In re-reading Dale Carnegie’s 1936 How to Win Friends and Influence People during my travels over the last two weeks, I was reminded of the genius in the simplicity of Carnegie’s teaching. The self-help book remains one of the best-selling books of all time with over 15 million copies sold – and for good reason. Carnegie was first and foremost an American writer and lecturer who developed famous courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, public speaking, and interpersonal skills.
His words have withstood the test of time, and I’ve been reminded so many years after my first reading of the book, why his teachings have helped all of us improve. I’d like to share some points from the book that I find compelling, and I hope that they may inspire friends to pick up the book again or for the very first time.
- ”Everybody in the world is seeking happiness—and there is one sure way to find it. That is by controlling your thoughts. Happiness doesn’t depend on outward conditions. It depends on inner conditions.”
- “Personally I am very fond of strawberries and cream, but I have found that for some strange reason, fish prefer worms. So when I went fishing, I didn’t think about what I wanted. I thought about what they wanted. I didn’t bait the hook with strawberries and cream. Rather, I dangled a worm or grasshopper in front of the fish and said: ‘Wouldn’t you like to have that?’ Why not use the same common sense when fishing for people?”
- “If you can’t sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there and worrying. It’s the worry that gets you, not the loss of sleep.”
- “When the fierce, burning winds blow over our lives-and we cannot prevent them-let us, too, accept the inevitable. And then get busy and pick up the pieces.”
As former Florida Governor Jen Bush used to tell me, “Fight on!” See you on the trail!
Lisa
LMA Newsletter of 5-20-19
