How to Win Friends and Influence People
This article and meme video are dedicated to all the past and future salespeople who haven’t read this yet who I won’t stop recommending this book to. You know who you are 😁
Being able to communicate, build relationships, and win people’s trust is something we all must do to be successful in our work and personal lives. This is because humans are fundamentally social creatures and so knowing how to interact with others in a positive way is an essential and empowering life skill. So you would think that a book which lays out the most powerful philosophies and strategies behind effective relationship building and communication would be good to read!
Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People was written in 1936 and is one of the most recommended books in the world. Without fail, everyone who I have talked to about this book, if they haven’t already read it, tells me they have been recommended the book at least several times. The fact that this book is still in print 85 years later and even today seen as a must read should be convincing enough for you to take a look, but if you are still hesitant, let me break down why I think it is worth your time to hear out Dale Carngie and incorporate his powerful understanding of human interaction into your toolkit.
Cultivating clearly defined and time tested principles on which to base your actions is one of the most powerful ways to improve yourself. This is the basis of my Meta Strategies article series. Often, I find that while people can talk about examples of good decision making, communication, or problem solving, it is hard for them to articulate the underlying principles that guide these actions. But think of how much more effectively you can act when you have clearly defined principles with which to guide your decision making
Dale Carnegie’s principles for communication and relationship building in How to Win Friends and Influence People are some of the most honed and powerful principles ever written on the subject. Not only does he lay out clear ways you can improve your communication and interactions, but he does so in a way that is relatable and easy and enjoyable to read.
If you are looking for a way to level up your communication skills to improve how you interact with people in your personal and work life, there is no better book than How to Win Friends and Influence People. I honestly considered this required reading for life, and you don’t have to trust me on this, you need but do a little research yourself on what generations of others have said. Do yourself a favor, stop procrastinating on reading this book and buy a copy off ebay. It will be the best 5 bucks you ever spent.
