I make this person want to do it?"
- Be genuinely interested in people. "The world is full of people who are grabbing and self-seeking. So the rare individual who unselfishly tried to serve others has an enormous advantage. He has little competition."
- Smile more often. "Your smile is a messenger of your good will. Your smile brightens the lives of all who see it."
- Listen attentively. "So if you aspire to be a good conversationalist, be an attentive listener. Encourage them to talk about themselves and their accomplishments."
- Learn and memorize people's names. "The names sets the individual apart; it makes him or her uniquely among all others."
Have you read the book? If so, what were your takeaways?
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